Home studio setup for beginners
Recording and mixing a good song was once restricted to those with money or access to a large space. These days, all it takes is a few essential pieces of equipment and a few extra inches of table space.
Whether you’re just getting started with music or in the middle of setting up your bedroom studio. Here are the essentials you need to set up a fully functioning, professional recording studio from the comforts of your own home.
Did you know: Most of the best songs we’ve ever heard were written in bedrooms or hotel rooms!! There are endless stories out there.
Computer
Your home studio's foundation will be a dependable computer, so start there. Find a solid device that can process the audio you're recording with ease, is quick, and has reasonable storage. Many producers prefer laptops over full desktop setups as they are much easier to pack up and take with where ever you are going.
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
This is where your ideas come to life. A Digital Audio Workstation, commonly referred to as a DAW, is computer software that enables you to create a song from scratch. The type of DAW you choose to learn on, and use may depend somewhat on what type of music you want to make. For example many hip hop producers like to use FL Studio or Abelton Live. Pro Tools and Logic Pro (for Apple) are two of the overall most popular DAWS while PreSonus Studio One (my personal favourite) and Bitwig Studio are gaining popularity. There are a number of options out there so do some research and get a feel for what might suit your style best.
For instance, Logic Pro X includes 7000 Apple Loops and over 2800 instrument and effect patches, which are excellent starting points for tracks.
Audio Interface
If your music isn't entirely produced "in-the-box," meaning with virtual instruments, then you'll require an audio interface to record your vocals and any "live" instruments you wish to include. For beginners a couple of good options to check out would be the Focusrite Scarlet Solo interface and the popular PreSonus AudioBox interface.
Even if you aren’t recording vocals or instruments. It’s a good idea to have an audio interface. It will provide you with much better audio quality which is needed for professional music production.
Midi Keyboard
A MIDI controller keyboard is a device used to send MIDI data to a computer or other hardware. In more basic terms, it’s a keyboard that is used to trigger sounds from an external source. A virtual instrument in your DAW or an additional piece of hardware could be the external source.
The most crucial thing to know about a controller keyboard is that it doesn't produce sound on its own. You will be very disappointed if you purchase one expecting it to function like a standard musical keyboard or synth.
Controller keyboards are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, usually ranging from 25 to 88 keys. They also include progressive hammer-action keys and non-weighted keys. There is a MIDI keyboard out there for every genre of music producer, including techno, hip-hop, and classical.
Midi Packs
An alternative to the Midi Keyboard. MIDI packs are so useful because they make it easy for beginner producers to quickly start using more complex chords, drums and melodies in their music—while requiring a shorter music theory learning curve.
These MIDI loops are made to be simple to drag and drop into a DAW timeline or MIDI roll, allowing the producer to add the necessary VST Instruments or samples and make any necessary adjustments.
More advanced producers use MIDI loops to make their production workflows easier and get through the more mundane parts of composing to find inspiration faster.
For as valuable as they are MIDI packs are extremely affordable (just $9.95 for 1000+ arrangements) and you can purchase them online with an instant download in our shop.
Studio Monitors
To hear what you're recording or mixing, you'll need a good set of speaker monitors, and the majority of models these days are not only reasonably priced but also compact enough to fit on your desk. Yamaha HS5 are staples of the industry and KRK also make a solid range of monitors at a lower price. Such as the KRK Rokit 5. The KRK’s are possibly the lowest-cost high-performance speakers that have a clear midrange and high-frequency range and a strong low-end.
Make sure to get a pair of Balanced 1/4" TRS cables to connect your speakers to your audio interface as soon as you get the monitors you want.
Headphones
Not all headphones are made equal, so to reduce any bleed from the audio you're tracking to when recording, you should use closed-back headphones, just like you would while working out or running.
Take a look at the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, which offers excellent frequency response and more accurate sound reproduction along with the isolation you require to block out outside noise and focus on your work.
Microphone
A microphone isn’t necessarily an essential piece of equipment if you are just making beats or producing songs without vocals. But obviously if you want to record vocals, you’ll need a decent microphone. There are a ton of options in the marketplace and again what microphone you get will largely depend on the type of music you are making.
In addition to being more sensitive, condenser microphones with a flat top are also thought to have a better frequency response than dynamic microphones, which are the ones with a round top that you typically see musicians using at concerts.
Lastly, Creativity & Imagination
When trying to wrap your mind around gear, it can be addictive and occasionally artistically stifling. It can also be demoralizing when you don't have the resources to obtain the "good stuff." However, the truth is that your creativity and imagination are the most important things.
The willingness to set aside all rules, have fun and just create is what you really need most. After all anything is possible.