building a home recording studio 5

Finally, in our discussion on how to build your own recording studio, we talk about connecting everything together. We've already discussed getting a good computer, recording software, microphone, audio/midi interface, and a good pair of monitors. To build your own recording studio you need to know how to connect various pieces of equipment together.

What I shall present here will be pretty simple and straightforward for beginners. This is the way I have my own small home studio set up. You can use it as a guide to build your own recording studio.

You connect your keyboard to your computer with a midi interface such as the Midiman USB Uno. You can get one for about $34 online.

If you are not going to be using the sounds of the keyboard itself you can get simply use a basic midi controller. These produce no sounds themselves. You can use a midi controller to play the soft synths and modules in your computer.

Build your own recording studio - hook up your audio

The next thing you need to hook up is your audio. If you buy a Delta 44 audio interface, it will come with an instructional manual that will guide you in doing an installation. In a nutshell, you have to install the Delta 44 PCI host adapter card in the computer. This will be attached to the Delta 44 break out box via a 15-pin D-sub to 15-pin D-sub cable. This is a simple process; the manual makes it easy to understand.

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In my setup I use an Alesis mixer. Two aux sends are connected to Ins 1 and 2 of the Delta 44 via two 1/4 inch cable. Outs 1 and 2 of the Delta 44 connect to the aux returns of the mixer via two 1/4 inch cable.

My microphone plugs into the mic input of my mixer and my keyboard plugs into the line input of my mixer. My mixer then connects to my powered (active) monitors - the output of the mixer to the input of the powered speakers using two XLR cables. A headphones connects into the mixer.

What we've discussed is a simple home recording studio set up. Use it as a guide to build your own recording studio. Your interface will usually come with instructions that can guide you as to various ways in which you can set up your home recording studio with or without a mixer. You can also be guided by the store in which you buy your equipment. They should be able to explain how everything works together.

Building a home recording studio 4

To further answer your question on how to build a music studio we shall talk about selecting studio monitors. Now that you have a good computer, recording software, audio/midi interface, and a condenser microphone, next on the list is a pair of studio monitors. Personally, I like those that are already powered (active monitors) which means that I do not have to buy a separate amplifier. But the choice is yours as to whether you should buy passive monitors plus an amplifier or just go with the powered ones.

How to build a music studio - selecting studio monitors.

What you need is a near field monitor. What is that? It's a monitor that you keep close to you. If you move around a room you will notice that the sound changes a lot as you move. This is because of room acoustics. So depending on where a speaker is placed (the corner or center of a room for example) and where you're standing, it will sound differently. With a near field monitor you will be able to accurately measure the sound you're creating. And since your speaker is close to you (between 3 and 5 feet), you do not need much volume. With less volume the sound won't bounce around the room.

The studio monitor must be able to paint an accurate picture of the music. In theory, they should be flat or unnatural, meaning that no frequencies are emphasized or de-emphasized. In practice, lots of people do the opposite, particular with the bass, and subwoofers are used. Just ensure that you keep the subwoofer volume low or else your final mix will be bass-shy. The bottom line is that with your mix should be so good that it will sound good on the worst of music systems. It's all about your experience and skill.

How to build a music studio - buying studio monitors.

A good set of monitors can be found online for between $400-$800. I wouldn't suggest that you buy something cheaper. Your monitors are really your ears into the computer. It would be better to save up some more money rather than buy something that you will regret buying.

Studio Monitors

Active/Powered Studio Monitors

KRK RP8G2 Rokit G2 Powered 2-Way Active Monitor

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KRK RP5G2 Rokit G2 Powered 2-Way Active Monitor

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KRK RP6G2 Rokit G2 Powered 2-Way Active Monitor

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Adam A7X Powered Studio Monitor

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Passive/Unpowered Studio Monitors

Behringer B2031P Passive Studio Monitor

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JBL C5 Control 5 Compact Studio Monitor

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Alesis Monitor One MK2 Studio Monitors

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Behringer B2030P Passive Studio Monitor

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Desktop/Multimedia Monitors

Behringer MS16 Active Personal Monitor System

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M-Audio Studiophile AV40 Portable Desktop Speakers

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Behringer MS40 Digital Monitor (40 Watts)

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Behringer MS20 Digital Monitor (20 Watts)

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Building a home recording studio step 3

In this segment of how to build a home studio we focus on buying a microphone. Now that you have a good computer, recording software, and audio/midi interface, of course, the next step is to choose the "right" microphone.

