How To Build A Home Music Recording Studio

PeoplePeople Acolyte
edited August 2010 in Life
I am kind of winging this so give me some breathing room.

Okay, so. If you want to start recording, then the first thing that is needed is a room to play the music in. It doesn't need to be too big, but can't be small enough where instruments, amps, mics, drums, what-have-you, are cluttered. An office room or guest room is usually ideal.

Now you have a room, it is time to fix it up for best audio quality. The first part is the walls. Unless you have a freaky-deeky house, your walls will be flat and will bounce sound around easily. To fix this, you must use an uneven surface to cover the walls with. Also, covering the door wouldn't be a bad idea.

Egg Crate Mattress Topper is the ideal home-recording wall covering surface thing because it is cheap and easily acquired and it works.

Egg-Crate-Mattress-Topper.jpg

You can find large quantities of it for extremely cheap prices at, where else? Wal-Mart!


http://www.walmart.com/catalog/select_product.do?product_id=12288351&seller_id=3&qty=1&path=&product_id=12288351&bti=&item_page=new&selected_Size=581354495&selected_Thickness=2_undefined&qty=1

Next, is the floor. If you have carpet, then you are good to go. If you have hardwood floors, vinyl floors, anything flat floors, choose a new room. Or refurbish, but why spend all that time and money?


Once your room is set up a ready to go, items are now needed for the recording itself.

You will need a multi-track recording device. Something like this.

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http://www.guitarcenter.com/M-Audio-Fast-Track-Pro-Mobile-USB-Audio-MIDI-Interface-103520185-i1126084.gc

This is a good product because it allows both XLR and 1/4" cables into the inputs. It has a usb port, so easy access to any computer. MIDI capabilites, can't go wrong there. An onboard mixer, a standard for recording devices, but nonetheless it is needed. Signal lights to make sure you're not peaking.
I guarantee you will be able to find similar items for way cheap at any used music store. I saw some 4-tracks for around $30 to $40 dollars at the guitar center in town.


Once you have this, you will need some software to record everything on. There are many computer recording software. If you have a mac, you're golden with garage band. Some good software I have used personally is Ableton and Pro Logic. Both are complex and will get the job done, but they are complicated. Not so much as if you read the manual, you should be fine. Hell, there are tutorials in the program itself. To determine what software you want, look around and see what suits your needs the best.

Microphones are needed, unless it's instrumental. First, there is the 1/4" microphone, the cheap ones. These can be cheaply bought at Radioshack. They are pretty bad, but they work. Just watch out for feedback.

pRS1C-2305335w345.jpg
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2123173

Then there are the MUCH better quality microphones, the XLR microphones.

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http://www.guitarcenter.com/Shure-SM58S-Mic-with-Switch-270104-i1126422.gc

The XLR mics will be better in every way, but about 4 times the price. If you can get one for cheap, get it. If you have a bit extra cash. Get it.

Next is the instrument microphone, used for the drums usually but can also dual as an acoustic guitar microphone. Here is a cheap one from guitar center, cheaper could probably be found around your town.

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http://www.guitarcenter.com/Digital-Reference-DR-GX1-Dynamic-Instrument-Microphone-102929338-i1126692.gc

To record drums with these, an overhead placement will usually get the job done. But how can you get the mic over the drumset? Easy. Good microphone stands.

This is all you will ever need. 494970.jpg
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Musician-s-Gear-MS-220-Tripod-Mic-Stand-with-Fixed-Boom-767139-i1326041.gc

Do not get the ones with the single, weighted base. Don't get the ones that will only go straight up. Get one of these for every microphone you have.

Be sure to get any plenty of cables. Buy 1/4"s, buy XLR's, anything you might need, then buy some extra. You never know what could happen.

369645.jpg
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Vox-Premium-Straight-Guitar-Cable-330240-i1128360.gc

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http://www.guitarcenter.com/Mogami-Gold-AES-EBU-Interconnect-Cable-with-Neutrik-XLR-330180-i1128356.gc



I hope you enjoyed my ramshackle guide. It's missing out on a lot of information and processes, but it's a start.
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