What exactly you need for a home recording studio?

Question

I have my new computer on the way, still trying to look for the best audio editin program, other then a mixer and some studio monitors, what else I need and how do I choose from the thousands of different mixers and monitors out there.

Answer 1

I abandoned the computer route. It takes too much memory and slows the computer down. I would recommend a stand alone digital recorder like the Roland VS-890. It has an 8 channel mixer, 64 virtual tracks (almost infinite overdubbing capabilities with little sound loss) and over 200 effects (reverb to EQ to digital delay). You can also store up to 100 effects that you can create.
With the cd burner (which is separate but well worth the money) you can burn your music directly to cd without any loss in quality. It is an amazing unit.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=483

Check at a local music store and see if they have a demo model. Besides, I wouldn't trust my computer to keep my songs on. Too many variables that can go wrong like hackers, power outages and crashes. With a stand alone unit you can take it with to a friend's house if you want.
Hope this helps and have a great day!!!

Answer 2

I'm sorry but I don't agree with computer recording. Sometimes the processor makes digital recording choppy. I suggest getting a sequencer. Pro Audio os pretty darn good from what I hear (if you're determined to record through your computer) Kontact is fanastic for editing and manipulating data (stretches sounds without changing the pitch... among other things). I never got much use out of propellerhead.
A digital multi-track would be good as well as a mixer for analog stuff. You should get a very good mic that is made for data input. A good one might cost around $300 and up. If you can go to a Mars music store (in Orange County, CA) they give you the option of testing all their mics.
Good luck!

Answer 3

There are many ways you can go with this, but you are on the right track so far. Had you abandoned the computer, and gone the hardware route, you would end up spending much more money, and your gear will become obsolete in a couple years. The most financially accesible and practical path to a home studio is with a computer. You can always add hardware to the computer, but you can't add a computer to the hardware. With hardware, what you buy is what you get... know what I mean?

To begin, one of the main factors for your new home studio is what kind of computer you are going to use. There are editing programs for both Macs and PCs, but there are also programs available on only one or the other.

Your studio should be built around the instrument that you are most proficient. The home studio of a guitarist will vary somewhat from the studio of a keyboardist. The guitarist, for example, will need more emphasis on recording audio, where the keyboardist can rely more on MIDI.

I am a keyboardist, so I will tell you a good path from my perspective.

You have a computer on the way. My assumption is that it is a PC, and there are plenty of programs available to edit music with a PC. These are called DAW's, or Digital Audio Workstations, and act as the brain of your operation. The main player on the PC is Protools. They offer various packages in a range that suits beginners all the way up to the super systems used by record companies. Another bonus to Protools is that it is also available on Macs, however, I would not agree it is the best option for a Mac user starting out, but I will get to the Mac portion of this in a moment.

ProTools 7 is designed to work with the Digi 001 and 002 mixing consoles. They are good units, but seem to only work well with ProTools alone. This is the case of the proprietary world that ProTools has created, which is a benefit and a negative in ways which I will not get into here.

Skipping the ProTools route, Nuendo and Cubase are popular amongst PC users. Sony's Acid Pro is awesome... and their latest version has become a solid contender in the PC arena.

For Macs, I would have to say Apple's software lineup is a great place to start. From Garageband, which allows for very quick editing and creation of music, to Logic Xpress for an intro to the DAW world, to Logic Pro which is arguably the best DAW for MIDI, considering the vast number of instruments that come with it, and very good when working with audio.

A close second is MOTU's Digital Performer. This is definitely an advanced application, and can be daunting for someone starting out.

What you should understand when it comes to this very important choice for a DAW; at the core of each program, Mac or PC, they are all performing the same function, recording MIDI and Audio - editing MIDI and Audio. I equate the difference of each to the difference of languages. By learning one, you will understand the concept of all of them, but the one you choose now is how you will be able to best communicate your ideas in the years to come.

Even if you are not a keyboardist, you should look into keyboard controllers. You can plug it in to your USB port and use it to pound out bass lines, beats, and play a few riffs. These come in various forms with various options. Some built heftier than others. Check out the online retailers for more info.

Before you buy monitors, you should procure a decent pair of headphones. Something in the $80+ range is usually a safe bet. Look at Sony, AKG, and Ultrasone (to name a few).

As for monitors, they depend entirely on your budget. This is an area where price unfortunately determines the quality. Look at online reviews of some just out of your range, and then hunt them down on Yahoo! Auctions, ebay, or craigslist. You could end up with an awesome set of used monitors for the price of a so-so pair of new ones.

If you are recording into your computer, with guitars, drums, digeridoos, or whatever, you will need an audio interface. This will also be the way for you to get sound from your computer out to your monitors. Go to the M-Audio or MOTU sites and have a look. Search Musician's Friend's selection or Sweetwater.com. Try to determine how many inputs you will need at a given time, and check the specifications of units in your range.

If you have any older MIDI gear, you'll probably need a MIDI interface. There are some units out there which combine Audio and MIDI into one interface.

Lastly, there are a couple programs that can play a valuable role in anyone's studio:

Propellerheads Reason
Ableton Live
Bias Peak
Sony Soundforge

Do a search on them for more info.

Here's a rough plan of attack for you:

1. PC or Mac Platform
2. DAW
Protools LE (PC)
Garageband or Logic Xpress (Mac)
3. Keyboard Controller
4. Decent Headphones
5. Control Surface*
Digi001 or 002 (Protools)
Mackie, Tascam, Yamaha, etc. (everything else)
*some of these combine control with MIDI and Audio inputs, if
so, disregard #6
6. Audio/MIDI Interface
7. Monitors

Additional -
Reason, Live, Plugins by Native Instruments
MIDI Controllers

Let me stress that this is by no means a definitive guide to home studio design. I hope you take this more as a guideline and see it as a formula that has worked for others. Pick and choose what feels right for you. Spend what you can, but don't over-do it. Bargains are available to those who seek them. Analyze the reasoning behind each purchase so that in the end you have a collective that will act as a foundation for your musical endeavors in the future. Use the force. Be the ball.

Good luck in your quest.

Answer 4

well it depends. an emu soundboard will let you plug any audio directly into your computer and comes with descent software.

Answer 5

two turntables and a microphone