Microphones vary greatly in price and quality. Top end microphones can cost thousands of dollars. For instance, the Neumann U87 costs as much as $3,649.00. A cheap microphone can cost as little as ten bucks! For a good quality recording, you obviously wouldn't buy such a cheap microphone but you can do pretty well with one that costs less than a few hundred dollars.

So what kind of microphone would you need to buy? There are two main types. They are dynamic and condenser microphones. Let's take a closer look.

How to build a home studio - choosing a dynamic microphone

Dynamic microphones

Typical uses for dynamic microphones are for stage use and recording studio use. Dynamic mics are especially resistant to moisture and other forms of abuse, such as a drum stick hitting the microphone. Unlike condenser microphones, they don't require phantom power.

The number one suggestion for dynamic microphones is the Shure SM57. It's usually used for recording guitar amps, snare drum, kick drum, toms, hi hat, horns, and so on but it can do much more. If you're a newbie and funds are an issue, you may want to get this microphone first. For vocals and acoustic guitars, you would need a good preamp as well.

How to build a home studio - choosing a condenser microphone

Condenser microphone

Condenser microphones are generally much more expensive than dynamic ones. Condenser mics, unlike dynamic mics, use Phantom Power to charge the diaphragm of the mic. This is easily supplied by most mixing boards. (Look for a switch that says "P 48" or "48V" on the channel strip or on the back of your mixer.)

Condenser microphones are generally used only in recording studios due to the fact that they're so fragile and because of their sensitivity to loud sounds. There are two types, small diaphragm, and large diaphragm. Large condensers are best for vocals, and small condensers are great for delicate instruments.

In my home studio, all I use is an AKG C414B. This is a very popular and very versatile professional recording studio microphone. This is certainly a microphone to aspire to if you don't already have one.

If you're looking for a high quality condenser mic but don't want to spend a lot, the RODE NT1 is an excellent choice. This mic can handle everything, not just vocals.

How to build a home studio - microphone options

Other microphones you can look into when building your home recording studio, apart from the Shure SM57, RODE NT1 and AKG C414B are:

Studio Projects C1 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone Shure SM81LC Cardioid Condenser Microphone ElectroVoice RE20 Classic Cardioid Dynamic Microphone Audio Technica AT822 Special Purpose Condenser Microphone Rode NT4 Stereo Condenser Microphone Sennheiser MD421II Dynamic Cardioid Microphone Studio Projects B1 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone AKG C3000B Single Cardioid Large Diaphragm Mic Rode NT2A Variable Pattern Studio Condenser Microphone Shure KSM32 KSM44/SL Other microphone options (for drums) include the: AKG D112 Large Diaphragm Microphone AKG Deluxe Drum Mic Package Studio Projects C4 Condenser Microphone Neumann KM184 Cardioid Small Diaphram Microphone Audix DR456 Drum Microphone Combo Pack (4xi5, 1xD6, 4xDVice) Many times one microphone does the trick in a small budget home studio. If you're not recording drums or a wide range of love instruments, there is probably no need to get several mics.

Building a home recording studio step 2

So you've already got that computer? What you need now is some recording software. Some recording software work only on Mac computers, some work only on PCs, while some will work on either. So in this discussion of how to build a recording studio we shall take a look at a few popular pieces of recording studio software, as well as the platforms they work on.

