[00:00] Let's take a look at what you need for a home music studio and walk step-by-step through the setup process. If any of the gear I'm about to show you catches your eye, you can learn more by using the links below this video.
[00:12] The centerpiece of your home studio will be the computer that runs your music production software. You can use a laptop or a desktop and it can be a Windows or a Mac, it's up to you. As a starting point, I'd recommend at least 8GB of RAM, at least 500GB of storage,
[00:27] and the fastest processor that you can fit within your budget. A more powerful computer with additional RAM, a faster processor, and a solid-state drive or SSD will definitely help your sessions run more smoothly,
[00:40] but the computer or laptop you're already using will probably do just fine for now. The software you'll be running on the computer is called a digital audio workstation or DAW. Most of these popular options have a free or entry-level tier that will get you started with the basic features.
[00:56] Keep in mind that while each software will have a slightly different workflow, the skills you develop in one DAW will translate pretty well to any DAW. So, if you decide you want to switch later on, you won't necessarily have to completely restart your learning process.
[01:12] Once you've got your music production software up and running on your computer, you can already begin to create music, but there are a few additional things that will make the creative process a lot more enjoyable and efficient. The first thing you might want is an audio interface, which allows you to get audio in and out of your computer for recording and playback.
[01:31] There are lots of different interfaces available, but I'd recommend a USB audio interface, like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, if you're just starting out. Most interfaces in this price range will have one or two inputs for connecting microphones and instruments as well as a headphone output and outputs for powered studio monitors.
[01:49] If you just plan on recording one or two microphones at a time, an interface like the Scarlett 2i2 is going to be a perfect fit for you. But if you want to record a full band at the same time, you'll want to look into a larger interface like the Scarlett 18i20.
[02:03] All you do to set it up is connect your interface to your computer with the included USB cable and download the drivers from the website. Then you'll be able to select the interface in the device settings within your music production software.
[02:15] Once you've got your audio interface set up, you can start recording your voice and other instruments with microphones. There are a lot of different types of microphones out there, and you'll probably build your own collection of mics over time.
[02:28] However, there are two types of microphones that I'd recommend starting with as they're the most versatile. The first type of microphone I'd recommend is a large diaphragm condenser mic, like this road into 1a,
[02:40] and the second is a dynamic microphone like the Sure SM58 or the Sure SM57. Having these two flavors of microphones at your disposal will help you experiment and get the right sound in each situation you'll encounter.
[02:55] But if you only have room in the budget for one of them, you really can't go wrong no matter which one you choose. To set it up, you'll just use an XLR microphone cable to connect the microphone directly to the XLR input on your audio interface.
[03:09] If you're using a condenser microphone, you'll need to engage the 48-volt phantom power button, then you'll use the microphone pre-amp knob on your interface to boost the signal up to a good level for recording. You can also make music with virtual instruments, rather than recording physical instruments with a microphone.
[03:26] Many DAWs come with virtual instruments built in, such as pianos, organs, drum kits, etc. While you could manually draw in the notes for these instruments within your music production software,
[03:38] it's much more efficient and more conducive to the creative process to use a MIDI controller. A MIDI controller lets you play these virtual instruments using a piano keyboard or a drum pad. There are endless options available with different features, numbers of keys and quality.
[03:53] If you're a singer-songwriter who wants to perform ideas on a full-sized keyboard, you may want to prioritize a controller with more keys and maybe even weighted keys for a better feel. On the other hand, if you're like me and you just need something for laying down simple ideas, you can get something small like this one.
[04:12] While some MIDI controllers connect to your interface with MIDI cables, most of them can be connected directly to your computer with a USB cable. No matter if you're recording with a microphone or a MIDI controller, you'll need a way to hear what you're recording.
[04:25] One of the most important tools for creating professional sounding music is a high-quality pair of headphones. It's definitely worth getting a pair of headphones that are designed for music production because you want something that will give you an accurate representation of how your music sounds.
[04:41] The more accurate your headphones are, the better your mixes will tend to be, which means that your music will translate that much better to car speakers, Bluetooth speakers, and any other playback system. Naturally, the more you spend, the more you can expect out of a pair of headphones, but you can buy a pretty good pair of studio headphones starting at around $100 to $200.
[05:02] Just plug them into the headphone output on your audio interface and start listening. You'll be amazed to hear what you've been missing out on if you've never listened to your favorite music and a good pair of headphones. The next thing you may want in your home studio is a pair of studio monitors.
[05:17] Now, there are a few reasons why I recommend a pair of headphones before recommending a pair of studio monitors. First of all, when you're recording a microphone in your studio, you'll need to use headphones to listen while you're recording.
[05:29] If you listened through studio monitors while recording, the sound from the studio monitors would be picked up by the microphone and would cause an echo in your recording. Second, the acoustics of your studio will affect the sound of your studio monitors.
[05:42] Even if you buy really high-quality studio monitors, they're still only going to sound good if your room is acoustically treated. On the other hand, headphones sound the same, regardless of the room acoustics.
[05:54] There is still a benefit to studio monitors, however. They give you information about the music that headphones just can't provide, such as the punch and low-end rumble that you feel within your body. Music also just sounds different when played through speakers, so it's useful to test your music on studio monitors
[06:11] when checking to make sure that your mixes will translate to other systems. Most audio interfaces will have two quarter-inch TRS outputs on the back. You can use a pair of TRS cables or a pair of TRS to XLR cables to connect these outputs to the inputs on your studio monitors.
[06:29] Then you just need to plug the studio monitors into power, turn them on, and turn up the volume knob on your audio interface. I think these Adam T7V studio monitors are a great choice for beginners. If you want to spend a little bit more for higher-quality monitors, you can go with something like these Adam A7Vs that I use in my studio.
[06:49] Before you go spending all of your money on studio monitors though, it's definitely worth investing some of your budget into acoustic treatment. If your room is currently just a rectangle with bare walls, sound will bounce around the room which will not only impact the quality of your recordings,
[07:04] but it will also impact the quality of what you hear through your speakers as we just discussed. Simply placing acoustic panels, thick curtains, or thick blankets along the walls will help to absorb the sound that would otherwise be reflected back into the room.
[07:18] This will make your recording sound a lot cleaner, and it's something that's very often overlooked by beginners. Before you go, let's make sure you've got all of the cables and accessories that you'll need to set all of this gear up and start making music in your studio.
[07:32] There are three types of cables that you'll need to connect everything together. To connect the microphones to your interface, you'll need XLR cables. To connect a guitar or electric bass directly to your interface, you'll need quarter-inch TS instrument cables.
[07:47] And to connect your interface to your studio monitors, you'll need either a quarter-inch TRS cable or a quarter-inch TRS to XLR cable. The USB cables for your interface and your MIDI controller will usually come with those devices.
[08:01] You'll also need a microphone stand for each microphone. I'd recommend avoiding the absolute cheapest stands because they tend to wear out over time and cause a lot of frustration. A few good brands to look for are onstage and KNM stands.
[08:16] If you choose to use studio monitors, you'll also need a pair of studio monitors stands. Look for stands that hold the monitors at ear height, whether they stand on the floor or clamp to your desk. I've left you links to all of this gear in the description below this video.
[08:31] Be sure to subscribe to Audio University and check out my other videos from more tips and tutorials.