Creating a Functional Home Studio

Creating a Functional Home Studio
By Luqmann Ruth

So you are a musician, and you want to take the next step. You want to record your music, but buying time in a professional studio is very expensive. With the advent of DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) you can easily create a home studio. With a bit of persistence, and a little cash you can accomplish this feat.

First you need to make sure that you have a computer, and if you do, it is up to the task of essentially running a recording studio. You need to make sure that your computer has plenty of free hard drive space.

Second, you need to make sure that you have a soundcard that is adapted for music production. This soundcard should have ASIO (audio stream input, output), which will allow your music production to have low latency (lagtime).

As for actually recording the music, you will need a DAW as I have already stated. There are many DAWs to choose from, and they are basically a choice of aesthetics. Some DAWS include Protools (the industry standard), Ableton Live, Logic, and FL Studio (formerly known as Fruity Loops). Some free alternatives include Audacity, and Reaper.

If you plan on recording actual live instruments such as the guitar, you should invest into a mixer, but a cheap alternative is an audio interface such as the Audio Buddy ($50). For vocals, the condenser microphone is the industry standard. Most condenser microphones take "phantom power" (a method to send DC electrical power to the condenser microphone), so make sure your audio interface or mixing desk has it.

Accessories for your studio should include a midi keyboard, such as the mid-air 37, or 25. A midi keyboard can control synthesizers on your DAW, and assignable controls, by sending a signal to your DAW.

These are the essential components for a home studio. Obviously, there is more equipment that you could buy, and higher priced equipment, but these tips will have you well on your way to a functional home studio.

My name is Luqmann, and I am a Chicago area musician, and producer. I specialize in the electric guitar, and my DAWs include Ableton Live, and FL Studio. http://www.yourgrassrootsart.com

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