This is a list of things that you will need for a fulling functioning studio. Listed in the best order I can figure out. Many people will stress something like room treatment being one of the most important things but I rather make music in a less than perfect environment than not make it at all.
01) Computer or D.A.W. (digital audio workstation)
02) Recording Software (this makes your computer a DAW)
03) Studio Audio Interface (also know as a soundcard and must have an ASIO driver)
04) Studio Monitors (the speakers you use for playback and mixing)
05) Midi keyboard (it is difficult to make tracks without one if there is any programming)
06) Mic Preamp (it is REQUIRED for any recording with a mic and many have d.i. inputs for recording instruments directly)
07) Mic (condenser mics require phantom power from the mic pre)
08) Cables (to connect it all) this could be between 3 and 4 because otherwise 4 would be little use.
How much you need of each item will depend on your needs.
Obi Audio (great site for Pro Audio)
Showing posts with label Building a budget studio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Building a budget studio. Show all posts
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Getting pro sounding recordings on a budget.
After you get a DAW up and running it's time to get some recording done.
The cheapest way: M-Audio Audiophile 192, Rane MS-1b, SM58/SM57 mic. Pro recordings can be done with this. $450
The step-up: M-Audio Audiophile 192, Grace Design 101 or True Systems P-Solo or FMR - RNP "really nice mic-pre", FMR RNC "really nice compressor" (optional), SM7b mic. $950w/o compressor, $1150 with compressor.
Million Dollar sound for as cheap as it gets: M-Audio Audiophile 192, Black Lion Sparrow, any great mic pre (Trident S20, UA 610, Brent Averill 1272), FMR RNC "really nice compressor", Bock Audio 195. $3,000 [the only thing I might want to upgrade here eventually would be the compressor to a LA-2A, a 1176, a TubeTech, or a Distressor]
All of these set-ups will give you pro quality recordings. Just different levels of pro sound. But remember that how good your recordings will sound has everything to do with how you use your equipment and how good your mixing, eq, and mastering is. If you record everything perfect you can always ship your tracks to a mixing and mastering engineer untill you learn how to do it yourself.
Other needed equipment. Monitors, cables, headphones, and a headphone amp. Check my list of equipment at great values in one of my other post.
The cheapest way: M-Audio Audiophile 192, Rane MS-1b, SM58/SM57 mic. Pro recordings can be done with this. $450
The step-up: M-Audio Audiophile 192, Grace Design 101 or True Systems P-Solo or FMR - RNP "really nice mic-pre", FMR RNC "really nice compressor" (optional), SM7b mic. $950w/o compressor, $1150 with compressor.
Million Dollar sound for as cheap as it gets: M-Audio Audiophile 192, Black Lion Sparrow, any great mic pre (Trident S20, UA 610, Brent Averill 1272), FMR RNC "really nice compressor", Bock Audio 195. $3,000 [the only thing I might want to upgrade here eventually would be the compressor to a LA-2A, a 1176, a TubeTech, or a Distressor]
All of these set-ups will give you pro quality recordings. Just different levels of pro sound. But remember that how good your recordings will sound has everything to do with how you use your equipment and how good your mixing, eq, and mastering is. If you record everything perfect you can always ship your tracks to a mixing and mastering engineer untill you learn how to do it yourself.
Other needed equipment. Monitors, cables, headphones, and a headphone amp. Check my list of equipment at great values in one of my other post.
Getting a good DAW for cheap.
The major issues hear: CPU power, amount of RAM and speed of it, harddrive performance, ASIO soundcard, and software.
check out www.pricewatch.com for cheap computers or go around to yard sales and pick up non working computers for parts. I just built a dual core intel machine with 2 gb of ram for under $150 using spare parts I found.
Make sure that your cpu is at least dual-core. You need at least 1-2 gb of ram. The higher the number the better. Like 800 is better than 400. You need at least 160gb of harddrive space with a seperate harddrive for recording if you can afford it.
For soundcard get anything that has an ASIO driver. Any studio soundcard will do. Check out M-Audio soundcards. Firewire is better than USB and some people prefer PCI soundcards. Don't buy soundblasters.
Many soundcards come with recording software. If you don't have any DAW software you might want to buy a soundcard that comes with Cubase 4 Le. It's a great piece of software for free with good soundcards such as the Presonus Firebox.
The only softwares that i've really liked have been Cubase/Nuendo and ProTools. Sonar, Reaper, and Ableton Live are all good but they just weren't for me. Remember that Reaper is a great value.
For making instrumentals outside of recording software I like FL Studio and Reason.
check out www.pricewatch.com for cheap computers or go around to yard sales and pick up non working computers for parts. I just built a dual core intel machine with 2 gb of ram for under $150 using spare parts I found.
Make sure that your cpu is at least dual-core. You need at least 1-2 gb of ram. The higher the number the better. Like 800 is better than 400. You need at least 160gb of harddrive space with a seperate harddrive for recording if you can afford it.
For soundcard get anything that has an ASIO driver. Any studio soundcard will do. Check out M-Audio soundcards. Firewire is better than USB and some people prefer PCI soundcards. Don't buy soundblasters.
Many soundcards come with recording software. If you don't have any DAW software you might want to buy a soundcard that comes with Cubase 4 Le. It's a great piece of software for free with good soundcards such as the Presonus Firebox.
The only softwares that i've really liked have been Cubase/Nuendo and ProTools. Sonar, Reaper, and Ableton Live are all good but they just weren't for me. Remember that Reaper is a great value.
For making instrumentals outside of recording software I like FL Studio and Reason.
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