When it comes to a home studio, unless you have the budget to go all out, sometimes sticking the basics is the way to go. You don't need to go all out to have studio-quality sound from your bedroom.
Although having sound dampening equipment, expensive microphones and equalizers can help enhance your sound, for personal recording endeavors, you can get quality sound from your bedroom just fine.
If you're planning on building a home studio, here's the equipment you need to get yourself off on the right foot.
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1. A Good Computer
More often than not, you probably already own a computer that is good enough for recording. It doesn't matter if you opt for Mac or PC, great recordings can be made on either.
When considering whether a computer is "good" for studio recording you really only need to make sure that the computer you have is capable of running the audio software you want to use. Generally speaking, you should have 8+ gigs of ram, and the computer should be free of any viruses or programs that will slow it down in the background.
2. A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
This is the program that you will use to record, mix and master your tracks. Most DAWs now-a-days are great, the one you choose is up to preference and which one will run on your computer. The following are the most popular DAWs:
- Sonar
- Audition
- ProTools
- Cubase
- Live
- Reason
- Studio One
3. A Quality Audio Interface
In order to get the sound from your mic to your computer, you need something that turns analog sound into a digital signal. This is where an audio interface comes into play.
Most DAWs will work with any brand of audio interface, so make sure to only buy what you need for the type of recording you're doing. Meaning, if you only need 2 channels, don't buy anything bigger than that.
4. A Good Mic
If it's just you, there's no reason why you need more than 2 microphones. If you're only going to be recording one instrument at a time, you shouldn't ever need more than 2 mics.
Generally speaking, you shouldn't need to spend more than $200 on a vocal microphone, and $100 for an instrument mic. Most microphones in this price range will work great for home studio applications.
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5. Studio Headphones/Studio Monitors
The last important part of creating a home studio is a good set of studio monitors. Studio monitors allow you to hear what your track sounds like without adding any additional EQ so you are able to mix the true sound.
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Conclusion
You don't need to go super fancy to get a decent home studio up and running. With the right equipment, you can get good quality sound with only a few key studio items.
What do you have in your home studio that you can't live without? Let us know in the comments section below!
