Anybody can throw together a home recording studio today. But how do you create one that will fit your needs and function well? That’s what I want to discuss in this brief article. You will find that developing a better studio is all about planning. So get into “planning” mode right now, and start reading.

Recording Studio Setup

If you happen to be beginning from scratch, that’s a very good thing. You have a clean slate. That means you can build your studio from the bottom up, and everything will be as you planned it. But usually, you have some equipment lying around or pieced together. That equipment needs to be integrated into your studio somehow, correct? Not all the time. Beware that temptation – developing your studio around gear you already have can be frustrating and pointless. Sometimes it’s best to just get rid of the old stuff and start over. For instance, if you have a 4-track recorder… it’s probably time to move on. Sorry!

These days, there really is no excuse for not recording to a computer. Even the larger studios are doing it. So we can start with that. Get a newer computer – brand new if possible. Try to make this a dedicated “studio computer.” You don’t want your friends surfing the internet or checking their Facebook on this computer. And you shouldn’t be doing your homework on it either. Having a single purpose computer means it will last longer, get less viruses, and work better when you are recording.

In fact, just get a Mac. Apple makes the perfect computer for running a studio. But if you must stay with Windows, that’s alright too. Plenty of studios utilize Windows for their software. One more tip – it really isn’t important how fast your computer is. If it was built in the last year, it’s fast enough.

Digital Home Studio Audio Recording Equipment isn’t keeping up with the computer manufacturers. You can find a $300 computer that will be plenty fast enough for your studio. But you should get a lot of hard drive space. Audio files can be large, so make sure you have a big hard drive and a big backup hard drive.

Moving on, you need an interface of some sort. This transfers the audio into the computer. Go for a USB 2.0 interface (most new interfaces will use USB 2.0 or Firewire – either is okay). You can purchase them cheap with minimal features, or you can buy the farm and get all the knobs and lights. Start with at least 2 channels, so you are able to record in stereo. But break the bank and get 8 channels if you are able to. You’ll thank me when you have to mic up the drums. An 8 channel interface can be purchased for under $500 these days. Oh yeah, and your software will come with the interface.

For microphones, you need a condenser mic and a dynamic mic to start with. That’s the bare minimum. Later, you need to have a variety of microphones so you can experiment with different sounds and combinations. Spend your money wisely. Sometimes 2 inexpensive microphones is better than 1 costly mic. Having backup equipment will save you a lot of headaches in the future. Trust me – I’ve seen it all!

What’s left? How about speakers or headphones? I suggest headphones in the beginning if you’re on a tight budget. Spend $50 and get something decent. Then later get a good pair of active monitors. These can be found for about $150 for a cheap pair. Add some cables to your setup, and you’re finished! Now you have a simple, easy recording studio that can be a lot of fun – or a lot of money, if you decide to charge bands for your services. Enjoy!

Want to set up an easy recording studio business? To learn the secret to earning income with your home studio, click the following link (Recording Studio Setup).

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