Home Recording Studio Setup

Hello, and welcome to Home Recording Studio Setup. We like to talk about all things related to writing, recording, and producing music from home. If you love playing an instrument, writing music, mixing and producing music, or want to learn more about these things then you are in the right place.

I’m the type of guy who likes to roll my sleeves up and try new things to see how they work and sound. I know what I know and it all came from experience, education, training and hard knocks. I’m happy to share with you my experiences and things I like about producing music. You can share your experiences here too.

What Are The Advantages Of A Home Recording Studio Setup?

Well for me the answers are obvious. Lets say you get a great idea for a song you want to write. All you have to do is fire up the DAW , (Digital Audio Workstation), and lay a track with the idea you have in your head. It could be a guitar part, a melody line, or even the words being sung as a rough vocal idea.  

I can’t tell you how many great ideas I’ve had in the middle of the night for words and melody that were completely forgotten by morning time.

Sometimes it was because I was too tired or lazy to get up and write down the lyrics. Sometimes I did get up and write down the lyrics but could not remember the exact melody to go with the lyrics. A great idea for a song is only as great as you put into action.

You can quickly lay a scratch track any time and save it for future reference. Some songwriters carry a little pocket recorder with them to hum the melody or sing the lyrics into. This is a great way to keep your ideas.

Wouldn’t it be better if you could walk into your own home studio and lay a scratch vocal track and then pick up your guitar or keyboard and lay a little melody line to go with your vocal track? Heck Yea!

Will My Home Productions Sound As Good As A Professional Studio?

A lot of people first starting out in music production are striving for perfection. You should! Those songs you love are produced to perfection by some of the worlds most talented musicians, writers, engineers, and producers.  I’ve got a little secret for you.. They all started at day one and perfected their talents.

Keep in mind that your production may not sound as good as you want it to.  That’s ok.  You just need a little knowledge and practice to perfect your work.

If you buy the top of the line gear it will not guarantee you will have a great mix or sound. knowing how to put all the pieces of the music production together with a good mix takes a little practice. Have some fun while you learn.

Technology is so good today that a pro album can most certainly be produced from a home studio if you know what you are doing. In fact, it happens everyday.

Will my mix sound as good as a professional engineers if we use the same equipment? Heck No. My mixes will sound good but a professional mix engineer will always take you to the next level because they have more experience. Those guys can hear a gnat land on a cotton ball and then look you straight in the eye and say, “Did you hear that?”.

If a professional basketball player comes over to your house to shoot hoops with you, who is going to score the most points? Of course the professional. Where did the professional basketball player start? He or she started at day one shooting hoops at home.

Practice Makes Perfect.

Pick any successful professional in any field and ask them what is the key to their success.  You will most certainly hear the words; practice, persistence, experience, routine and habits.  If you want to become good at something you have to take on the work.  Put in the work to create success.

If you want to be a good guitar player you have to practice every day.  In the same way, If you want your recordings to sound good you have to practice and train your ears. Both of these scenarios require equipment and practice.

One thing cool about digital editing is that it is non-destructive. You can lay track until you are blue in the face and it will not cost you any more than your DAW setup.

Once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier to build on your foundations.

What Equipment Will I Need?

Well my friend that is a good question. I may be a bad influence here because I want at least one of everything.

Do you want to try it out? We should pick it up and play it. Let’s hook it up and record it to see what it sounds like. Maybe we could compare the way a certain DAW works compared to another DAW.

The list of equipment is endless. We need to be smart and not get stuck in the mind set of, “If I only had this piece of equipment I would sound so good.”

It’s always best to use what you already have in front of you if it’s working. I also know what it is like to have not so good of equipment and trying to get a certain sound that will never happen.

I do highly recommend you invest in good equipment. Good equipment always sounds good and performs well. I’m going to steer you away from equipment that may be a waste of your time and money.

Video Credit: Andrew Masters

Where Do We Go From Here?

We are going to cover all types of gear, instruments, software, furniture, speakers, computers, practice and training routines here.

This will help you determine what equipment you will need. Honestly we all like different things and a cookie cutter setup really will not work for everyone.

I recommend a good computer, DAW software, your instrument of choice, condenser microphone, a midi keyboard, a comfy desk and chair, and good headphones and monitors. This is basics and you may not have all the equipment you want in the beginning. That’s ok. I’ll show you ways to build your ideal home studio a little at a time.

I know cash can be an issue when you are starting out but don’t worry. I’ll show you companies that allow you to get started with no credit checks and if you hold your end of the bargain you will be rewarded.

I hope this article has been helpful to you. I want to encourage you to stick with your instrument of choice and keep practicing. Stick with your producing goals.

If you play an instrument and are into recording and producing that’s no accident. It certainly is not easy but if you’re into it you can do it. I invite you to check out other articles here that will help you pick out gear you like and are interested in.

Feel free to leave a comment if you want. I appreciate your feedback.

Mitch

Mitch@homerecordingstudiosetup.com