How to Build a Home Music Production Studio
How to Build a Home Music Production Studio
So you’ve invested in some courses, some music production software and a computer to get you started on your path to making music. What kind of hardware do you need to make this a studio?
One question we often get asked is, “How much do I need to spend to build a decent home studio?” This is a tricky question because for the audio enthusiasts amongst us, there is never enough sound or enough gear. Creating a home studio can be a wallet-draining hobby. But it can also be a streamlined affair if you know exactly what you want to get done. All you really need is a MIDI controller of some sort (to play your keys and your beats) and a decent pair of headphones or speakers. If you want to record live sounds such as vocals or guitar, you’ll also need an audio interface and a microphone to get those sounds into the computer.
Speakers vs Studio Monitors
Do you need high-end studio speakers? Not necessarily. I remember visiting a producer friend once and noticed that he was mixing tracks (that were getting published on the regular) with a pair of $20 computer speakers. He could do this because he knew from experience how to EQ his sounds and master his track to rumble a club sound system, so he didn’t need to hear the bass on his home system to know what was happening to the sound. For those of us who don’t have that skill (yet), it is probably wise to invest in a set of speakers that will give you a good idea of what you are creating. This is where the term “studio monitor” comes into our conversation
Audio Interface
One crucial and often overlooked part of the home studio is an audio interface that will provide connections to route sound in and out of your computer. Your computer may have something like this (if you use Apple they provide decent sound output with the included 1/8th inch jack). But you may lack some connections such as input for a microphone or instrument. This is where you’ll want to figure out exactly what plugs into what in your studio, and purchase an audio interface to fit your needs. For a bit more information on audio interfaces, check out our Audio Interface Breakdown.
We hope you enjoyed our steps on How to Build a Home Music Production Studio.
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