An Introduction
With the arrival of the digital age, and the personal computer, home recording has stepped out of the noisy scratchy tape and LP zone and has also become more affordable and easier to do than ever before.
You can now record, mix and edit an entire album without stepping into a commercial studio.
You can even do your own artwork and burn your masterpiece to CD and get professional results provided you take the time to learn some basic skills.
The basics of your home computer based recording studio.
Here is a brief rundown of the components you need.
Your Computer
At the heart of your system you are going to need a computer with a reasonable amount of processing power and ram.
This will determine how many tracks you can record and play back on each song you create (ie each instrument, bass, guitar, vocals, drums etc will occupy a track and layer together to form your complete song).Plus on top of this you'll probably be adding some effects.
All this will require your computer to to do multiple calculations in order to add and read information you are laying down on your hard drive.
Most computers available nowadays are able to cope with this although I would recommend getting more than the usual 256 megabytes of ram - 512 or more - in music recording the higher the better.
While we're on the subject of RAM (memory) you can, to a certain degree compensate for a slower computer processor by increasing amount of RAM.
Storage space:
Something else to consider is that music files are large (a five minute recording can be two to three hundred megabytes in size) and that you will need to allow for this and get a hard drive with plenty of storage. Another good idea is to have TWO drives (one for your operating system and where your recording program will be and the other for your actual songs and recordings
The idea behind doing this is that your computer will be more efficient in accessing files and reading them (and your hard drives won't have to rev out in order to keep up with your computer
Note: It is also worth getting an external drive so you can back up your work
You also have 2 main types of computer "platforms" or operating systems to choose from.
Windows or Macintosh(Apple)
I personally have used both for recording although my Old G4 Mac has proven itself to be far more reliable than any Windows machine I have used (yes I do own a Windows machine) but I'll blatantly blurt out get a Mac.
Most music / video/ graphic design people prefer Macs and I tend to agree based on several years of experience.
The hardware and software.
Next to your computer there are other items you'll need.
There are several producers of audio recording software (also called sequencers or sound editors), each with it's advantages and features.
Yes there is freeware out there some of which is great for beginners who want to record just a couple of tracks (one such product is Audacity) without much in the way of effects and limited editing capabilities.
If you are planning on purchasing a Mac you might want to consider the iLife software package which includes a program called Garage Band.
I have heard good things about this program and that you can get some excellent results with a few tweaks.
Apple also produces Logic and Logic express (the latter being a scaled down version for beginners) which are higher end programs.
Perhaps the two best known programs available on the market today are Cubase and Pro tools which both have a reputation as being professional recording products.
I personally use Cubase and have found it to be an excellent program.
Some companies bundle hardware and software together (such as Protools) so before you plonk down your hard earned cash It's worth doing some research.
The hardware
When recording an analog signal (what our ears hear) from an instrument you need a way of converting this signal into a form that your computer can work with (a Digital signal).
The item that does this is called a Digital to Analog converter.
Most commonly this is the sound card in your computer which takes your microphone or other input signal you have plugged in and converts it to a digital form.
For simple fun recording this is usually adequate and your sound card will do the job, however for a decent "broadcast" quality recording that you are going to eventually burn to CD and sell you will need a better unit that can convert your signal more accurately and won't introduce lots of unwanted noises and distortion.
This can be either a "High end"soundcard that you plug into the motherboard of your computer (these usually use your computer's processor power to run and only have one stereo (left and right) input and maybe a microphone input.
Or you can choose an outboard D-A converter such as this MOTU828 which has it's own box and power supply and is connected to your computer via a usb or firewire cable.
High end soundcards are usually cheaper and are great for beginners on a tight budget while seperate "D-A" converters, having their own case etc can have several inputs/outputs with controls on the front panel and usually are less processor hungry.
I personally began my recording using a high end soundcard and then upgraded to an outboard unit.
My current system's "heart" is a Macintosh G4 and a MOTU 828 D-A converter which is very stable, reliable and produces exceptional quality sound.
In both cases above the companies usually have bundled with their product some recording software so check out what is on offer.
An alternative to computer based recording.
There is another option to going the computer based route -multitrack recorders.
These are usually portable units with their own recording hardware and software built in to do a lot of the editing and adjustments you need to do to get a nice sound. They range in features, quality and price from a few hundred dollars to thousands.
With most units it is simply a case of plugging in your instruments and hitting the record button - some of the more expensive units contain a CD burner so you can create your final masterpiece on the spot.
Many of the better units can produce excellent results although you may not always have all the editing capabilities you would have on a computer.
For people who want to do simpler recording a multitrack recorder can be a better option than a computer based system.
The step up from this is a "stand alone" studio workstation which is also growing in popularity. Basically these consist of all the hardware and software you need encased in a single unit - they often include a computer screen, hard drive, editing software and even a burner to put your masterpiece to CD
Microphones.
Unless you are feeding into your computer direcly fron a jack in your guitar or keyboard and not using any vocals or drum it it is more than likely you will need microphones for your studio.
Microphones come in various types and pricetags and are suited to different purposes.
There are mics designed specifically for vocals and others for instruments.
There are also studio mics specifically designed for drums and clip on the actual kit eliminating a lot of unnecessary clutter with stands.
I personally use a number of different types of microphones.
Shure SM58 (a dynamic mic) which is primarily a stage vocal mic - but also works well with many instruments and is less sensitive to outside noise- it's cousin the sm57 is very popular as an instrument mic.
