How to Build a PC for Music Recording

You don't have to purchase a personal computer for music recording. You can buy all of the parts and build your own. Building a PC for music recording ensures that you have a system powerful enough to handle your music recording software and files. In some cases building a PC is also more economical than purchasing a pre-built one with upgrades.

Things You'll Need

• PC case
• 2 hard drives
• RAM
• CD burner
• Music recording software
• Power supply
• Motherboard
• Processor
• Video card
• Operating system
• Monitor

Instructions

1. You will need a PC case to hold all of the computer components. You can purchase on at any computer parts store. Insert the motherboard, video card and processor into the appropriate slots inside of the computer.

2. Install two hard drives. It is best to have two or more hard drives in a computer system to handle the workload you'll put on the system. One hard drive will run the operating system, while the other one will store the digital recording software and the music files.

3. Install random access memory (RAM). Look for higher-quality memory for your music recording PC. The higher the quality, the faster the system will run.

4. Install a high-quality power supply. For audio recording, buy a power supply that is at least 500 watts. A high watt power supply decreases the chance that your computer system will burn out.

5. Plug in the monitor. You can use any monitor for your newly built PC. This will not affect the performance of the system. The larger the monitor, the better you will be able to see when you run your digital music recording software.

6. Install an operating system on one of the hard drives. Choose one of the latest operating systems of your choice to install onto your computer system.

7. Install music recording software on the other hard drive. A number of music recording software programs are available. Which you choose is up to you based on your needs. Also look for plug-ins and virtual instrument plug-ins to increase the range of music sounds you'll get when recording music.

8. Install a CD burner. A CD burner allows you the option to burn your recorded music on a CD to share with others.

References

• My Super PC: What You Need To Build A Computer
• Jake Ludington's Digital Lifestyle: Optimize Your PC for Audio and Video