When setting up a home recording studio setup, the significance of having the fundamental skills necessary to make a great recording and mix pales in comparison to the importance of having extremely high quality and expensive equipment, as well as a million-dollar facility.
Equipment setup for a home recording studio can be expensive and difficult. It is not necessary, though! It is simple to prepare recordings for release from the comfort of your own home without breaking the bank with a few affordable pieces of equipment!
We will therefore demonstrate how to set up a home recording studio on a tight budget!
You can purchase a seemingly endless variety of studio equipment for a studio recording. But from the perspective of a low-cost home studio, we will simply talk about the bare minimum of equipment to get your music creation off the ground.
COMPUTER
You’ll need a computer to get started. You don’t need the most recent Mac Pro, which costs a little fortune and has every specification imaginable and could power a spacecraft. Even so, you can record your songs on the inherited Windows 95 machines from your big brother from the 1990s.
The current Mac Book Pro, iMac, or Mac Mini (or any PC equivalents, albeit a sizable portion of creatives in the music business select Macs) are recommended because they are in the middle of the spectrum.
The computer, which is a crucial component of the home studio, will serve as the hub of your activities.
Good Speakers
Most of the time, purchasing high-quality monitors and headphones doesn’t demand a sizable time or financial commitment. To produce a track of the highest caliber, it is imperative to hear what you are recording and mix in as much detail as you can. When compared to commercial speakers, monitors have the advantage of being “flat,” whereas commercial speakers are tuned with an enhanced EQ curve.
Although listening to music on your car’s stereo or your home studio’s HiFi system can be delightful, you should avoid mixing on such equipment as you might make expensive mixing mistakes. For home studios, you must have the best speakers.
DAW
Whichever one you choose to use is irrelevant; you must pick the greatest DAW for music creation. You must first start this “software” in order to record, use virtual instruments (VIs), and mix.
Previously, running a Pro Tools equipment in a home studio would have been prohibitively expensive, but today, you can get the same software that pros use for just $300 per year.
Due to its comparable layout and appearance to GarageBand, Logic Pro has a respectable following among audio professionals. The majority of composers, producers, and musicians—both seasoned pros and newcomers—who are just entering into the production, recording, and mixing business favor Apple’s Logic, which costs around $200.
Audio Interface
You’ll need the greatest audio interface to connect to your computer unless you solely wish to use virtual instruments (VIs) and samples in your compositions. An audio interface allows you to record sounds like your own voice, guitar, or synthesizer via a microphone or instrument connection, in addition to providing high-quality output in the form of speakers, which are known in the audio industry as “monitors.” If you are a musician or podcaster, you should also become familiar with the best USB audio interface.
You can use the headphone output on your computer. However, the interface is not as nice, adapters are needed, and there may occasionally be some trouble due to buzz and other abnormalities.
Microphone
A microphone is necessary to record the sound of a speech or any other acoustic instrument. There are several kinds of microphones, but you only need one for the entire project.
Making sure your voice tracks stand out from the mix is the most important step in setting up your recording studio if you operate in the popular music industry. Fortunately, you may use a microphone that fits within your budget to record excellent sounds.
Headphone
For monitoring or as a second reference while generating or mixing, good “cans” are crucial. In the studio, sonically flat headphones are preferred, much like with monitors. Without using its own EQ or embellishments, a flat sound provides accurate reproduction.
They must also be flexible and tightly seal around your ears. In order to avoid pain or discomfort after extended use, ergonomic designs are crucial. On the other side, a solid seal stops leakage (bleed) into the microphone while recording.
A good pair of headphones are also included if you purchase the Start Recording Bundle.
You will need extra headphones to cover monitoring for everyone if you plan to record numerous musicians at once.
With cables and hardware, complete it.
There are several more unrelated factors to take into account, such as keyboard stands, a vocal booth, and screen arms. Some of these are required, while others are specific to your recording setup (such electric guitar amplifiers). You can pack as much as you can to increase your comfort and productivity.
A pop filter for condenser microphones and a microphone stand are among the necessities. When using a condenser microphone to record vocals, pop filters are crucial. But since most of them operate in the same way, you can choose the first respectable one you come across.
I heartily advise investing in a good set of microphone stands. A reliable mic stand is essential. I’ve seen way too many inexpensive ones fall over. I prefer to spend a bit more.
To Sum Up
These are the ideal arrangements for a home recording studio. It eventually comes down to your abilities as a music producer, regardless of how pricey your equipment is or how beautiful the acoustics are in your home studio. The knowledge and abilities can fill the gap between a low-cost home recording studio and a top-notch studio. As a result, it’s crucial to learn the principles of music creation as well as to hone your taste and ear for good music.
