So you want to build up a home studio but don’t know what to buy? You have money to spend but no clue how to spend it? Well thankfully, this post is dedicated to home studio budgeting basics. In this blog post I will discuss useful ways to spend that money and some common misconceptions that can keep you from spending more than you have to.
Basic Equipment:
First let’s talk about what you need to get started. A computer is key for smaller project studios. Most home studios run off some sort of DAW software inside a computer. With that being said let’s talk about software. There are many options when it comes to DAWs. There is Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, and Cakewalk. Those are the top level DAWs that are recommended by professionals. There isn’t much difference between them in terms of functionality. The difference comes down to the user interface and what you feel comfortable with. So download some demos and try them out. A common misconception is that you need a separate piece of software for various tasks. For example, Pro Tools for audio tracks and Reason for digital music. This is incorrect. All the professional level DAWs can record audio and produce digital music. You really only need one DAW. Then you can purchase third party plugins and virtual instruments to beef up the capabilities of that software. So pick a DAW, and purchase a simple interface. Something with 2-8 channels is acceptable for a small home studio. This interface will allow you to record audio into your DAW.
The next thing you need is a microphone. Purchasing thing an external preamp is not necessary right out of the gate but I get a lot of people asking about this. They want to know what to spend more money on; a mic or a preamp. A good preamp can make a bad mic sound decent, but a cruddy preamp will make an awesome mic sound like trash. So it is always better to invest in clean preamps. You can purchase a good preamp and then get a mid-level microphone. That’s a winning combination right there. A great budget mic is the Rode NT1A or the Blue Bluebird. I have been using both of those for years and love their sound.
What about monitoring?
The last piece of basic equipment you need is something to monitor with. So get yourself some speakers or headphones. When it comes to headphones you want as flat of a frequency response as possible. This means NO BEATS HEADPHONES!!! Beats headphones emphasize the lower frequencies and boost some highs, so this makes them terrible for mixing. You want headphones or speakers that will give a good representation of the audio as it sits in the mix. So shop around and make sure to look at the response curves in the specifications.
So hopefully you now have some idea of the basic equipment you need to get your home studio up and running. Some next steps may include buying plugins, virtual instruments, more microphones, or external gear. As always, have fun with it.
-Jon
Sources:
http://bluemic.com/bluebird/
http://www.rodemic.com/mics/nt1-a
http://lifehacker.com/5853193/how-can-i-set-up-a-home-recording-studio-on-the-cheap
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/determining-what-you-need-for-your-home-recording-.html
