What Is Needed for a Music Studio?

The equipment in a music studio varies according to its location, rent and its owners. When it's a private music studio, musicians can rent out rooms for several hours at a time, whereas a person usually has to be a student to use the music studios that belong to academic institutions. A personal music studio largely depends on the instruments that the owner plays. Brand names also vary.

Recording

Most studios have recording equipment, which includes recorders, players, mixers, microphones and speakers.

Processing

Processing equipment is used to enhance the recorded sounds. They include processors, shifters, equalizers, limiters, correctors, delays and reverbs.

Synthesizers

Synthesizers are machines--sometimes with keyboards--that create, alter and combine the tones of sounds, and may imitate the sounds of other instruments. This category includes samplers, drum machines, sequencers and poly boxes.

Computers

Modern music studios often also use computer software, programs that can edit, as well as connect to and control some of the other equipment. Hardware includes hard drives and smaller machines.

Instruments

While privately owned and rented music studios would usually expect visitors to bring their own instruments, some academic studios come with pianos and other less portable instruments.

Resources

• Sarah Lawrence College
• Gassmann Studio of University of California, Irvine
• Belmont University