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Violins can create both joy and sorrow in equal measure for a parent. The joy of seeing a creative past-time is balanced with the sorrow of noisy practising and particularly the initial weeks of squeak rather than tune. A violin can form a particular challenge for controlling sound as they create both an airborne noise through the sound of the instrument but also a slight vibration noise of the bow on the string. If you're looking to soundproof you may be forced to consider noise reduction rather than removal - but plenty of options exist. From experience, I found getting my head around terminology to be the first job. You'll be drawn to ‘soundproofing’ first. This is the process of keeping noise out of other rooms. ‘Acoustic treatment’ is centred on managing the noise in the music room - this is more suited to environments where you're recording. It's recommended to try and balance the two. My next immediate thought was egg-boxes - isn't that how you do it? There is a little reality here but not much. If sound is a force, imagine it bouncing of a wall. The rough shape of egg-boxes controls it, but they are thin and so make no real difference in the level of sound. They can help control sound reflections by breaking up smooth surfaces, however there are far more elegant solutions available for this purpose. Next, check the mass of your walls. The greater the thickness and insulation the better. Many choose to add additional sound insulation, possibly or choose a room where the walls are more substantial. This is why many parents plumb for the garage as a practice area. But walls are only part of the issue - what else causes vibrations? Remove clutter from the room like pictures or shelves. Look at the flooring - carpet can be better than smooth floors. It's vital to address windows when soundproofing as they do little to attenuate sound waves. Can you seal them? Double-glazed windows will significantly reduce the sound. If you do this make sure you open the doors regularly for airflow. At this point you can consider the acoustic treatment of the walls. What can you put on them? Acoustic foam is good option. It's applied in curves reducing the surfaces hit by sound. With a little investment a local soundproofing firm should help with 'acoustic treatment.' Learning an instrument is a gift for any child, soundproofing can be helpful for them and for you too.
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