Creating Your First Home Studio Setup for Songwriting and Demo Making
Sara Landeau
One facet of being a songwriter is learning to record your music. You'll need interfaces, software, amps, pedals, virtual or real instruments, and, if possible, acoustic treatment for your studio. You'll need an ample amount of patient troubleshooting time set aside (audio software is finicky) and an appreciation for problem-solving (undesirable sound issues eventually surface). Everything needs to work seemingly effortlessly before you can begin to record. And we're supposed to do this all the while remaining musical and creative? How can this be done! Don't let anyone fool you into thinking it's magic. It takes a little research but depending on your goals, there are quick ways to get started and a world of creative experimentation and advancement to look forward to, should you wish to go further.
Four essential steps to setting up your home studio:
Start with what you have
Choose the best spot
Arrange your workstation
Know your goals
1. START WITH WHAT YOU HAVE
I LOVE NEW GEAR. And like all freelancers, I go through spurts of saving money to having very little. The audio gear I purchase depends on the year(s) I'm having. So, inevitably, there are times where I'll have to record with beat-up old cables or deal with an interface that has more buzzy inputs than I'd like. Things break, or maybe I discover my new recording software isn't compatible with last year's hardware. This is all normal and part of the process of building your home recording studio.
If you currently own a working DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), you are halfway there. If not, you probably notice an overwhelming number of home recording studio equipment available on the market. For a newbie, I recommend purchasing audio recording software and equipment that is compatible with several types of accessories and plugins so you can upgrade in the future. In other words, the gear you purchase as foundation items matter.
COMPUTER. Whether it's a Mac or PC, a powerful computer is paramount to operating a workable home studio. Look for connectivity options or adding a dock to expand on what your computer offers. Always remember to record directly to an external hard drive. The computer's hard drive should be limited to operating your OS and DAW. An external hard drive for recording and playback will make your system and session run more smoothly. Don't forget to back up everything to another external hard drive or cloud-based system to make sure you don't lose all that vital work.
DAW/RECORDING SOFTWARE. If you own a Mac, you inherited the music recording software Garageband (free). Logic Pro is inexpensive and, in my opinion, quite userfriendly. Pro Tools is the industry standard and arguably a must-know for professional engineers and producers. If you collaborate with other musicians or songwriters, see what software they're using to make sharing files much more manageable. Depending on your goals and budget, there are options available for every songwriter.
INTERFACE. My home studio, which I use for demos and songwriting, is equipped with a portable Focusrite Scarlett interface and a Universal Audio Apollo Twin interface. The Apollo came loaded with incredible accurate emulations of analog audio equipment and effects. Admittedly, there was a learning curve to this set-up. During the pandemic, I exited a lease to a large studio I worked from for over a decade - a high-ceiling room spacious enough for several people to simultaneously record live instruments. But as I began to record, do remote session work, and teach music from home, I began to love my new personal set up.
What works for me is unique. There is no one correct way to set up your home studio. Downsizing in space but upgrading in quality software and hardware was my path. Think about what you ideally would love to do with your work station. What software you purchase or subscribe to - Ableton, Studio One, Reaper - may be specific to the methods you use to create music. Be sure to research what the artists and musicians you love are using to produce their sounds.
How many inputs you need should inevitably affect the interface you choose to buy. The one-input Apogee Jam Interface ($130) served me well as a light and easy travel guitar recording device I brought on tour to capture downtime songwriting ideas from hotel rooms and backstage. For small and midsized studios, the PreSonus Studio 68c Portable HD Audio/Midi Interface is excellent for lower budgets ($320), or try the Focusrite Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic Mic Preamp ($600). Other recommended products: the portable, high-quality Apogee Quartet ($1595) and, for larger ensemble recording, the Focusrite RedNet ($2099).
