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Do you play guitar and want to have an awesome home studio to create and record music but not sure where to start? It’s a lot simpler to create a great set up in your home than you think. Let's go through all the different components you'll need to get started. How Much Computer Will You Need? At the core of a modern studio is the computer. Start with getting a decent laptop or desktop. You'll need something powerful enough to handle the recording and editing software, so get the best processing that you can afford. At minimum, you should look for 8 GB of RAM, 500 GB of hard drive space, and the best processor you can get at your price point. You can expect to spend around $700 at minimum for a decent laptop.
What Else Do You Need For A Complete First Home Studio?
A MIDI keyboard will allow you to really control your music production software and play the
sounds you want with the keys rather than clicking on the screen. This tool gives you a lot of
freedom and will allow you to use your creativity. It's a much more musical approach than only
using a mouse.
Finally, acoustic treaments on your walls can give you much better sound inside your room and
sound reduction outside of the room. The bouncing of the sound around the room coming from your
speakers or amplifiers will be reduced so you'll get much better recording audio and playback
Wow, This Sounds Like A Lot Of Stuff!
Start with the essentials. Get yourself a quality computer, DAW, and audio interface. From here,
build out as you can. Each component will give you more freedom and make it easier to get great sound out of your music, but start where you can. While you work on getting your full home studio up and running, remember, being forced to be creative and do a lot with a little can add character to your art and lead to some amazing results!
About The Author:
Ryan Popovic is a professional music instructor providing guitar lessons in Minneapolis - St Paul, MN. He is a member of an elite world-wide music teaching mentorship program, the Music Teachers National Association, and the Minnesota Music Teachers Association. He teaches primarily blues, rock, and metal guitar. Ryan teaches all ages and skill levels.
How To Set Up Your First Home Studio For Guitar Players
What Type Of Software Will You Need?
You'll need music production software called a Digital Audio Workspace (DAW) to record and edit
your music. There are a number of options that are all great choices to be a part of your first home
studio. It comes down to personal preference which to choose, as they all have different strengths
and weaknesses (and price tags).
For example, Pro Tools is great for recording multiple tracks, and Cubase is particulary useful for
editing. Consider also LogicPro Reaper, Ableton Live, or Studio One. Many of these have less
expensive or free entry-level versions so shop around, look into the different features and price
points and figure out which works best for your needs and budget. Remember that you can always
upgrade later as you become more experienced and your needs grow.
How To Get Your Music Into The Computer
Next, you’ll need an audio interface to capture all that beautiful guitar music you’re trying to
record. A great option for a first home recording studio is the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. This particular
interface is simple to use and very popular. This tool allows you to plug in your guitar (for direct
input) and/or microphone and record your music to the DAW for editing.
With just a computer, DAW, and an audio interface; you have all you need get your electric guitar or bass recorded and edited. If you want to record vocals or an acoustic instrument, you'll need a condenser microphone. These mics are very sensitive and give you the audio detail you need to create great studio quality recordings. You'll need your audio interface to power a condensor mic. Use an XLR cable to connect the mic and audio interface. Don't forget a stand for your mic also!
How Can You Hear All This Great Music You Just Recorded?
When recording and editing music, you need to have quality audio coming to your ears. Pair the equipment above with a great pair of studio headphones that will help your hear the detail of the music and each individual instrument. Especially if loud sound is an issue (say, if you live in an apartment) a quality pair of headphones is essential. Again, get the best pair you can afford. Once you have all the equipment we've looked at so far, studio monitors (speakers) are next on the list. They will you allow you to really get the levels and audio quality of your muic fine-tuned to sound great once the finished tunes get to your listener's stereo or earbuds.