1. The computer
Your computer is the engine that powers digital home recording. Almost all the tools (effects, compression, EQ, etc) for our simple home recording setup reside in the computer. In other words, in this setup we are going to use almost no extra external home studio recording equipment.
2. The recording software
Whether you own a PC or a Mac, our setup requires only free (Mac Garageband) or really cheap (PC Mixcraft or Audacity) recording software
3. Sound card/digital input and output
We do not want to use the built in consumer sound card on our home computer. Instead, we will use a simple, affordable and much better quality external piece of hardware known as an audio interface, digital converter or i/o (in-out) box.
4. 3 cables
Our system only requires three types of cable: Quarter inch (for instrument input), RCA (output from i/o box to speakers) and XLR (for microphone.)
5. Two Microphones
We'll be able to record effectively using just two mics: A condenser Mic (for vocals and acoustic instruments and a dynamic mic (to provide an alternative sound option for certain types of vocal recording and instrument recording.)
6. Powered monitors (speakers)
Excellent sounding home studio monitors are available that are very affordable are available but they will still be the most pricey element of our home studio recording setup. For achieving professional quality home recordings we need to take our choice of monitor very seriously because accurate playback is essential for successful mixing.
(Do not use consumer stereo speakers, because they are made to deliberately "color' the sound to suit the tastes of the general population. This means that bass frequencies are accentuated and certain mid range frequencies are ignored.)
This completes our simple home recording studio. How is it possible to get professional sound using so little?
The Easy Home Studio Recording Setup - Good Sound In Equals Good Sound Out
It is the quality of the sound going in to the recording software that will determine the quality of the finished mix. This simple, often ignored fact, leads directly to another truth that is so oft resisted by the home recording chattering class:
A great sound cannot be "made" from studio toys and tools. The sounds all around us are already great. Therefore your only job when recording is to understand how to "capture" all its elements. There lies the real answer to how our simple home studio is possible, because capturing sound effectively is ultimately achieved by removing as many obstacles from the path sound takes from the outside to the inside of your computer.
In other words, the more stuff that sound has to travel through as it is recorded, the more risk there is of injury to the sound.
The temptation to overstock your home studio recording setup is strong and the advice to do so is everywhere. If you can resist the urge to hide behind a mountain of audio equipment and can meet sound on its own terms, the home recording process becomes organic and intuitive. Only then does the possibility of creating magic become a possibility.
Home Studio Recording Setup - Examples of Big Stars Using Small Systems
This debate about setting up an effective home studio is really about quality of sound vs quantity of equipment. To help you put a final nail in the coffin of the argument that says a home studio must cost thousands, you may find the following examples showing large scale success achieved with very small recording setups.
1. Eurythmics - "Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" - recorded on an 8-track tape recorder in a living room
2. Bruce Springsteen - "Nebraska" album. tracks recorded on a 4 track Tascam PortaStudio.
3. Oasis - Guitar tracks recorded on Garageband recording software for recent album while traveling in their tour bus.
4. Cowboy Junkies platinum debut record - recorded live to 2-track in a church.
This all begs the question, if performers big and small are out there making professional sounding recordings using a very simple and affordable home studio recording setup, what is stopping you? The answer is nothing should be stopping you from turning your next great song into a great sounding recording that the word can enjoy.
I invite you to sign up for 6 free recording home studio lessons based on the bestselling Easy Home Recording Blueprint, which is the exact home recording method I use to record songs and music for movies, TV, cd release, licensing etc.
Award winning Warner/Chappell, Hi Bias, Audio Socket and LoudThud recording artist, songwriter and producer, Owen Critchley has been writing, recording and releasing music for over 15 years. For more information about Owen and his home recording tips, and to find out how to be successful in the new music business, visit http://recordinghomestudio.com
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