Building a Home Recording Studio

Building a home recording studio is simple and can be inexpensive if you don't mind a basic set-up. Of course, if money is not an option, you could always upgrade. All you need is plenty of room and the right equipment. The first step is deciding on a means for recording. If you have a good computer, that should work just fine. If not, you'll need a multitrack recorder. Now I'll outline both methods:

Multitrack Method:
For those who are a little frugal, the Korg D4 4-Track Digital Recording Studio would probably be your best bet. There are cheaper ones out there, but you'll be better off with a digital recorder instead of even bothering with analog. For those of you with a bigger budget, the TASCAM 2488 24-Track Digital Recording Workstation is the best buy, though it's anything but user-friendly. Just don't make the mistake of buying it without a manual and save yourself hours of frustration, and be sure to always keep a constant supply of CD-Rs. I find myself burning everything onto disc, and there's nothing worse than losing the song in your head because you couldn't record it.

Computer Method:
As for the computer users, CakeWalk should act as a multitrack recorder. Plug your guitar into a nice powered mixer (Peaveys are good) and do your thing. This method is slightly easier if you have a decent computer. A hard drive of 15GB and and 128 RAM will suffice.

Now is when you'll need the big bucks. You'll need to stock up on instruments depending on your musical taste. Guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, keyboard, whatever you find necessary. For the best sound, I would recommend some sort of sound insulator, like StudioFoam for example. That stuff can get a little pricy, so it is up to you whether or not you want to purchase it. You will also need plenty of mics, maybe even as many as twenty. You'll need about four for the drum set itself, not to mention all other instruments. Micing each instrument is my preference, because it gives you a more live sound as oppose to plugging straight into the recorder. For instruments (or at least guitar and bass) I would recommend a Shure SM57 instrument mic. Vocal mics are a cheap alternative, but side-to-side they are obviously inferior for instrumental use.

Those are all the ingrediants for a studio all your own. Whether you're recording by yourself or jamming with some friends, you'll find yourself spending hours on end in that room.