With this home recording studio setup, you are able to create good quality music at home even without a big musical instrument. But even so, some of those things are optional. For instance, don t always need big speakers or heavy acoustic treatment because many people learn how to mix over headphones. And even if you do need one of those things, don’t be afraid to place them in corners or on opposite sides of the room as they will make the room less dull. Here are some other tips you may find useful.
Acoustic Panels – If your studio consists of several workstations and each of them receives sound from different directions, then acoustics is important. You can use flat or curved acoustic panels to direct sound to different sections. In order to create a wide range of sound, you need to place the panels at 45 degrees to the wall. Acoustic panels can be floor standing or wall-mounted depending on your needs and the amount of space available. Also, it’s important that you adjust your workstation to get the best result from acoustic panels.
Computer Workstation – If you have chosen a good home recording studio setup with a good sound system, then the next thing you need to add is a computer with proper sound card drivers. It’s also important that your computer has enough power to run all necessary software programs for recording. The reason is because you’ll be working with audio files, which can be very demanding when it comes to system requirements. So don’t make the mistake of thinking any ordinary computer will be able to handle a high-quality home recording studio set-up.
Pre-amps & Monitors – It’s important to install good quality pre-amps in your home studio area. These are essential for sound recording as well as editing. There are many types of pre-amps and monitors available in the market today, so you need to decide on your workstation based on the type of monitor or pre-amp you need. You also need to consider the type of monitoring system you want to put in place. Usually, left and right side of the monitor are used for monitoring, but you may also need some type of input device if your monitor doesn’t have this option.
Headphones – The last piece of gear that should be added in your recording studio is a set of quality monitor headphones. It’s a good idea to invest in headphones that are noise-resistant or have a noise-canceling feature. This way, you can prevent the unnecessary noises that can come from construction or equipment vibrations from damaging your ears. Selecting the right pair of headphones can be tricky and it might take some time before you find the right pair. Some recommended products include Sennheiser, cans, and ETCay.
Acoustic Treatment – This is an often overlooked step when it comes to setting up a home studio setup. Basically, acoustics dictate how the sound from your music will be dispersed throughout the room. If there are too many disturbances on the air, your music will lack its natural tone and consistency. One way of dealing with this problem is to reduce the disturbance on the air by using a high quality ceiling or wall to floor enclosure. You can also use an additional dampening absorbing material on the ceiling so the outside noises are dampened as well.
MIDI Controllers – If your home recording studio requires a certain midi controller, make sure to invest in one that is of good quality. Cheap midi controllers will only trigger a few midi notes rather than all the instruments necessary for music production. However, sometimes it’s necessary to purchase a midi controller that can trigger up to 16 instruments. Some examples include audio interface with onboard sound modules, rackmount interface, and USB interface. Make sure to check out reviews on these particular midi controllers before making your final decision.
Dan is a musician who plays at local bars and perform small concerts with his band. He also writes and produces their own music. He also gives lessons on playing guitar and piano.