In previous posts I have talked about what software I like to use and the different categories of engineers, but today I will be talking about setting up a home studio without breaking the bank. A main factor to take into consideration before buying expensive equipment is your budget. In this post I will recommend t software, microphones, audio interfaces, speakers (studio monitors), and additional accessories that you can purchase at a reasonable price.
As I mentioned in my first post, Avid Pro Tools,
is the industry’s standard recording software. It sells for $699.00 on
Sweetwater, but if you are a student at college or university studica.com offers
student discounts whereby you can purchase the product for $300.00. If,
however, you are opposed to using Pro Tools then another great software is Logic Studio, which goes for $199.00. Two plug-ins that I
would also suggest you purchase are Antares Auto-Tune and Melodyne which are
both pitch-correcting software and very powerful and easy to use.
A
great vocal microphone I would also suggest you consider purchasing is the AKG
C214, which is the baby brother to the AKG C414. Both microphones are
multi-pattern condensers and have a very crisp sound. If you are looking for a
sturdier yet cheaper microphone then a dynamic microphone might suit you
better. Two very common dynamic microphones are the Shure SM 57 and the Shure
SM 58. If you are considering recording live sound or a drum set then
microphones I would suggest are the Electro Voice Re20 for the kick drum, the
Sennheiser MD 421 for the snare drum, a triple pack of Sennheiser e604s for the
toms, an AKG C1000S for the hi-hat, a matched pair of AKG C1000S for the
overheads and a M/S of C414 for the room microphones. This is a great site for
information on micing a drumset.
A very good interface I would suggest is the
Behringer Xenyx X1204, which is an eight-channel USB mixer with built-in FX.
Again this might not work for everyone based on your needs or specifications,
but this is a great buy. The speakers (studio monitors) I would highly
recommend are the KRK Rokit 8, which are sold for $249.50 per pair.
Finally, some accessories I would recommend
you getting if you do not already have them are a microphone stand, Pop Filter
and sE Electronics Reflexion Filter. Although these items are not one hundred
percent essential for your studio they will definitely improve the quality of
your recording.
There is no doubt that you will have to spend
a considerable amount of money to equip your studio but, depending on your
budget, it might be best if you were to purchase initially only the essential
items needed and then just add individual pieces, when needed, to your setup.
Remember you don’t always need to purchase the most expensive equipment to get
the best output.
P.S:
All of the products I made reference to above can be found and purchased on Sweetwater.
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