Many musicians dream of having their own home recording studio. And nowadays, when anyone can afford to buy highly effective equipment at a moderate price, this dream can become a reality. So let’s ask the expert mixing and mastering engineer EKmixmaster how to build your home studio and what equipment you should purchase. music
First of all, your studio should be divided into two sections the control area, and the live area. The control space is where you will monitor the recording process, which is conducted in the live area. Since these two sections have different purposes, the equipment for each of them will be slightly different. To equip the control area, you will need a laptop, audio interface, midi keyboard, preamps, studio monitors, synths, compressors, equalizers. In one word, anything that will help you modify, process, and perfect the track. Let’s talk about some of the gear in more detail. To be able to hear all the nuances of the track you are creating, you need good studio monitors. Studio monitors may seem scary at first. But don’t worry, there is nothing scary about them. Unlike headphones and regular speakers, they allow you to hear the slightest changes and tweaks you make in your DAW. Their main goal is to help you achieve well-balanced sound.
MIDI keyboards. A midi keyboard is an input device (like a regular mouse) that allows you to trigger virtual instruments in your DAW. Not all of us have the ability to record the orchestra, so if you want it in your song, virtual instruments are a great option. That’s where the midi keyboard comes in. It’s an essential tool for your
recording studio.
Audio Interface. That is a necessary piece of equipment if you are serious about making music. Even though all laptops and PCs have inbuilt sound cards, these cards are designed to handle your basic needs. If you want to process the sound on a higher level, you should buy an audio interface.
Now let’s talk about the gear you need in your live space. First and foremost microphones. There are two types of microphones dynamic and condenser microphones. Dynamic microphones are less sensitive and are used to record loud instruments. Condenser microphones are very sensitive, therefore they are ideal for recording vocals.
Soundproofing and acoustic treatment. If you want to maximize your space for the ideal playback, soundproofing and acoustic treatment are essential. It applies to your control space as well. Soundproofing makes the room less loud and helps contain the sound. To do that, you will need soundproofing panels that will help you absorb the excess sound. If you can’t afford to buy these panels right now, try putting a thick rug on the floor and covering hard surfaces with a cloth. Acoustic treatment is needed to change the way the sound behaves in the room. That includes using reflectors and bass traps to achieve the desired result.
Finally, you will need a pair of headphones for your live space so that the artist will be able to hear their voice and the instrumental.
