Owning your own recording, production, and mix environment is highly convenient for an audio engineer and music producer. A studio that will be your sacred space for inspiration and idea development. This place may lead to a great future full of accomplishments.
Because of advancements in modern recording technology, which are not only less expensive but also easier to acquire and own, most budding musicians these days are opting to record and create at home rather than paying for studio time.
Here's a list of Equipment that you're going to need to start your dream recording studio.
Microphone
Audio Interface
Computer
Headphones
MIDI Keyboard
Studio Monitors
Microphone - If you have a room with few acoustic disturbances such as exterior sounds, traffic noise, room reverbs, and so on, we recommend a condenser microphone; otherwise, we recommend a dynamic microphone. Because it is a low-sensitivity microphone, it picks up fewer details from the environment. Choose a condenser microphone if you have a nice acoustic environment.
Our recommendations - Audio Technica AT2020, Rode NT1-A, Shure SM7B, AKG P420.
Audio Interface When you speak into a microphone, it turns the acoustic pressure wave coming from your mouth aka sound in an electrical signal, which is analog, something your computer wouldn’t understand. So you’re going to need an audio interface that is not only going to convert analog audio signals to digital and vice versa, but also act as your mic preamp, and headphones/ speakers amplifiers. An audio interface also serves as a bridge between your computer and your microphone, headphones, and speakers. For starters, we'd recommend you buy a 2-input and 2-output audio interface.
Our recommendations - Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, Native Instruments Komplete Audio 2, Audient ID4.
Computer – This is the most crucial aspect of your Studio. Everything you record, produce, mix, or master is going to take place on a computer. Every single software, project, and device in your studio will be directly or indirectly linked to it. Whether you choose a mac or a windows pc, it is up to you. But the bare minimum specifications for any recording software to run on your computer is – 8GB RAM, 500GB Disk Space, and 2GHz processors. But mind you this is the minimum requirement. If you consider your computer to be an investment that will last at least a couple of years, go for the best that you can afford that exceeds the minimum criteria.
DAW – This is your recording, and production software. This is your workshop where you shape your ideas into reality. There are a lot of DAWs to choose from and which one of them is best is merely a subjective opinion. You can download the demos from their respective websites and give them all a try and go with whatever suits you the best.
Our recommendations – Studio One, Cubase, and Logic Pro.
Headphones – A good production or mix is heavily reliant on good sound. Using good quality flat frequency response headphones is another effective technique to hear good sound. A flat frequency response indicates that the microphone reproduces the sound exactly as it is, with no enhancements or modifications. If your budget does not allow you to incorporate a studio monitor in your studio, or if your room has not been acoustically treated for defects, then headphones are a safe bet.
Our recommendations - Audio Technica ATH-m40x, Audio Technica ATH-m50x, Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro
MIDI Keyboard – This one is completely optional. There are many music producers who do not own a keyboard but are well-known and successful. You don't really need a MIDI keyboard, but if you think it will be useful for your production and programming, go ahead and get one.
Our recommendations - Nektar Impact LX 49, M Audio Oxygen 49, Novation Launchkey 49.
Studio Monitors – A excellent studio monitor will make a significant difference in your studio. However, unlike headphones, the tone of your space will greatly influence how you hear sound on studio monitors. So, before you buy a studio monitor pair, make sure your room is free of acoustic defects.
Our recommendations - M Audio BX5 D3, Yamaha HS7, KRK Rokit 5 G4.
Conclusions - This blog aims to educate you on the significance of each component while also listing the top-quality equipment available at the lowest price range.