Best Bedroom Recording Studio Layout
At Mr. Mix and Master, we're all about helping artists achieve their best sound. This article will explain how you can set up a home studio in a few simple steps.
What Do I Need for a Home Recording Studio?
Before we get started, here's a prioritized list of the equipment you'll need:
- A computer
- A digital audio workstation (DAW) software
- Headphones and studio monitors
- An audio interface
- A MIDI keyboard
- A microphone and stand
- Cables (XLR and TS)
- A pop filter
- Soundproofing equipment
Setting Up a Simple Home Recording Studio in 5 Steps
Follow these steps for an easy home recording studio.
1. Choose Your Space
The ideal room has enough space to make the desk the focal point. Keep things symmetrical so you can hear your project the same anywhere in the room, optimizing your workflow. A well-designed bedroom recording studio layout can work in a pinch if space is sparse.
2. Choose a Computer and DAW
Your computer is an essential element of a home studio. Choose a computer with lots of processing power and plenty of RAM so your software runs smoothly. As a side note, we recommend an external hard drive to save your large music files.
A DAW is a program for recording and editing music. These are the must-know DAWs:
- Cockos Reaper: A decent software that essentially has unlimited free trials.
- FL Studio: A program popular with hip-hop and EDM artists.
- Avid Pro Tools: The industry standard used in pro studios. Pro Tools costs $299 per year.
- Apple Logic Pro: A Mac-exclusive exclusive software that competes with pro-grade programs.
3. Choose Your Interface
An audio interface or soundcard plugs into your computer via USB for the best recording and playback quality. Most interfaces have one or more inputs for XLR and quarter-inch cables and at least one headphone output and stereo output for monitors. Many basic audio interfaces are available in packages with a set of headphones, a microphone and a microphone cable.
4. Choose Your Playback Device
Closed-back, wired headphones are the top priority for recording vocals or live instruments because they reduce background noise and signal lag. Studio monitors are great to have because they can play your recordings out loud in excellent quality, leading to the most natural mixes.
Ideally, you'd have headphones and monitors so you can switch back and forth while mixing to avoid common headphone problems that affect your body and work.
5. Complete Your Gear Arsenal
After choosing your space, computer, software and listening devices, it's time to complete your studio with tools for creating and capturing sounds. Here are a few pieces of equipment you may need:
- MIDI keyboard: A keyboard that plugs right into the computer to load samples of any instrument.
- Microphone, stand and pop filter: Essential gear for recording vocals and acoustic guitars. The pop filter reduces harsh p and s sounds.
- XLR and quarter-inch cables: An XLR cable connects the microphone to the interface, while quarter-inch cables connect with guitars, bass guitars and digital pianos.
Mr. Mix and Master Can Perfect Your Sound
Mr. Mix and Master brings ideas to life at our world-class studio in Miami. For more on how you can hit the booth with Mr. Mix and Master, visit our Miami recording studio page today.