A Behringer B1 studio condensor mic for vocals and harmonica (this is more sensitive).
Two AKG C100 condenser mics (these I use to pick up ambient or environmental noise) I position these in front and above a choir for example to capture a broad area of the group) and also in the outdoors for recording nature sounds.
Depending on what you are recording it is worth having a selection of a few mics for each type of instrument you are likely to be using.
There are also studio mics specifically designed for drums and clip on the actual kit eliminating a lot of unnecessary clutter with stands.
You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on equipment in this area (on the other hand a 20 buck microphone bought from your electronics store just won't cut it).
Also don't skimp on microphone or instrument cables and get ones that use braided shielding with sturdy connectors that suit the microphones and instruments you are using.
Monitor Speakers.
Hearing what you have recorded.
Regardless of how good your material is it's pointless trying to mix and adjust anything without a decent monitoring setup.
Basically "monitors" are high quality speakers constructed specifically for the recording studio.
The difference between these and your average Hi Fi system boxes is that they are designed for the relatively "flat" output of sound across the spectrum that the human ear can pick up with an output that does not increase or reduce some frequencies more than others.
(Hi fi speakers on the other hand are designed to make music sound "better" by boosting or reducing certain frequencies).
Monitors provide an accurate way of listening to your recording and any adjustments that you make along the way.
I personally use a set of KRK monitors which give me a good audio "picture" of what I have recorded and mixed.
Other brands of good repute include Tannoy,Yamaha JBL, and Event.
Headphones! Yup, you'll need em.
A good set of headphones are probably even more important than a set of monitor speakers (in fact if you are wanting to record on top of your first track without picking up any background noise from your speakers they are vital).
(and they will be invaluable if you want to record or practice without annoying your neighbors).
Choose a good quality sealed pair that don't let too much sound leak out from the sides as your mic will pick this up).Note: At a pinch in a really tight budget you can get by temporarily with earphones just so you could hear something - although these are not ideal for mixing (you would not use them for this purpose).
Mixers - Do I need one?
This is a question I asked myself a few years ago when setting up my studio (I was beginning to get the occasional person calling me wanting to do their own album).
Perhaps the best way to answer this is to ask yourself what kind of work are you intending to do.
To newbies out there I need to explain what a mixer is and does-
Basically a mixer is a unit full of knobs and sliding controls that allows you to adjust the sound input of several instruments, singers etc at once (think of it as having a separate volume control for each person plus other sound tweaks)
Mixers allow you to also route individual instruments to various effects and adjustments before they are recorded
If you are recording a band playing live or jamming all at once then you may need a mixer (with as many channels as their are instruments, vocals etc).
Typically if you are recording a drum kit you'll need to mic up kick, snare, hi hat and toms.
Most bands will also have bass, guitar, maybe keyboard and perhaps a lead guitar and vocals so you will possibly need at least a 12 to 16 channel mixing desk.
You can then adjust these inputs to the right levels so nothing drowns out another instrument or vocal add effects etc and then feed this into your computer as a single stereo input.
If you are doing studio recording (ie not live) you may or may not need a mixer depending on what and how you are recording.
For example, I'm a solo artist so I generally don't use a mixer since my inputs are adjusted by my analog to digital converter.
I also have 8 inputs and can mic up everything from there and my mixer with all it's effects is handled inside my computer by the software.
(the mixer is displayed on my screen and I can make adjustments from there via the mouse and keyboard).
I also record my material one track at a time (this is how the pros do it) and make adjustments and editing later once everything is recorded.
All professional recording studios however,use a mixer of some sort of at least 16 channels or more since they may record several tracks at once just for the drums.
Again it's worth thinking about what you are recording.
Remember also that mixers vary in quality and price and the cheaper ones can sometimes introduce unwanted noise so do your homework.
Getting a good mix without a blender.
Here are a few tips in getting a good mix for your recording.
I like to look at mixing like blending colors or creating a cake.
First you need quality ingredients - your recorded sounds which should be the best you can create.
Secondly you enhance and refine to bring out the "flavors" of each instrument with equalization and effects.
Thirdly you add them together in different amounts to get the desired effect (you want to be able to hear everything in the recording).
Fourthly you create your final mixdown into one track (usually stereo or sometimes surround) ready for burning to CD.
To get your quality ingredients:
Record in a quiet environment - particularly if you are using condenser mics - they are highly sensitive and will pick up traffic sounds, barking dogs and even the fan noise from your equipment.
You can lessen this by adding heavy curtains or drapes to your windows and placing a barrier between your microphones and your equipment to cut down on noise.
Also keep an ear open for mains hum which you can avoid by keeping audio leads away from transformers.
Make "room" for your instruments by keeping bass, guitar and drums at a lower level so you can hear vocals and softer instruments.
Having said that, record each track at as high an input as possible without going into the "red" and introducing distortion.
It's better to bump the levels down than to try and boost them up because they were recorded too soft.
Use effects sparingly and sprinkle not drown or you'll turn everything into a mushy noise.
Adding a little reverb to vocals can make your singers stand out but too much will kill it.
Video tutorials-
Music Producer Pro is an excellent online video tutorial program (the only one I know of) that teaches you how to produce music from your studio.
Lots of practical advice and demonstrations to get you up and running and producing your own material.
It is effectively an online Music Production Workshop where you can download hundreds of videos and tutorials all on recording and sequencing equipment and the most cutting edged, professional techniques on producing music and beats, as well as performing with musical instruments.
Recording music.