If you've got a PC or are thinking of getting one, a popular choice is the windows compatible Cakewalk Sonar studio recording software. Steinberg Cubase SX recording software can be used with both Macintosh and Windows. Another top pick would have to be Apple Logic Pro - this is only for mac users. Logic is not developed on the PC platform anymore. Digital Performer is one of the best. Pro Tools is another popular choice. Anyone of these sequencers will do.

To continue answering your question on how to build a recording studio, I'd say that the next thing you require would have to be a conventional sound card or audio interface, as well as a MIDI interface. (More and more musicians are choosing audio interfaces instead of standard soundcards.) Forget about the sound card that your computer came with. When it comes to recording, it is not professional and just won't do. The audio interface replaces your sound card and takes care of all of the computer's audio functions.

I use the M Audio Delta 4 audio interface, and for MIDI, I use Midiman USB Uno. There are many options where that is concerned so you may want to look around. But this is what works for me right now and I recommend it. I guess it all depends on what you want to accomplish with your recording studio. If it's a small recording or writing studio where only a few tracks are recorded at a time, even a USB 2in/2out audio interface will do. But for more complex projects like recording a full band, you need something more elaborate. On desktop computers you would need a PCI card installation. Or you may have to use a Firewire USB 2.0 device.

Building a home recording studio step 1

This section seeks to answer your question on how to build a home recording studio. I shall explain the process step by step and try to make everything very easy to understand. Just like you, I have asked that very same question - how to build a home recording studio - before. Well guess what. Building a home recording studio is not difficult at all. As someone who owns a small home studio himself, and who has helped others set up their own, I shall try to help you figure out what the process of building a home studio involves. The Home Studio Revolution You see, gone are the days when you needed to spend money on expensive multi-track recorders, outboard gear processors, mixdown machines, and tons of cables. If you've got the money and you want to go that way, that's okay, but it's not necessary. Today, your greatest expense is a computer or digital multitracker. They replace hundreds of functions that you would need separate hardware units for. Today, it's more about software than hardware. Nearly everything takes place inside of your computer or multi-tracker. Believe me when I say that you can easily rival the sound of big-time recording studios right at home, thanks to modern recording studio software. And some of the big hits you hear on the radio were recorded in nothing but a musician's or producer's bedroom. With recording software (such as Cakewalk Sonar, Cubase SX, and Apple Logic) a good studio microphone, a preamp, a MIDI interface, an audio interface, as well as a pair of studio monitors, you're good to go. If you already own a computer, there's not too much to spend. New! Have an opinion on the content on this page? Now you can share your stories, tips and thoughts. To continue answering your question on how to build a home recording studio I shall now focus on the various pieces of equipment that you will have to buy. How to build a home recording studio - Mac versus PC. I guess the first question that folks always ask when purchasing a computer for recording is whether to choose a Mac or a PC. There is a never ending debate among producers as to which is more suitable. Personally, it's a debate I do not like to go into. Both platforms have their advantages and disadvantages. There is no definitive answer, and as far as I'm concerned you should use what you like. PCs are cheaper than Macs of equivalent power and unlike Macs, they are upgradeable. So they're cheaper both short and long term. If you want to save money this is the way to go. Mac has better integration than PCs since Macintosh creates both the hardware and the software. PCs have a billion manufacturers but the operating system is made by a different company, so there is a lot of inconsistency. With Macs, you don't have to worry about viruses and worms like you do with a PC. So in essence, with Macs there are less conflicts and this makes them more productive than PCs. You want me to tell you what to get? Sorry I can't. To me it's a pretty subjective field and it's about what works for you. The bottom line is sound. And Macs do not sound better than PCs, neither do PCs sound better than Macs. How to build a home recording studio - Choosing a powerful computer. Whether you use a Mac or PC, the following is important. I just hope that the computer you're reading this on (if it's yours anyway) is not a cheap 20 gig computer. If so you will need a bigger hard drive. I suggest that you get one with at least 120 GB. The more gigabytes the better. The one I'm using comes with 160 GB. You should also buy as much RAM as possible - 512 MB should be a minimum. So if you can get a great deal on a large hard-drive, go for it.