Home recording studio

Home recording is a mini studio built in the house or your room. No matter how big and full studio equipment, if the recording studio built inside the house, it can be said that it was a home recording studio.

Once upon a time, recording a song can only be done in a big studio with the tools and equipment is very expensive. and imagine, all done in analog!. sound you want recorded, must go through a lot of analog hardware, until finally recorded on magnetic tape.

But very different today, now a musician can easily record their song material at home, and even their bedrooms. Be thankful, this time musician simplified with the advanced technology and information. The price of recording equipment is very affordable. Similarly, recording software, recording software can currently be found on the internet, some you can get for free, but some are paid. This makes a lot more musicians choose to record his song material without the need to hire a professional studio the which is very expensive.

To make a home recording, we actually do not need very expensive equipment. But "money never lies" more expensive recording equipment that you have, more better audio which will be recorded, but of course it must be supported by sound engineer that are reliable as well.

In addition to tools like guitar and bass instruments, we need some "tools of war" to make an home recording studio. A computer with good specifications is necessary to do the recording audio.

Not only that, we also need a soundcard / audio interface to convert analog signals into digital, to get better results should add a few tools (such as exciter, preamp, DI box, etc) before going into the soundcard and eventually will be recorded in the Digital Audio Workstation software

Software was also take a part in building a home recording studio. DAW or digital audio workstation software also needs to be learned, what the functions of existing features in the software, as well as how setting it. I learned early recording using cool edit software, but then I do not use it to record, i use it just to editing my band song. Then forwarded, i use Steinberg Nuendo 2, then I started to learn how to recording audio with this software. After that my friend lent me the software from Steinberg, Nuendo 3. Then changed using Steinberg Cubase 4. And now I use Steinberg Cubase 5.

For drums, you do not need to buy a drum whose price is extremely expensive. You just need a software drum like EZdrummer, Addictive Drums, FXpansion BFD and BFD2 and similar software.

For bass and guitar you do not need any FX, head amp, amplifier up to the mic to hold up his amplifier. You only need a virtual software for that purpose. As guitarrig 3, guitarrig 4, amplitube 2, amplitube 3, amplitube metal, Ampeg svx and similar software.

If you want to add shyntsizer, piano, violin and others, you can use software such as Fruity Loop sequence / FL studio.

And most important is the sound engineer. Will be in vain if having an expensive and sophisticated equipment with a complete software installed on your computer if you own lazy to learn how to be a professional sound engineer.

There's no way you can record audio without a computer, why? because now a lot of recording studios no longer record with analog hardware (magnetic tape). In return you will need a computer that will be installed a variety of software for audio recording purposes.

With just a computer and software that is installed in it, you can do anything normally done by analog devices, from tuning the guitar and bass, making arrangement with various virtual instruments, recording, mixing, and mastering

How about the specifications of the computer used to record audio?
Actually, it depends on what software, and how many plugins you use, but the better the specification, the more software you can also try and you can use in terms of making music in home recording studio

Perhaps the lowest specification is as follows
-Processor: intel dual core 2,66ghz
-RAM: DDR2 2gb
-Hard disk: 250GB 7200rpm

Specifications above are the specifications that I use today, the higher the specification, it will be better

Audio interface or commonly called the soundcard is a tool used to convert analog signals into digital signals. Without this tool you will not be able to record audio, because with this tool signals from musical instruments will be recorded until later can be processed in the multi-track software.

There are some connections that you can choose to Audio interfaces
-PCI connection
-USB connection
-Fireware connection

Each connection has the advantage, for example if you use a PCI connection, you will not be confused with the cable problem that is not good for viewing. Whereas if you use a USB or Fireware conection, you can record anywhere you want. With greater mobility, you only need a laptop and of course Audio Interface with USB or Fireware conection to be able to record whenever and wherever you like

Without the monitor speakers, of course you can not hear the results of previously recorded audio. monitor speakers for audio recording, it is very different from the multi-media speakers. Multi-media speakers usually fool your ear, usually going to boost the hi or low frequency.

Choose the monitor speakers that have a flat frequency. with flat monitor speakers, of course, you can hear clearly what was your previous record

Preamp is a tool used to increase the gain of the audio signal you want to record. Currently, many audio interfaces that have been build in preamp. But of course the professional sound engineer prefers a separate preamp audio because the changing colors.

In addition, the preamp is also needed for condenser microphones, condenser microphones require power phantom which usually is in the preamp

Do not assume a trivial matter of cables. Cheap cable will make your recordings sound defeated by noise, feedback and others. Buy a good cable if you want your recordings sound like a professional recording.

Microphone is a tool used to capture the sound or signal.
Vocal is an important element in a song. Listeners will feel disappointed if arrangement in a song that was good, the sound of the instrument was also good, but the vocal sound is not good. And maybe the audience will not come back to hear your song for the second time because it already disappointed with the audio sound quality vocals on your songs.

Microphone that exist today there are several kinds, namely Dynamic, Condenser, etc.

To select and buy a mic, adjust to the needs, character and budget you have. If you want to buy please do not hesitate to ask at a music store that you visit, about the characteristics of the mic, it takes phantom power or not, and others.