How to Build a Startup Home Studio

To build a startup home studio today, a novice does not need a large area, extensive equipment and audio engineering knowledge. These tips will give you insight on how to build an inexpensive home recording studio using a keyboard or acoustic instrument with a recording microphone. Find out what you need to create your own music and music CD's right in your home.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• designated quiet area
• External harddrive
• keyboard or other acoustic instrument
• a recording mic
• a desktop computer with usb ability and CD/DVD burning or burning software
• a music program that enables recording audio and midi
• high quality headphones
• headphone adapter

1. 
    

   Open the computer tab and right click properties. Make a copy of this page to take with you to a music store that sells recording equipment. It should be a big dealer. This will help you give the information to the sales associate to know if indeed your equipment will handle setting up an inexpensive home studio for recording music, voice and instruments.

2. 
    

   Once it has been determined that your computer has the proper specs, purchase a keyboard that has different voices and or instrument sounds. This does not have to be an expensive device, just make sure it has an earphone jack and an adapter for electricity. A piano keyboard can be purchased for under two hundred dollars for your recording needs.

3. 
    

   Purchase a recording microphone. These generally, start around one hundred dollars.

4. 
    

   Get a music program that will not entail numerous upgrades. You want to buy a music program that will allow you to record tracks, convert to MPEG and other smaller wave files.

5. 
    

   Consider buying an external hard drive. A good size is around 500 gigs. They are always going on sale and on average while you are learning to use your recording studio and if your computer has over 350 internal hard drive space, you will not need to purchase more space for a couple of months. Just start saving, put money aside or remember that you WILL need more space, sooner than later. Music and video files are very large. Converting them to a smaller size takes up space to do so also.

6. 
    

   Once you have your keyboard, recording microphone and music program determined, you will need to purchase an audio interface that will send the signal or audio from your computer, microphone and keyboard, as an instrument example, to the music program by way of using a USB port. This is the easiest and least expensive version of building a home studio.

7. 
    

   Invest at least two hundred dollars to be able to have more than one input for instruments and even at least two microphones on an audio interface. You just never know, when the need may arouse to have more input capability. Check out the resources on this page for further information.

8. 
    

   Update all your drivers on your computer, plug in all of your devices and follow the steps for setting up recording in the music program you decided on. Keep in mind there are music programs like Pro-tools that have its' own interface. You don't have to be computer savory to use it, but it will take more time to set up your studio, since you have to learn that program and it needs upgrades more often to use than others, although they may not be that much less in cost.

9. 
    

   Try the simplest programs first to see if you're sure it is something you want to invest in money and time wise before purchasing more detailed programs later.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep CD's on hand and be advised that recording microphones pick up everything. Listen very closely to your recording through your earphones and do not set up your studio near a window that will give your recordings a lot of outside noise. Practice, experiment, have fun and maybe even make money.
• With study, a home studio can help generate income in a household. Many CD's on CD baby and other internet stores have CD's that were first and or created in someone's home.

Resources

• Fast Track Pro (sample dealer)
• M-Audio for Fast Track Pro and Recording Equipment

[ElectricalNut]

on 12/9/2008 Very informative article. Thanks!

[guitarguy]

on 12/6/2008 Great stuff. I use Sonar Pro 6.0 with Waves Diamond bundle. I need to get a good condenser mic and upgrade my keyboard though. All in due time. 5*

[deshmukh]

on 12/6/2008 Awesome!

[sunshine11219]

on 12/5/2008 Good ideas

[DaniaDenise]

on 12/5/2008 I know a couple of people who need this information. I'll definitely pass it on!