Today’s technology allows you to make professional-sounding recordings and mixes with minimal investment in “gear” and from the comfort of your own home.
This article will discuss some factors to consider when creating a home studio within a budget.
How to set up your home recording studio
Computer
First, you will need a computer.
The latest Mac Pro doesn’t have to be the most expensive and feature-rich. However, you don’t want your recording done on an older brother’s Windows 95 computer.
We recommend a middle-of-the-road current Mac Book Pro, iMac, or even Mac Mini (or any PC equivalents–although the greater percentage of creatives in the music business choose Mac).
Digital Audio Workstation
You don’t have to choose which one but will need to buy a DAW. This is short for Digital Audio Work Station. This app allows you to record, use virtual instruments and mix.
Avid’s Pro Tools is the industry standard. It is best for complex audio manipulation and routing.
It was once very costly to have a Pro Tools rig in your home studio. But now, it is only $300 per year.
Apple’s Logic is available for purchase for $200. This product is ideal for musicians, producers, songwriters and anyone who wants to get into the business of mixing, producing, and recording music. Logic can be used with Garage Band to transition into pro audio. It has a similar look and layout.
Ableton – which is slightly more expensive if purchased in its entirety–is another great choice and is the preferred choice of the greater percentage of producers working in electronic, hip hop and EDM genres due to its unique MIDI VST song creation workflow.
Other options include Cubase and Reaper, as well as Fruity Loops. Remember that DAWs are all equal in audio quality and that no DAW is better than another.
Audio Interface
An audio interface is required unless you plan to use only virtual instruments (VIs), or samples, in your productions.
An audio interface will allow you to record audio, such as your voice or synth. It will allow you to record audio via a microphone or instrument cable. It will also provide quality outputs for speakers (or monitors as they are known in the audio world).
Although you can use your computer’s headphone output, it may not be as effective as an interface. It will also require adapters and can sometimes cause buzzes and other audio converter artifacts.
Speakers (Monitors) & Headphones
It is essential to hear the recording you are making and mix it in the finest detail. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to buy quality headphones and monitors.
Monitors are flatter than commercial speakers with an excited EQ curve. You don’t want your car stereo system or your home entertainment HiFi to be a distraction from the music.
If the system has a lot of basses, you might mix your track with less. Then, when you play your track on a generic vehicle system or listen to it on headphones, it will be extremely top-heavy and lack the required low end.
Microphones
You will need a microphone to record vocals or any other acoustic instrument. You will only need one microphone, which is more than likely.
If you are involved in popular music, your vocal tracks must shine in the mix. You can record great vocals using a budget microphone.