Home recording studio setup, How to setup a home recording studio.

Home recording studios can range from simple to complex, depending on your needs and your budget. Whether you are planning on recording a music album, or do production, the limits are endless.

• Decide what kind of studio you want. If you are going to record from a microphone, you need to set the room up with the appropriate acoustics. If you plan to record an entire band, you will need enough space to accommodate the entire setup.If you are doing production or voice-overs, you don’t need to worry much about space, but you need to be aware of the acoustics.Once you know what kind of studio you need, you can plan from there.

• Set up the studio basics and your inputs. Having an understanding of signal flow is essential. The best way to set up your recording studio is to build outward from your audio console. Set your console where it will stay, since you likely won’t move it again, and begin to plan the wiring of your studio.If you are doing production, each audio source should be connected to the console in the input you want it in. If you are recording multiple sources, a cable snake should be run from the board to where you will connect your microphones later.

  • Set up the outputs from your console. Connect your console to your monitors and recording device. If you are using a computer, connect to your computer hardware. If you are using a recording deck, connect your outputs to it. Be sure to use one of your outputs from your console for your speakers.After connecting your outputs, you will need to connect back into the board to monitor that audio. Your computer or recording device will then become an input on the audio console. This will allow you to monitor what is going through those sources after they go through the board.For example, if you want to record your voice from a microphone, it will run from the mic into the console. From the console, the signal will travel to your computer, where you can record and edit your voice. In order to hear your audio, it will have to be brought back into the console. This is the signal flow of your studio.

  • Add any inputs that you’d like to your setup. If you are recording from microphones, you can add as many as you need, or at least as many as you have the inputs to accommodate.

  • Take care of your acoustics. If you are building a serious studio for professional use, it is a good idea to contact a professional to help you analyze your needs and design an acoustically friendly room.If you are building a home studio for production and you’re not in a position to completely remodel for acoustic purposes, there are many home solutions to alter your studio’s sound.You can buy many acoustic products that will improve the sound of your room, including items such as diffusers and dampers. Smooth walls and reflective surfaces are a recording studio’s biggest enemy. If you don’t want to spend much to improve the sound, you can use carpet or egg cartons on the walls. Another DIY option would be to hang curtains or sheets all over the room to cut down on reflections.There are many ways to improve the sound quality in your home studio, depending on your budget.

     

How to sound proof a recording studio, Sound proofing a home or professional recording studio.

If you are thinking of building a recording studio, whether it be in your house or in another location, you are going to want to soundproof the room to prevent outside noise from getting in. External sounds or noise could have an effect on the quality of the recording and may be disrupting to the musicians as they try to record their music.

• Select the location for your studio. If there are walls there now, strip everything right back to the bare walls. Line the walls with studio foam, insulation or an acoustical mat.

• Install studs at 8-foot lengths on the walls, floor and ceiling. In doing this, you are creating a barrier of air that will help to insulate the studio.

• Run wiring for electrical outlets and be sure to frame in an opening for a door or doors. You should consider the size of the door so musicians can easily bring in their instruments and other items. The doors will also be specially constructed for music studios.

• Complete the room by adding another layer of sound insulation, then cover the walls and ceilings with drywall. Lay the subfloor, under pad and carpeting.

• After you install and hang the door and paint the studio, you are ready to start recording.

   

How to build a low budget recording studio, Building a low budget recording studio.

Furnishing a recording studio is a very expensive venture. Regardless of your budget, you can furnish a recording studio with relative ease. With the right equipment, your actual studio environment will not matter. Focus on the right microphones, the right software and the right headphones, and you are going to be just fine. As your studio gains a following, you will be able to upgrade your equipment, and before you know it, you’ll have a top of the line studio. Read on to learn how to make a low budget recording studio.

• Make sure your computer is up to date. An example of what works well is: 2.8 Ghz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 320GB HD, 52x/20x CD/DVD burner. As long as you have sufficient RAM and storage space to run the programs you’ll need, you’ll be fine. Upgrades to RAM won’t hurt of course.

• Get your music creation software. Look for a music creation software like FL Studio. This will ensure that you can make quality music. FL Studio has products ranging in price from $49 to $299, and has lifetime free updates. There’s a fully functional trial version, (except you cannot save your projects) if you want to give it a try.

• Get your music editing software. Adobe Audition is an excellent program with plenty of features, and it can be used as a professional studio in place of mixing boards and equipment. Priced at around $350, this makes it a good investment, but maybe unattainable for some. If this is the case, look for Audacity, a free sound editor. Its features are tremendously reduced, and therefore, this should be used only if necessary. You’ll find something to fit your budget and needs, if you look well enough.

• Obtain your microphone. You’ll need a high quality, noise canceling microphone to help the acoustics and background noise in the room you record in. M-Audio provides several economical options for this. See the Reference section for links. The Producer mic for $100 is a great value.

• Obtain your headphones. You’ll need good quality headphones to go with your microphone and computer speakers (in the next step). Good headphones can be purchased for $9.99 to $299.00 depending on your budget. You can even go wireless if you want.

• Obtain your computer speakers. High quality speakers are important for any studio. Bose offers an excellent set of computer speakers for around $89. Of course, there are cheaper options available if need be.

• This step is optional if you can afford it, or if you need to connect instruments to your computer to record your music. You’ll need a high quality interface. You can check out M-Audio for these too, and expect to spend $100 to $250 depending on what your budget allows.

How to build a home recording studio, Building a home recording studio.

Home recording is not only more convenient, but can be cheaper than renting studio time. Though the cost of setting up a home recording studio can be high, it can also be rewarding and you can rent out studio time to help cover the cost.

• Decide on the components you want included in your home recording studio. This will include the space you are going to use, the equipment and how everything will be arranged. The equipment should include the microphones, computer and software you plan to use.

• Choose good quality microphones. The microphones are the most important part of the set-up. Without quality sound in the first place, it will be harder to edit and sync your recording for optimal quality. You need to have a variety of microphones, including dynamic, condenser and ribbon microphones.

  • Find a computer fast enough and with enough memory to support the software you plan to use. Recording software has many components to it and requires a large amount of space on the hard drive. It’s a good idea to just have a separate computer for this, rather than trying to use your personal computer to do multiple jobs. Also, invest in some quality computer speakers. If you can’t hear where the problems are in the recording, you’ll have difficulty fixing them.

  • Invest in quality and well-known home recording software. Pro Tools software is one of the most well-known and widely-used software for home recording studios. It has all the applications of a professional recording studio and with a little reading and practice can be easy to use.

  • Purchase a MIDI board. This is the switchboard-like device that allows you to play with the sounds, add depth, add instruments and many other aspects of recording music. It will have its own software to load as well, so take this into consideration when choosing a computer.