studios have mushroomed in popularity thanks to 2 fast-moving trends…

This means you can set up a studio at home which is capable of delivering credibly professional results, provided you also have the technical skills and the “ears“.

(Interesting how different parts of our anatomy matter more in different industries – in the perfume business, it’s the “nose” that matters; for dancers, its their legs, for pianists its fingers, and for sound recording engineers, its “ears”.)

Apple Mac Pro Recording PackageHere at the Music Recording Center we aim to keep you up to date with solid blend of

  • digital recording products
  • music recording knowledge

…to help you get your own home music recording studio off the ground.

So what are the main components?…

Virtually any computer bought in the last couple of years already has the capability of recording music. And the trend in new systems whether based on Apple MAC or the ubiquitous Windows PC is to make it easier to do more multi-media stuff.

As I write, Microsoft has just launched Windows Vista claiming it’ll be “easier, safer, more entertaining, better connected”. According to Microsoft, the “More Entertaining” bit means that with their new Windows Media Center, you can…

“Expand your ability to enjoy and share your television, photos, music, and games—in your living room or around your house—all with the click of a remote control”

But if you have a computer with less than say -

  • 20Gb hard drive
  • 500Mb RAM
  • 500MHz cpu

you need to budget for a replacement. You’ll find it far too restricted for more than the simplest and shortest of recording tasks.

You should aim to buy the fastest computer you can afford, with at least 1Gb RAM and 100 Gb hard disk. Make sure it’s easily up gradable.

At the simplest level, with a suitable computer, you just need a microphone and some multi-track recording software. Then you’re off…

recording software today is much easier to use than when I started out (thankfully!). Not rocket science any more…

You’ll find people trying to sell you on a wide range of choice. Some programs are designed for performing musicians (rather than recording engineers). Most support at least 8-track digital recording. Some programs come standard with features such as virtual drums, MIDI capabilities, and multi-effects.

I won’t go into details here, but you should consider whether you need audio and midi recording, or just one.

Home Recording’s Pretty Easy, Really

Digidesign ProTools LE Music Production ToolkitGetting set up is easy, anyway. Just load your chosen software, plug your favorite mic into your computer’s sound card, press “record”, and start playing.

If you’re on your own, you can:

  • record a rhythm track (or program a midi sequence)
  • capture a lead track (while listening to your rhythm track through your professional headphones)
  • add vocals using a third track
  • continue to record more tracks up to the limits of your computer and software

Most software will allow you to add effects to the tracks you’ve recorded.

But a word of caution: do not be tempted to over-use effects during recording. Two reasons:

  • the resulting sound quality will be poor, unless you really are a recording expert
  • even fast computers will struggle with all the processing being asked of it by multiple special effects running simultaneously.

Much better to get the tracks down cleanly. Then you can experiment with effects during the mixing phase. You’re not working in “real time” at that point, so the pressure is off – for both you and your computer.

Common Problems with Recording on your Home Computer

Computer noise. This is a pain. You need to find some way to put distance between your microphone and the computer.

For example, you could buy extra long cables for all your peripherals. This could allow you to put your computer in another room. The risk is that the long cables can themselves be a source of electrical interference. So if you do go down this route, make sure you have good quality, screened cables.

Another option is to modify your computer with a set of quieter fans. This can be quite effective.

What about other items?

You may well want to add to or improve the standard components that come with the computer. Here are some typical priorities to consider, depending on what you have, and the kind of recording you’ll be doing.

  • better sound card
  • mic sound mixer
  • superior mic and preamp
  • MIDI keyboard
  • CD burner…

Keeping Your Gear Current

No, I don’t mean always having to buy the latest and greatest piece of technology. For music recording, the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” goes a long way.

Having reliable gear, and knowing thoroughly how to get the best out of it, is much more important than having the latest cool gadget. But if you’ve plenty time and money, you can safely ignore the last comment….

Basic equipment maintenance for a home recording studio means

  • cleaning and dusting rack modules
  • de-fragmenting hard drives
  • calibrating recorders and effects modules
  • other details to help keep your gear in top operating condition

Remember the software maintenance too. Although sometimes its wiser to leave the system as is, especially if its running nice and stable.

But you should at least review software updates. They generally offer

  • new or improved features – upgrade only if you’ll use it tomorrow
  • bug fixes – upgrade if you’ve seen these problems
  • support for additional gear – upgrade if you’ve got this gear

Thanks to the Internet, its easy (and often free of charge) to download updates, drivers for A/D converters, plugins and upgrades for DAWs and soft synths.

Same is true for operating systems for computers and keyboards..

A well, I guess it got to more than 5 steps…

Have fun with your [tag]home music recording[/tag] studio!

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