Getting Started with Home Recording - 03/15/10
By: Eric Hill
Part 1: Budget
If you are a singer/songwriter or young musician just getting started, figuring out what recording gear to purchase can be overwhelming. You’ll find yourself asking many questions. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of unbiased information out there. When I first started out, many musicians that I asked told me what they liked, which is fine and dandy for them, but it wasn’t always a good idea for me. With that scenario in mind, think very carefully before purchasing any gear for your home studio. This has to be well thought out, otherwise you will be spending money for many years to come. Believe me, I have been there…. more than once.
When considering recording at home, ask yourself this very important question. ‘How much money do I have to spend?’ This sounds easy, but you have to understand that you have to, momentarily, put your dreams on hold and look at your reality. Many of us, particularly in this current economy, do not have disposable income. So you have to be smart about it. I’ve bought a ton of gear in my life. One of my instruments has so much dust on it, I can’t tell what color it is. I’m pretty sure it’s a guitar though. Clearly, I didn’t need to buy that right? Since then, I have learned to spend my money wisely when it comes to my gear. The same mindset should be used when you buy home recording gear.
The type of music that you do has a lot to do with the gear you need. If you’re a singer/songwriter and you want to record your songs with just your voice and a guitar, your choices are actually pretty simple. By contrast, if you’re an electronic musician, it gets a little more complicated, if you’re a multi-instrumentalist even more so.
I will touch on the differences in equipment needs in future articles, but for now a few more things to consider. Most people have a personal computer at home, this makes home recording possible for those that have one. But if you don’t have one, all is not lost. There are many different brands and types of stand-alone recorders that are available that do not require a computer at all. This is also a viable option for those who may have an older computer that isn’t capable of running some of the current recording software that’s out there. Yes, the possibility that you may need to upgrade (or buy) a computer should be included in your budget.
Once you figure out how much money you have to spend, then you can start doing the fun stuff, mainly spending it all on cool gear. There’s nothing like a new piece of gear to make the sun come out on the rainiest of days I must say. I will go into particulars when buying gear for your home studio. The key is to start off slowly and work your way towards getting what you need. Hopefully, I can help you with that.
In closing, I think it is important to mention that, the idea behind this vast universe of possibilities in home recording, is to allow you to create at home. You should make your home studio function so that you’re spending more time making wonderful music and less time reading the manuals. The next installment will be, ‘Hardware vs. Software’, or if you prefer, ‘Old School vs. New School’.
Eric Hill BIOGRAPHY
Eric Hill is a musician that has been part of the musical community in Chicago for over 25 years. He plays drums, guitar, bass guitar and keyboards. He’s been in several bands here in Chicago, primarily as a drummer.
He is well versed in many styles of music including Rock, Punk, Metal, Funk and Jazz. He records under the name LIFEAFTERSIX, which has released 9 CDs since 2001. His music has been played on the radio locally and streamed on the internet. Eric Majored in Theater/Music at Columbia College and has Received an Excellence in Journalism from The University of Illinois.
Most recently, Eric has focused more on helping younger artists realize their potential in music. “There is nothing like watching a young musician start to figure out what they can do. After a class or two, you can sense their excitement and it’s very cool to be around and ultimately very rewarding for me as well.”
Eric works from his modest home studio and also records bands live for CDs and DVDs. “This is a very exciting time. With all that is possible with the new technology, you’re only limited by your imagination. How cool is that?”
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