Producing a song can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it can also be daunting for beginners. This guide will walk you through the basics from start to finish. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right software to recording your vocals and instruments. So whether you’re brand new to music production or just looking to improve your skills, this guide is for you!
The Equipment You Need For Your Home Studio
To build and develop your music production, you will need corresponding gear to match your desired goals. Also, some of these elements are dependent on the genre of music you are trying to create. Here is the equipment you need for your home studio.
- A desktop computer is an essential piece of equipment you need. However, it is better to opt for a Mac if you can afford it.
- A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) will allow you to arrange and record your music.
- An audio interface is the device that sends signals from your instruments to the computer.
- A midi controller is optional, but it can be beneficial in creating music.
- Studio Monitors are vital to allowing a flat frequency response when mixing your songs.
- A mixer is optional, but it will mix your songs properly and add effects to them.
- Home recording microphone(s) – You can use a single mic for mono recording when recording instruments. When you are doing stereo recordings, you will need two mics.
- Headphones are essential, and it is better to get high-fidelity headphones.
- Instruments like guitar, bass, keyboard, or drums.
- A mic stand
- Cables – these are necessary to connect all of the equipment. A guitar cable is necessary if you are using an electric guitar.
- Virtual Instruments (VSTs) are suitable for adding tracks and sounds.
Steps For Producing Music At Home
When you want to produce a song at home, you need to find a relatively quiet place to record. Avoid distractions, turn off your phone and find a comfortable place to sit or stand.
Make sure that your instrument is in tune and that your microphone is connected. You can also drink a lot of water to ensure that you are hydrated. Now that we have the basics down, let’s get into the individual steps needed to make your own beat or song.
- Start by laying down a drum track. Then, you can use your voice or purchase samples from the internet. Don’t forget to mute this track when you are not using it, or else it will record on top of the other tracks.
- Next, lay down the bass line of your song on top of the drum track. Drum tracks help keep the rhythm steady. If you don’t want to use a synthesizer, you can also record bass sounds with an instrument such as a guitar or even your voice.
- Next, you should add the melody of your song. Adding another synthesizer is usually advised if you’re creating a rap song. If you’re creating an R&B track, try using live instruments such as drums or guitar to produce a more natural sound for it.
- Finally, you can add the vocals of your song on top of your beat.
Top 4 Digital Audio Workstations for Your Home Studio
Choosing a DAW is dependent on your budget and goals as a musician. To do your job of choosing the best DAW for you, we listed down some of the more popular ones and described what they could offer. We also included a few tips to get you started with music production.
- Logic Pro X – It’s a popular audio workstation, and the users love it. It is very stable and easy to use, and there are plenty of tutorials that can help you get started with this program. The only downside is that it doesn’t come for free and might be a bit pricey for some of you.
- Avid Pro Tools – This is an industry-standard program and isn’t beginner-friendly. However, if you are looking for professional results, this is your best bet.
- FL Studio – This DAW is available for both Windows and Mac. It comes with an extensive library of plugins, samples, and features that make it very versatile. The downside is that it isn’t as beginner-friendly as the previous two programs we mentioned, so you might want to give this one some time before diving in too deep.
- Abelton Live – This DAW is popular amongst producers for its workflow, simplicity, and flexibility. It, too, is available on both Windows and Mac, but it might be harder to find than the previous ones.
Top Audio Interfaces For At Home Music Producers
Just like the DAW, an audio interface is essential when it comes to producing your music. An audio interface links up between your computer via USB cable and musical instruments so that you can record in the DAW in real-time. Interfaces are great for beginners who want to skip the stage of setting up their equipment on their own. Here are four popular options when it comes to choosing one:
- Apollo Twin X – This audio interface is for producers who want studio-quality sound without having to spend too much money. It comes with one XLR input and two TRS/TS line inputs that allow you to mic up your guitar or connect your synthesizer directly to it.
- PreSonus AudioBox USB – If you’re looking for something less expensive but reliable, the PreSonus Audio Box USB might be for you. It has 2 line/mic inputs, MIDI connectivity, a 48V phantom power option, and a s/pdif digital output. In addition, the interface is compatible with Windows and Mac computers via USB port.
- Roland Quad Capture – The Roland Quad Capture comes with four individual mic preamps that allow you to record up to 4 unique signals simultaneously. It also has a MIDI in/out port for your synths, two headphone outputs, and it’s capable.
- Scarlett 2i2 – This interface is an excellent option for budget. It only has 2 inputs and outputs, but it comes with an additional software bundle that can be very useful if you’re just starting recording.
Top Reasons To Use A VST For Your At-Home Music Production
A VST is a valuable tool that helps you produce music. VSTs can range from packs with a pre-recorded drum loop or other virtual instruments and different sounds. By using a VST, you can edit the sound to make it your own or use it as is. Virtual instruments can sound very real and give you a broader range of sounds to work with when crafting your music production at home. There are many different options of VST plugins, giving you a wide variety of choices when choosing the perfect one for the task at hand. Most VSTs out there are reasonably priced and can come with a variety of additional plugins.
There’s no denying that VSTs make your life easier as opposed to having to load up multiple sound samples in an audio workstation. In most cases, you simply drag and drop the plugin.
Top Reasons To Use a Drum Machine To Produce Music At Home
Drum machines live the Akai MPC Live 2 or Roland SP-404 have been instrumental for making a hit record in genres like hip hop, electronic music, and alternative music. Drum machines have a wide range of sounds collected over decades, so you will never run out of the instrument sounds you need. It is straightforward to program drum patterns with a drum machine. Some drum machines also help you chop samples easier.
It’s a Wrap: Final Thoughts On Producing Music At Home
Music production can be a gratifying process whether they’re in the studio or at home on their laptop. But if you don’t have any experience with it, we hope this blog post has helped you understand how to produce your song from scratch by walking through each step of the process. You may not get the perfect song on your first try, but you will be able to produce great songs with practice.
When you finish recording, it is time to mix the song. You can use software to do this or use a mixer. Make sure that the volumes of the different tracks are correctly set. You can also add effects to the song. Once you finish the mix, it is time to export the song. Make sure that you save the song in a format that is playable on different devices. You can also save it in a format that allows for edits.
Need help producing your song? Then contact Bay Eight Recording Studios today! Our team of mixing engineers and music producers can help you determine what kind of sound best suits your needs!
