The 5 Biggest Drawbacks to Having a Home Recording Studio

If you're a musician, you've probably thought about setting up a home recording studio at some point in your life. There's nothing wrong with that--I've got one, and it's awesome. I help all of my friends with their recordings and pay very little for my own CDs.

However, there are some serious drawbacks to having a home recording studio that every musician should consider. Here's a look at a few of the biggest disadvantages to a home studio.

Cost. If you're spending $400 on a little multitrack recorder, more power to you, but that's not a home recording studio. Real studios take thousands of dollars' worth of investment. You'll need a recording interface that can handle multiple tracks, maybe eight or more if you'll be recording bands, and you'll need recording software, which can cost hundreds of dollars.

You'll also need microphones. A good vocal mic will set you back $400 or more. Drum mic kits can cost a thousand dollars. High quality XLR cables for each mic can be $50 or more. See how it starts to add up?

That's not even considering the computer that you're using for the recordings. Now, the good news is that you don't have to do everything at once--you can take a few years to get everything you need for your studio and learn about recording along the way, but eventually you'll be investing serious cash.

Room. You'll need at least one dedicated room in your house or apartment to use as your recording studio. You might also need to clear out a closet or two to set up some isolation booths. Sure, you can move your mics into your closet when company comes over, but you're going to be using a lot of space in total. Be prepared for that and make sure that any significant others or roommates are also aware of your plans.

Bias . When you have a home recording studio, you'll quickly learn a lot about the recording process, but you'll also be biased towards your own mixes. You'll be spending hours and hours recording, so it'll be hard to admit when you've put together a sucky-sounding song.

One advantage of spending time in a pro studio is the unbiased ear of the recording engineer and other professionals who are employed by the studio. They've trained for this stuff. It'll take you years to get an unbiased ear like they've got.

Soundproofing. The biggest problem of a home studio for me is soundproofing. I have an air conditioner, for instance, that screws up lots of takes when it turns on. My dogs run around on my wood floors and make noise that shows up in vocal tracks. My girlfriend slams doors, and I can't really get mad at her or anyone else who interrupts a recording. After all, it's called a home recording studio for a reason, and it's a home first. If you're serious about recording at your home on a regular basis, think about every little sound that you can hear in the potential studio room and be prepared to invest in some serious sound proofing.

Know of any other major disadvantages of having a home recording studio? Post below.