Recording music at home (and getting good results).

Ok, so what gear do you actually need to launch your recording career?
Obviously 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.
You also have 2 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 too) so I'll blatantly blurt out get a Mac.
Update: Recently I was able to get hold of an ex lease G5 Mac that had very little use and this has become my new "recording studio" while my old G4 enjoys a reduced workload.

As a side note:
Most music / video/ graphic design people prefer Macs and I tend to agree based on several years of experience.
That does not mean you can't achieve great results on a windows machine though - you just have to make some allowances. (For those who would like to find out more I outline some hints and tips on my website www.createandrecordmusic.com).

There are several producers of audio recording software, 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, so before you plonk down your hard earned cash It's worth doing some research.

Obviously when recording an analog signal from an instrument you need a way of converting this into a form that your computer can work with (a Digital signal).
The item that does this is called a Digital-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 basic fun recording this is usually adequate and your sound card will do the job, however for a decent 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.
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).
Or you can choose an outboard model which has it's own 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 system "heart is a Machintosh G5 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.

MIDI is a protocol (or way of sharing data between devices) that enables electronic musical instruments, computers, and other equipment to communicate, control, and synchronize with each other.
What MIDI does is to allow computers, synthesizers, MIDI controllers, sound cards, samplers and drum machines to control one another, and to exchange system data.
MIDI itself is not music (audio) but digital data or messages that "tell" a device what notes to play, how long etc and then the device converts this information into audio that you can hear (and record on to a CD for example).

Most good recording software incorporates a MIDI editor in their program that allows you to record, manipulate and play back MIDI data.
Most decent keyboards are designed to work with MIDI and will plug into your computer via a MIDI interface and cables.

Microphones come in various types (and price tags) and are suited to different purposes.
There are mics designed specifically for vocals and others for instruments.

Some are highly sensitive and work brilliantly in quiet environments for recording softer sound sources in the studio for example.
Others are perfect for live stage work and are highly directional (they pick up sound from the top of the microphone and are less likely to pick up unwanted noises from the side and back) and can be "aimed" to pick up what you are recording.

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.

A 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.
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.
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).

Brands such as Shure, AKG, Senheiser are good choices as well as some of the behringer models. (plan to spend a couple of hundred dollars on a decent microphone).

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 picture of what I have recorded and mixed.
Other brands of good repute include Tannoy,Yamaha JBL, and Event.

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 you can get by with earphones - although these are not ideal for mixing and can be uncomfortable.

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.

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.

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.

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.



Visit the Music Producer Pro website.

Riffmaster Pro is a program that helps you to master those difficult riffs and solos.
It does this by slowing down the music without affecting pitch.
You can easily import tracks you want to learn, tweak them to how you want and loop selections so you can then play along. Learn the whole riff or just a part and put it all together at your own pace.
Visit the Riffmaster Pro website

I personally love this piano lesson series because it helps you to get playing good music very quickly.
Everything is done logically and it's fun too with over 200 videos and 500 audio tracks to point you in the right direction. Best value for money piano and keyboard lessons out there. Visit the Pianoforall website

In conclusion you really don't need to spend several thousand dollars on a demo in a professional studio when you can actually produce good results (and own your studio) at home.
I have personally recorded and sold enough albums to pay for all my equipment and then some by starting out small and building on that.
Get the gear and set aside some time to learn to operate what you have and you will be well on your way in building your independent music career.

PS - I have now launched a new website www.createandrecordmusic.com (see the links section) dedicated to the whole area of getting started in creating, recording and promoting your own music.
Drop by and enjoy.

Mark.

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I first discovered this book about 3 years ago and immediately downloaded it - I was not disappointed.
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