Electronics

Gettng Started, Step 1: Build Your Studio

From Joe Shambro, former About.com Guide

You might be surprised to find out that, even with a limited budget, finding the right gear and the perfect space for your studio is way easier than it looks! In fact, the prices of really high quality equipment has gone down significantly in recent years, and it's not cheap quality gear that's well within your reach -- many of the same "home recording" tools are used by professional engineers, rock stars, and even astronauts recording HD in space!

To get started, check out this step-by-step introduction to the basics of building your own home recording studio, no matter your budget!

The Basics of Home Recording
Selecing An Audio Interface & Software
Microphones 101
Don't Forget The Accessories!

The Basics of Home Recording

A few years ago, the only way to get a listenable recording was to enter a professional recording studio and spend a lot of money to get your songs heard. As computers, recording hardware, and high-tech software decreased in price and increased exponentially in quality, it became easy to make high quality recordings at home.

It takes a little bit of time to get the hang of recording at home; you've got to learn techniques for recording and mixing, and you also have to figure out how far you'd like to go in buying new equipment. Check out these fantastic resources to get you started recording easily.

Selecing An Audio Interface & Software

When you get started recording, one of your first decisions should be what audio interface and software you'll use in your home studio, if you're planning on recording straight to your computer.

The good news is that if your computer was made anytime in the last few years, it's probably ready for recording without much work! That being said, maxing out your RAM and hard drive space can't hurt. You'll need an interface -- a USB or FireWire attachment to your computer that allows you to input your microphones and instruments into your computer. You'll also need a software package to mix and edit your audio.

Microphones 101

Now that you've selected your recording interface and software, it's time to pick up some must-have accessories: microphones.

Microphones, quite simply, are the most important part of your signal chain; getting a high-quality set of microphones to record with is really important to getting a great sound. Fortunately for home recording engineers, the price point on really high quality microphones has gone down exponentially in the last few years.

Here's some great microphone resources; finding the right microphone for your needs and budget isn't hard!

Don't Forget The Accessories!

Now that you've got everything you need to start recording, don't forget the accessories! There's a few must-haves to run a good studio, even if it's just for your own personal recordings. You'll need a few important accessories, including headphones and cables; you'll also need to figure out how you'll monitor your recordings when mixing, a huge part of producing great products. With a few quick purchases, you'll be on your way to making great quality recordings!

Home Recording