How to Setup up a Computer Based Recording Studio At Home
Updated March 2009
Setting up or building a home recording studio can seem like a daunting task. In this article I've tried to break it down to a few elements that you should consider as you plan your setup. Here at Revolution Audio we try to match customers with the home studio package that is right for them. The first questions I always have for people when they ask me "How do I set up a home studio" are "What do you want to do with it?" , "What do you have already?" and "What is your budget?" After hearing those answers we are able to come up with an appropriate solution that will accomplish the task. The following are simply some steps to consider as you start your own home studio uprising:
1. Choosing Your Software
2. Choosing Your Computer
3. The Audio Interface
4. Microphones
5. Monitors
6. Cables - the Glue that Holds it all together!
Step #1: Choosing your Computer(and choosing correctly)
The first question when purchasing a computer for recording is: Will I choose a Apple Macintosh or a PC Windows based computer? Although Macintosh computers still have the upper hand, the latest Windows XP is the most stable windows based system since 3.1. (My understanding is the XP pro has no tangible advantage over XP home for recording unless you are using multiple processors). PC's tend to have a wide range of components you can get, but Macs are more consistent from model to model. How about Vista? Check with your hardware and software for compatibility or ask us at the store, but as of 2009 almost everything is working fine now in Windows Vista. Talk to us about 32bit vs. 64bit Vista if you have questions.
To get around the fact that PC's are so inconsistent in their quality, if you are going the Windows route I recommend buying a computer that is designed, outfitted and tested for use with multi-track audio programs. I highly recommend checking out the MusicXPC systems, put together and tested here in Toronto. More info on them can be found here. Or contact us about getting a high end, custom built computer to exact specifications.
The downside to Apple computers is the cost - you can often find a top of the line PC at half the price of a new Macintosh. But with the PC you never know what you are getting, and for most people it's worth it to spend the extra money for something of higher quality. But don't completely answer this question until you've gone through step #2 on Software.
Whether you are on a Mac or PC, some things are consistent. Buy as much RAM as you can afford. It's pretty cheap these days, and so for the money, you should go for at least 1 gig of high quality RAM. More if you want to run a lot of software instruments. I would say 1 Gb (gigabyte) would be minimum. Your need in processor speed will largely depend on the programs you will be using. They will all have minimum requirements that you should check, but with what I know of current applications I would probably not purchase a computer that didn't have a dual processor, also called dual core. Also, if you are doing serious recording a second hard drive is essential. Either an IDE Hard drive or the current SATA drives of 7200 rpm or more you'll be fine. Again, as large as you can afford. Always work with a local computer dealer you can trust. You'll be glad you did.
Step #2: Choosing Your Software(so many good choices)
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I think the most important question to ask in the Mac/PC debate is "what software do I want to use?" Some software is platform dependant and will only work on one or the other. Here is a breakdown of some popular recording software and what platforms/operating systems they work on:
| Recording Program |
Macintosh? |
PC? |
Cubase LE/SE/SL/SX 3.0/ Studio / Studio 4
(compare versions here) |
OS 10.3 or higher |
Windows XP |
| Logic Pro/Logic Express |
OS 10.3 + |
Not available |
| Pro Tools LE 6/7 M-powered |
OS 10 or higher |
Windows XP |
| Apple's Garageband |
OS 10.3 |
Not Available |
| Fruity Loops (any current version) |
Not Available |
Windows 2000/XP |
| Sonar 5, 6 LE, Studio or Producer |
Not Available |
Windows 2000/XP |
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However, when considering software, it's not just about the multi-track/sequencer - it is also about what kind of programs (plug-ins) you would like to run with it. These plug-ins can add functionality to your multi-tracker like different software based instruments and effects. The most common format is called "VST" - developed by Steinberg but not only used in Cubase, but in Sonar products as well. Although there are lesser used formats out there for plug-ins (AU for Apple, MAS for DP, Dxi exclusively for Sonar/Cakewalk, RTAS for protools) I would not, personally, purchase a multi-track software program unless it could also use VST plug-ins.
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Step #3: Choosing Your Audio Interface(not just a "sound card")
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Again, choosing your audio interface will largely depend on what you want to accomplish with your studio. Is it a writing studio? Just a couple tracks recorded at one time? Then one of the many USB 2in/2out audio interfaces would be fine. Do you want to record a full band? The you will need to look at either a PCI card installation (only on desktop computers) or with a Firewire / USB 2.0 device. The all-in-one devices are very popular because they not only replace your sound card in all aspects, but usually give you a place to plug in microphones, headphones and speakers as well as the ability to control their input/output levels. |
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Step #4: Microphones
We've come a long way, baby!
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The choices for microphones today are staggering. The chinese manufacturing market has saturated us with many cheap mics - some good and others not so good. One question people often have is, I have an old SM 58 - it's a good mic, I just use that right? Well. No. Okay, not really. Two main categories of mics are Dynamic and Condenser. Typically Dynamic mics are great for live recording because they are not as sensitive, and so reject more feedback and don't break easily when dropped. (If only musicians were as resilient!) Condenser mics use something called Phantom Power to charge the diaphragm of the mic making them more sensitive. This is not as good for the road or stage, but make them excellent for controlled situations like studios. You are able to capture the subtle nuances of a performance much better with a condenser microphone. Most vocals are recorded through a large diaphragm condenser microphone, and so this is typically a must for setting up the home studio. They range in price from $79 anywhere up to $6000 or more. A nice quality middle ground tends to be in the $300-500 range. This will often give a mic that will last you a while. |
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Step #5: Selecting Monitors or Speakers(they are your ears into your computer)
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Having a good set of audio monitors is important for mixing down your final song. Many people tell me that they have a great set of stereo speakers that make their music sounds great. But the point of a good set of audio monitors is not to make your music sound good, but to make it sound accurate. They are your ears into the music that is happening in your computer, and you don't want your speakers tickling your ears, you want them to tell you exactly what is happening in every frequency. These days, you can get a good set of monitors between $400-$800. If you can't afford that right now, you might as well save up until you can rather than spend $200 for something you will want to upgrade in the next year or so. Some of my favourite monitors right now for the money are the Samson 65a active monitors and the M-Audio HS50M and the MS80M. Typically people are purchasing active speakers these days, meaning that they have power maps built into them rather than separately. You need to hear it, if you're going to mix it!
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Step #6: Wiring it all together
(and making it work)
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This is where it might get a little confusing for some people. Most interfaces will come with specific instructions for wiring, but here is my rule of thumb. Wiring is like plumbing: Typically the flow goes in one direction. Buy the best quality pipes you can. Put them together the correct way, or you might end up knee deep in crap! Your local music store where you are purchasing your equipment will be able to help you out with understanding how it all works together for the specific equipment. The key to a great recording is a great signal flow - which is the flow from your sound source to your computer. It looks basically like this:
Microphone ---> XLR Cable ---> Audio Interface or Sound card ---> Computer ---> Software.
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We hope that this little primer on setting up a home recording studio will get you headed in the right direction towards making some great music. Next steps should be to come by the store here and check out some of the equipment, get a free demonstration of some of the software or come to one of our free or paid classes on home recording offered here at the store. It's one thing to have the equipment, it is another to actually learn how to use it. The home studio uprising is happening now - will you be part of it, or will you read about it in the history books? Long live the revolution!
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Come to Revolution Audio - the home studio experts!
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