Music recording equipment - Home studio recommendations
Let's face it, you need some music recording equipment if you want to set up your home recording studio. If you have the money you might be able to get your hands on the most professional audio equipment out there, but if you are on a budget you might need to look at some cheaper options.
There are so many manufacturers out there that all make quality audio equipment. From microphone makers to acoustic treatment specialists, everybody has a great product to promote and share.
Audio Issues even has a great product for home recordists that
want to keep track of their sessions in an organized and structured
way. Check
out the Audio Notes Notebook here.
Microphones
Everybody
starting out needs a good microphone to get his or hers track on
"tape". Sometimes you are able to spend a fortune on a microphone, but
sometimes you can only spare a hundred bucks.
- 4 Great Condensers Under $100
- Five Dynamic Microphones Everybody Should Know About
- The World's Best Vocal Recording Microphones You Can Actually Afford!
Monitors
Looking for some great budget monitors? Studio monitors are a must if you want to get serious with your music productions.
Interfaces
In the digital audio age, you definitely need a good digital audio interface of some sorts. What kind depends on your needs. How many microphones you need to record at the same time dictates what kind of interface you need. Do you only need to record the occasional vocal or podcasts? Or will you record more elaborate instruments such as drums, electric guitar or a string quartet even?!
You can get a simple interface such as the Lexicon
Alpha for simple bedroom recordings. If you need more
microphone inputs than that you could always upgrade to something like
the Lexicon
Lambda(which I've used and highly recommend) or if you want
something more akin to a console you could invest in the Behringer
1204 Xenyx. Having a mixer that you could also use live would
come in handy for a singer/songwriter. If you are on a budget the
Behringer is great value for money, but I would recommend upgrading
when you get the chance.
There are a ton of interfaces out there, and you can browse
the Music
Recording Equipment section at Amazon for more ideas or check out my recommendations for the best USB audio interface under $500
Assorted music recording equipment
When you have your golden three things, the microphone, the monitors and the interface you can start collecting other assorted music equipment for your recording studio. It's good to invest in a pair of headphones, plenty of cables and even a midi keyboard to record your synthesizer ideas. And lastly, even though you have all that you want at that moment you will always want more gear. So keep your eyes peeled for cheap stuff on Ebay and Craigslist as well as the occasional offer from the big box store.
Of course, when I talk about music recording equipment I'm not discussing the importance of acoustic treatment and the best recording software. I'm only discussing the physical equipment needed, but click the links below to learn more about those things.
Check Out the Home Recording Studio Page
What's the Best Recording Software For You?
What Are Bass Traps and Why Do You Need Them?
What about your recommendations?
Everybody knows that nevermind how much gear you've got, you
are always on the lookout for more.
So I ask you:
What is your favorite piece of music recording equipment?
I'm leaving the rest of this page up to you guys. Quality recommendations come straight from the consumers and users themselves. If it works wonders for you, let people know about it! We can make our own little mini page for product recommendations and thoughts.
You can also ask questions if you want. Are you looking for a specific product and want some great recommendations. Just shoot out a question and we'll get back to you!
What products do you love?
What are your product recommendations?
Share your favorite audio equipment!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Shure Sm7b
This mic just works. Not at all hyped like a Chinese condenser, warm and big. Easy to use and built like a tank. Loves lots of gain.
Make sure your pre ...
dbx 160x
Awesome compressor for any level of recording/production. Easy to use, metering is sweet, and can go from subtle to crushing but not at the expense of ...
Sennheiser MD-441/U
Not rated yet
Smooth, transparent, and nearly flat response throughout the frequency range. Super-cardioid design works well with untreated rooms. Bass roll-off and ...
Sytek MPX-4Aii preamp
Not rated yet
This is the only 4-channel preamp I own, so I use it every time I need to shootout mics. I also own a UA Solo 610 and Grace m101.
It is dependable,...
Chameleon Labs 7602
Not rated yet
Awesome budget preamp with an awesome eq and phase reversal. killer DI, and the gain staging is able to become extremely overdriven to give a fat analog ...
Mixing Strategies - Planning the Perfect Mix
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