Home Studio Recording Equipment List: 6 Essential Pieces of Gear For Beginners
Beginners looking to go into this line of business often get weighed down by the sheer amount of information out there. Here are the top 6 essential pieces of gear for beginners when opening a home recording studio.
Building your own home recording studio from scratch can be both thrilling and scary at the same time. Beginners looking to go into this line of business often get weighed down by the sheer amount of information out there. Information on what they need to do before they successfully set up a home studio.
The truth is that you are probably not going to have everything you need on the first try. In fact, trying to get everything at once can only lead to confusion and frustration. The best strategy is to buy the absolute essentials.
These are home studio recording equipment that will get you started right away. This way, you get your business off the ground without incurring too heavy a capital demand and you also get to give yourself time to grow and learn while you are at it. With this in mind, here are the top 6 essential pieces of gear for beginners when opening a home studio.
1. A Computer
Nowadays, you can't do much without a computer. As a beginner, it is natural to want to use your regular laptop for your recording sessions. Even though this could fly for a little while, you will need to invest in a much faster and better computer as you grow. Recording digital audio requires a great deal of processing power and as such needs a computer that is as fast and that has the capacity for it. You can get a used MacBook Pro for about $550 or a new one for about $1,800.
2. A DAW
This is the primary software you will need to record, mix and edit music on your computer. There are quite a number of options when it comes to choosing a DAW. One of the most popular ones is Pro Tools. That is just one option. There are several other options available to fit all types of budget. Price range: Anything from $79 - well over $1,000 depending on the brand and type you prefer. Ableton Live 9 D is one of the best choices.
3. An Audio Interface
An audio interface is essential in a recording studio. This is what sends your recorded sounds into the computer and out of it for playback. Top tire audio interfaces also help with digital conversion, monitor management, mic preamps, headphone amps, DI boxes. To begin with, you can get an all-in-one audio interface for your home studio. Price ranges from $93 to about $280. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is one of the most recommended audio interfaces.
4. Microphones
You will need a collection of microphones. Each one is designed to achieve a different sound in different situations and from different instruments. 
To begin with, you will need: dynamic mics, USB mics, condenser mics, stereo/matched pair mics, large/small diaphragm mics, ribbon mics, variable polar pattern mics, but the most important ones to begin with are condencer and dynamic mics. You will also need different types of microphone stands. Price range: Anything from $110 - well over $1,000 depending on the brand and type you prefer. Averagely though this should cost you about $190. Shure SM57 LC is one of the best options.
5. Studio Monitors
There are specially designed speakers intended for studio use. Unlike typical speakers that have been designed to suit user consumption, studio monitors are built to produce a flat frequency response. This allows the sound engineers to hear the mix as it truly is even with the flaws within. That is the only way they will know what needs tweaking and so on. Price range: Anything from $76 - well over $1,000 depending on the brand and type you prefer. Averagely though this should cost you about $170. Yamaha HS 7 and M-Audio BX5 D2 are budget priced and amongst the best options available.
6. Acoustic Treatment
You will need to buy, Bass Traps, Acoustic Panels and Diffusors in that order. That is unless you can afford to buy all of them at once. The bass traps come first because they offer absorptions across the entire frequency and are wonderful at absorbing the most problematic frequencies with the studio, bass. the t.akustik CBT-37 (2pcs) is one of the best bass trap - absorbers for optimizing room acoustics.
Next in line are acoustic panels which are essential for getting rid of standing waves. 
EQ Acoustics Classic Wedge Foam Tiles grey, which includes a set of 16 pieces, is one of the best options and is ideal for a recording studio, vocal booth, home cinema, etc. Finally, diffusers, ensure that all frequencies are dispersed evenly across the room rather than gathered up in certain spots. the t.akustik WDS-7 Diffuser Set 8pcs comes in a set of 8 pieces, and is lightweight, non-expensive and comfortable to install.
You will also need, pop filters, headphones, audio cables, reflection filters, Monitor Isolation Pads, UPS (uninterruptible power supply), and digital converters among many others. But this is the essential home Studio and Recording Equipment that beginners should factor into their investment.
About Chris Roditis
Chris Roditis has been an active musician since 1995 in various bands and projects across a variety of genres ranging from acoustic, electronic to nu metal, british rock and trip hop. He has extensive experience as a mixing engineer and producer and has built recording studios for most of the projects he has been involved with. His passion for music steered his entrepreneurial skills into founding MusicNGear in 2012.
Contact Chris Roditis at chrisroditis@musicngear.com
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