Music Production: The Basics

Thanks to technology becoming more accessible, the art of music recording has been put into the amateur’s hands more than ever before. More people now can enjoy composing and recording music. Here are a few tips to get you started with a home recording studio.

1. DAW: This stands for “digital audio workstation”. This is software loaded onto a computer in which the user can record and edit sound waves. This has replaced analog tape as the standard recording medium. There are many different DAWs to choose from such as ProTools, Digital Performer, Ableton, Logic, GarageBand and many more. If you are a beginner, GarageBand is a great, user-friendly start. Research all of them and see which one fits your style the most.

2. D/A Converter: This is also known as an “interface”. What this hardware does is it takes analog signals (sound waves) and converts them into digital signals (binary code, or 1s and 0s) to put into the computer, and vice versa. These range from about $100 to thousands. This is where you could connect an instrument cable or microphone.

3. Preamp: This device is not necessary for beginners, but as you progress you will want to upgrade to a preamp. This device boosts a microphone or instrument signal to correct recording levels (some D/A converters come with onboard preamps, although they are usually lesser quality). A good preamp can “color” the sound in a tasteful way, and give warmth and depth if so desired. Other good preamps work conversely; they are clear and transparent. These are from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands.

4. Monitors: These are your “ears”. Monitors, or speakers, reproduce the sound you are recording. Aim to get monitors that have a flat response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. You want these speakers to produce a faithful sound so if you’re putting a terrible sound in, you’ll be able to recognize very quickly. These range again from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands.

5. Microphones: Necessary to any recording endeavor, there are many microphones to chose from. There are two main types, dynamic and condenser microphones. Dynamic microphones are generally more rugged, used both in studio and live applications, can handle loud sounds, and have a smaller range of frequency response. Condenser microphones are usually more delicate, mostly used in the studio, have a wider frequency response and are usually more sensitive. Dynamic mics will run from about $50 to $1,000, while condensers will start at a few hundred and easily go up to tens of thousands of dollars.

There are many other aspects to setting up a home studio such as instruments, amplifiers, acoustical treatment and signal processing that we will not explore in this article. Any suggestions or ideas for home recording studios? Like us on Facebook and comment!