What do I need to record at home?

You’ll need the right mix of recording equipment, an acoustically treated room, an accurate monitoring system, and most importantly, the know-how to record high-quality discs at home.

Recording equipment

• Computer: Both a Mac and a PC are fine, but an up-to-date computer with lots of processing power is a must.
• Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): There are many DAWs to choose from including: Pro Tools, Logic, Nuendo, Cubase, Reaper, Record and more. Do some research on what will work best for you. Some are more suited to production, while others may focus on compositing or mastering.
• Accessories: Your DAW may come with many plugins included, but you may want to invest in other plugins for superior and alternative processing capabilities. These often include virtual instruments, compressors, equalizers, reverbs, delays, special effects, and more.
• Microphones: Capturing the sound at source is always the best approach to recording, rather than fixing the problem in post. A good microphone makes a world of difference. Having a variety of condenser and dynamic microphones and matched stereo pairs is a good start. Microphones with multiple polar patterns can be ideal as a general workhorse microphone.
• audio interface: The interface allows you to connect microphones and instrument inputs to your computer and converts the analog signal to digital and vice versa. Your choice of interface will depend on the number of simultaneous inputs required, the quality of the conversion, and the quality of the mic preamps.
• MIDI keyboard (optional): If you’re going to be recording virtual instruments, a MIDI keyboard is ideal, as it will plug into your DAW and allow you to play these instruments. Some come with additional controls like volume faders and knobs.

Surveillance:

• Speakers: Your playback system is extremely important to the end result of your recordings. If you can’t accurately hear your music playback, how can you make critical processing decisions? Studio monitors come in all price ranges and some may be more suitable for certain rooms. Look for a flat frequency response and natural reproduction.
• Acoustic Treatment: The acoustics of your room are vital to your recordings and monitoring, as sound waves within a room can boost or cancel certain frequencies and cause major problems. Invest in bass traps and early reflection points to start making your room more accurate.
• headphones: While not ideal for mixing, musicians will also need headphones for playback during recording sessions.

Knowledge:

All the best equipment in the world won’t help you much if you don’t know how to use it. As you build your team list, you need to develop your knowledge and experience.

You can attend an audio course at a school, enroll in an online program, watch instructional videos online, subscribe to industry magazines, and read countless books on recording, mixing, and mastering topics.

Experience is your friend. Expect to make mistakes and learn from them. Each recording presents new opportunities to learn, and over time, you’ll have a beginning understanding of your processors and tools to make recordings that rival your favorites.

With time, equipment, and a commitment to the craft, your home studio can produce great results.