Music is a universal language, no matter your dialect. Music is everywhere and extremely influential. Because of its popularity and impact, many people have considered or are considering making music.

Whether for fun as a hobby or producing music for a living, there are so many creatives out there that are looking to set up their own studios out of their homes. A lot of questions surround solo or 2i2. Before you do, here are some of the important things to consider to create music from your own home studio.

Computer

The first thing that you will need to set up your own home studio is a computer. Regardless of whether you prefer to have an established permanent setup with a desktop or prefer the portability of a laptop to take your music on the go, you will want to ensure that you have the hardware that is capable of handling your studio needs. With the majority of the software on the market being highly demanding and using multiple tools simultaneously during your creation sessions, you want to ensure your computer has the capabilities with a good CPU and solid RAM to handle such demands.

Recording Space

Creating your home studio means that you need a space that you can record. The space that you need will vary, as this depends on the instruments and equipment you have, in addition to having the space for your desired acoustics. You will also need to factor in if you are planning to create a space for collaborations with other producers or artists, or if you are doing the work solo. You can either build a new space or use existing rooms depending on what you have to work with. It is up to you to make it your own.

Audio Interface

An audio interface allows you to connect a variety of peripherals and instruments to your computer or console to record your various vocals or sounds. Your need for these devices will depend on whether or not you are using sound and audio from pre-recorded sources or if you are creating the sound and music yourself from scratch with the use of instruments and music artists.

Microphone

A microphone is one of the essential equipment requirements for almost every artist. These allow you to record your vocals or instrumentals to compile onto your tracks. Even with multiple singers, you can record vocal tracks separately so you can get away with a single microphone, especially starting out. If you plan on recording groups or building harmonies, it is a good idea to invest in a second or even multiple microphones. A quality microphone is worth the investment to ensure that you can capture and record the sounds clearly and distinctly, making the editing and production process that much easier.

Headphones

A good pair of studio headphones are essential for any music production. When you first start out working in your studio producing music, the majority of the work will be done by yourself. To save money on huge audio speakers, headphones provide top quality without as much of an investment. This also beats using the stock speakers on your laptop to be able to hear all the details in the audio. Headphones provide you the portability to take your laptop and work on the go as well, editing without disturbing others.

Studio Speakers

When you begin expanding your studio in size, and want to work with others, you will need to consider a much bigger system to accommodate the other artists you are working with. Having studio monitor speakers provides an exceptional sound that is needed for your production needs, especially when working with others in a collaborative setting. You will want to consider different variables such as the volume, quality, and even placement of your speakers to create a sound environment that maximizes your capabilities. Ensuring that your speakers can present you with a flat sound is also important as this allows for proper mixing and adjustments. Working without a solid set of speakers will put your end production at risk for coming out below standard, and have varying results on different quality sound systems.

Studio Software

Having the right studio software installed on your computer or laptop is important for any producer or artist. No matter if you are just starting or are an experienced sound designer, having the right software provides you the tools to create, mix, and edit your music. Creating and producing soundtracks involves many different elements to change and alter, and you must have the capability to make those decisions. There are many options to consider, from free digital audio workshops to budget and high-end ones. The main differences between the different software will be the UI, the user interface, and some of the provided sample audio tracks. The music output will mainly depend on you as the creator. At the end of the day, it is mostly about what feels comfortable to use and understand.

Soundboards Or Synthesizers

These equipment allow users and producers to assign different sounds to respective keys, make adjustments to different sound levels, change tempos and speeds, and have a more efficient way to create your music on the fly. Of course, it is possible to stick with a computer to create music, but if you are looking for a more streamlined user experience, a synth is a must-have in your studio. Having these types of equipment provides you an efficient way to make music and a more engaging way to work and collaborate.

Audio Packs

Whether you are creating music right on your computer or assigning sound effects to a soundboard, you need to have the right audio for it. If you don’t have access to the instruments you need or the singers you want, using audio packs to fill your sound library will give you the flexibility for creating different vibes and feels about music.

A home studio doesn’t have to be large and doesn’t have to be done one way. Many producers and artists have found success without the needs of a large production, but there are staples that they need in terms of equipment and software to create something worth listening to.

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Written by Stop The Breaks
Stop The Breaks is an independent music marketing company focused on showcasing independent hip-hop artists. Our goal is to help motivate, inspire and educate independent artists grinding around the world. We provide branding, content marketing, social media, SEO and music promotion services.