OTHER ESSENTIALS. Almost all of us own a pair of headphones at this point. As much as I believe you should start with what you have, upgrading your earbuds to a soft squishy pair of high-definition monitor headphones are guaranteed to make your job recording better - mentally and physically. If you're recording acoustic instruments, including voice, a good moving-coil dynamic microphone and a large-diaphragm condenser microphone should cover most bases. A good stand and pop filter will make recording vocals at home more comfortable. Other perennial home recording must haves are quality cables, a decent pair of studio monitors, and an uninterruptible power supply.
2. CHOOSE THE BEST SPOT IN YOUR HOME
COMFORT or CONVENIENCE. For some of us, this choice is already made. Smaller spaces and apartments may offer limited alternatives, especially in city living situations. But there are some things you can look out for. Are you near a window? Even a closed window can leak sound. Also, check the proximity to stairwells, loud pipes, neighbors, and hums made by larger electronic appliances such as refrigerators and washer/ dryers. Are you sending all of your instruments directly into your DAW? Then this may not be a problem for you at all. If you are recording vocals, percussion, live sounds, or mic-ing a guitar or bass amp, you will need to keep the room's acoustics in mind.
If you plan to record loud amps, you won't want to deal with complaints from neighbors or other occupants in your home. In this case, DIY sound treatment for your home studio is a top priority. You may want to install acoustic installation and padding to the walls to absorb sound and fill in any holes or cracks in the walls to prevent sound from leaking. To further tweak your room sound, investigate thoughtfully placed acoustic panels and bass traps. True sound isolation is tough to achieve. There are numerous articles out there for both isolation and treating the acoustics of the room. Utilizing your guitar and bass pedals is a great way to get a tone you're after without having to crank an amp. For example, the Acapulco Gold Power Amp Distortion Pedal would be perfect for this.
3. ARRANGE YOUR WORKSPACE
ORGANIZATION. Yep, I've deliberately put that in caps to remind myself of the importance of staying organized both in your studio environment and within your sessions. Like many musicians, I've inherited a few things through the years that I want to keep: extra microphones, percussion instruments, and random accessories. Sturdy, labeled plastic bins hold drum pieces and important looking widgets. Everything is marked with colored tape and is hopefully in its right place when we look for it. Nothing kills creative motivation more than stopping a session to pillage for something endlessly. Don't forget the pegboard for the walls if you have space - add some hooks, and you'll have easy access to XLR, 1/4", and computer cables.
OH…VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS. How do we get the exact instrumental sound we're looking for? I believe that recording is a creative process, and there's always more than one way to get to the result. And ideally, a few virtual instruments will be helpful if you are creating music by yourself during this time. There's no arguing the merits of having a virtual array of drum samples and orchestral libraries to add to your guitar parts when creating a song or demo. And if your meticulously quantized drum loop feels cold, you can pump life into it by recording or overdubbing a few real cymbal crashes, handclaps, or percussion instruments. Try re-amping virtual instruments through your guitar pedals to create a tone that is all your own. (I like re-amping through the Aqueduct Pedal). It's not always necessary to record in a large studio to add dynamic flourishes or bold statements. Experiment with reverb and delay pedals to create atmosphere.
4. KNOW YOUR GOALS
Arguably, this should be #1 on the list. A guitarist working with other musicians will need to know how to get the best sounds from her amp, guitar, pedals, and software plugins (which can also be used as reverb, compression, or effects). A composer who wants to professionally produce music (either for themselves or other people) will want to study the software thoroughly and all aspects of the arrangement, recording, mixing, and mastering within the particular DAW. Knowing your goals will affect what gear you need and which skills need the most attention.
The exciting part of the recording process is the constant morphing of technology; the endless opportunities to try something new. The merging of analog gear to new digital technology opens the door to experimentation, unexpected results, and developing your unique songs. The definition of what is a quality musical production is ever-changing and subjective, so aim for what moves you. Whatever your goals, you want people to remember your song.
Sara Landeau is the lead guitarist in @thejulieruin, a guitar instructor, and professor of music history and sonic arts who writes experimental pieces and builds electronic instruments.
