Home Recording Guide
Below we have added some great options if you are looking to get started on home recording!
The BEST home setups for recording
Recording at home is super easy. In fact, it's no harder than learning Excel, Word or any other office program. You will, however, require a little bit of external gear: an audio interface (aka sound card), a microphone, a cable and some headphones.
You will also need some software to record the audio. For this, we highly recommend the open source program Reaper. You can trial this until you are comfortable and then purchase a licence for only $60!
1. AUDIO INTERFACE
First, you need to pick an audio interface suitable for your needs and/or your experience. Below are 3 great choices, ranging from entry level to professional home recording. If you are on a budget or just getting started, you should consider the cheapest options below
Entry Level
M-Audio M-Track (UNDER $100)
Perfect if you are just starting out or want to experiment by recording yourself singing and/or playing an instrument
- Portable and super easy to use! Plug-and-play and you are ready to record in no time!
- USB-powered, so you can take it with you and record "on the road"
Intermediate
PreSonus Studio 24c 2x2 (UNDER $300)
A slightly more versatile interface that also allows you to connect a midi-keyboard and record two tracks (or a stereo input) at once.
- Midi input so you can connect keyboard and external midi devices
- 2 high headroom instrument/line inputs to record guitar, bass, and your favorite line level devices
Professional
PreSonus Studio 1824c 18x20 (UNDER $900)
High-end interface that allows you to record 8 inputs simultaneously and have the option to expand to more!
Comes with a lot of extra software too.
- 8 pristine XMAX Class A mic preamps and over $1,000 of computer recording software plug-ins
- Flexible routing, zero-latency monitor mixing, and control-room integration with included Studio One
2. MICROPHONE
Needless to say, you will need a microphone if you are planning on recording your voice. Same as above, there are a lot of options out there, but to make it nice and simple, we have put it down to 3 options again.
Entry Level
Neewer NW-800 (UNDER $50)
Neewer offers amazing value and we highly encourage you to check out some of their other products as well.
- There are other versions and sets available, but this is a fantastic starting point for anyone wanting to get started with home recording.
Intermediate
Rode NT-1 (UNDER $300)
Probably the most popular microphone for home recording - ever! And a pro cable is included!
- If you can afford it, this microphone can last many years and offers phenomenal audio quality at a very affordable price!
Professional
Shure SM7B (UNDER $1,000)
Extremely versatile high end microphone that are used for both vocals, broadcast and instrument recording.
- Shure is one of the leading microphone manufacturers in the world. This mic is used by Joe Rogan as well as many leading music producers and YouTubers.
3. ACCESSORIES
The rest of the gear required is pretty simple and you might have some yourself. You will need a microphone cable (aka XLR cable), some headphones so you can hear what you are singing/playing along to, and a microphone stand. You could also consider a foam
Microphone Cable
XLR cable (UNDER $20)
Pretty much any cable will do. Just make sure you have something long enough to reach from your audio interface to your microphone.
Headphones Entry
Neewer NW-2000 (UNDER $50)
Any set of headphones will work. Just like the XLR cable, you must make sure the cable is long enough to reach or get an extender cable.
Headphones Pro
AKG Pro Audio K240 (UNDER $150)
AKG is world famous and known for great quality in both headphones and microphones. These headphones are incredible value!
Microphone Stand
Neewer Stand (UNDER $50)
Pretty self-explanatory and a must have when putting your home recording setup together.
Microphone Shield
Neewer Mic Shield (UNDER $80)
Greatly help reduce the acoustics when you are singing which helps the recording quality greatly.
Musical Stand
Music Stand (UNDER $50)
A must have when you're recording! You can place lyrics or an iPad/laptop for reference.
So what is next?
Based on the above, you can see it is very inexpensive to get started with your home recording. By using Reaper you can most likely use your old laptop too, so no need to buy anything else.
So... just to recap. You can get started for only $200-250!
- AUDIO INTERFACE: M-Audio M-track
- MICROPHONE: Neewer NW-800
- HEADPHONE: Neewer NW-2000
- Microphone Stand
- Microphone Cable
- Optional: Musical Stand & Microphone Shield
There are many videos available on how to use Reaper and it is incredibly versatile and easy to use.
Good luck with your recordings!
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