The American music industry is being transformed at breakneck speed, and a lot of it has to do with the immense growth in popularity of the home recording studio. For every aspiring solo artist and band, professional studio time is a dream come true. Unfortunately, many artists end up spending their entire life savings paying for a handful of recording sessions that does not guarantee them any fame or fortune. Thankfully, the rise of the home recording studio has made it possible for passionate hip-hop artists from all walks of life to have a shot at recording quality tracks at an affordable price. While setting up a home studio may seem extremely challenging, a solid vision and a few basic guidelines will more than suffice in helping you set up a worthy recording space of your own.
Be prepared to part with some money
If you want to be the next Kanye West or Timbaland, you will have to be prepared to invest some money in your home recording studio. The first thing you need to do is take some time and list everything you will need to get started, and then draw up a budget accordingly. If you don’t have the cash available to action any renovations that need to be done, you might have to consider applying for a loan. A credit card can also come in handy, but it’s essential to not spend irresponsibly, and to always stick to the budget you initially drew up.
Find the right space
Finding the correct space for your studio is such an obvious requirement, yet it is often overlooked by would-be producers. Considering that you will more than likely spend a substantial amount of time in the studio, it has to be conveniently located and easily accessible. Try to choose the quietest room in your house or apartment, and where possible, opt for one with a high ceiling and irregular wall surfaces. Although it will require a lot of work to make a ceiling higher, it is fairly easy to make your wall surfaces irregular by making use of acoustic foam panels. Always allow yourself more space than you think you need, as this will make it possible to easily accommodate new equipment without having to continuously expand the size of your studio.
Invest in the right equipment
When building your own home recording studio you will have to invest in quite a large range of equipment. Apart from a computer or laptop with a good processor and sound card, you will also need a digital audio interface that will translate the analog audio into a language that your computer can understand. Some of the best interfaces on the market at the moment include the Steinberg UR28M, Universal Audio Apollo Twin MKII DUO, and the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Many top-of-the-range interfaces are coupled with suitable recording software that will end up saving you a nice amount of money. Other essentials you will need to acquire include recording microphones and stands, isolation headphones, pop filters, and studio monitors.
Having a home studio is a dream-come-true for many musicians and aspiring producers alike. Although a lot of hard work and dedication will go into building your own studio at home, it will be well worth the effort.
Malik Jackson is a seasoned audio engineer and writes about independent music, free sample packs and vst plugins as well as how to set up your home recording studio.
