3 Ways to Make a Cheap Recording Studio

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3 Ways to Make a Cheap Recording Studio
3 Ways to Make a Cheap Recording Studio

Video: 3 Ways to Make a Cheap Recording Studio

Video: 3 Ways to Make a Cheap Recording Studio
Video: How To Build A Home Studio For Under $200 | Budget Recording Studio Setup 2021 2024, March
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Whether you're a developing musician or producer, being able to own and run your own recording studio at home and spend little money is invaluable. With advances in today's technology, a studio no longer depends on hardware but on software. One computer can handle the tasks of multiple expensive sound equipment.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Preparing the Space

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 1
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 1

Step 1. Choose a comfortable room with sufficient heating or cooling

Define a space (or part of a room) for your recording studio, choosing the one where you will feel most comfortable for long periods. Also, choose a room where you can control the temperature throughout the year. For example, unless the garage or basement is thermally controlled, it's likely not to prove to be good choices for a recording studio.

  • Keep in mind the type of recording you will make and choose an appropriately sized room.
  • If you're just recording one person, for example, a closet will suffice. If you're about to record an entire band, on the other hand, you'll need to have more space.
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 2
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 2

Step 2. Decorate the room with fabric furniture to improve sound absorption

Add to the space, if possible, any furniture you want or need. You will need at least one table for all equipment. If you can have more furniture in the room, choose fabric-covered options that will absorb sound rather than distort it.

It can also be good to have a sofa or chairs for guests, as well as benches to be used by vocalists and musicians

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 3
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 3

Step 3. Decrease sound reflection with a large mat on the hard floor

Place one or more rugs on the studio floor if it is made of a hard material such as tile or wood. One of them should be directly under the table and chair. If the room is already entirely carpeted, you can skip this step.

The hard material floor reflects the sound waves, as well as the walls and ceiling. Unfortunately, however, it is impossible to install absorption panels on the floor - but it is possible to cover it in carpet to alleviate this problem

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 4
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 4

Step 4. Purchase acoustic treatment materials to minimize sound reflection

Pick up a broadband absorbance kit, four bass traps, and two sound-insulating foams from a music store or online. The broadband absorbance kit should come with approximately 30 panels to be placed around the room after installing the equipment. The absorbance panels, bass traps and diffusion panels are all made to prevent the sound from sound monitors from being distorted by wall surfaces.

  • Bass traps serve to absorb low-frequency sounds, allowing you to hear the bass perfectly in your recording.
  • Absorbance panels prevent sound waves from being reflected directly off the walls, while diffusion panels redirect them at different angles.
  • To start the studio, you might not need diffusion panels.

Method 2 of 3: Purchasing the Right Equipment

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 5
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 5

Step 1. Get a powerful computer for mixing music and sound

If you have just purchased a computer, this step is now complete. If that's not the case or you have a specific budget for this purchase, buy a new (or refurbished) machine for your studio. Opt for the notebook if you want to use it for other activities, but stick to your desktop computer if you don't need it elsewhere.

  • While there is controversy within the music industry, both a Mac and a Windows computer will serve a home recording studio well.
  • If you only have to update one item on your computer, choose as much RAM as your budget allows.
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 6
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 6

Step 2. Download trial versions of audio production programs

There are numerous options available on the market, each with its pros and cons, as well as fans and critics. To find the one that suits you best, download trial versions of a few varieties. Try each one of them and find out which one meets your needs.

Some programs in this category are open source and freely available in their full version. Try them out too - you may find a free option that fully suits you

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 7
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 7

Step 3. Buy a pair of audio monitors to listen to the recording

These audio monitors (speakers) are two of the most important items throughout the studio. Choose the best pair your budget allows, but keep in mind that you can buy more units in the future if you need to.

If your budget doesn't allow you to purchase audio monitors at the moment, you can go ahead with just headphones (just remember that they're not permanent replacements)

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 8
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 8

Step 4. Invest in a studio microphone for the best possible sound

Purchase a new microphone to be included in the recording studio. If you know for sure that you will be recording more than one voice or acoustic instrument simultaneously, buy more than one microphone. Also be sure to buy a pedestal for each one - most of them don't come with one.

  • Studio microphones don't have to be excessively expensive. There are good options in the range of R$ 500.00.
  • Don't forget to purchase a pop filter that can be used with your specific microphone for vocal recordings.
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 9
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 9

Step 5. Buy an audio interface to unify all equipment

Get a model that is compatible with your computer. It must provide at least three inputs (microphone, headphones and sound monitors) plus one input for each microphone present in the studio - or you'll always have to record one at a time.

If possible, buy an audio interface with an ADAT (Alesis Digital Audio Tape) connection. This modality will allow the interconnection of several interfaces together as your studio grows

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 10
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 10

Step 6. Have all the necessary cables for the equipment

Not all products purchased will come with their respective cables. So bring all your equipment into the recording room and set it up in your preferred configuration. Place the cables you have on the floor, defining which ones are already present and which ones still need to be purchased. Finally, buy the missing cables.

Search the internet or music stores for used cables and accessories to save money

Method 3 of 3: Building the Studio

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 11
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 11

Step 1. Install a layer of charged vinyl (MLV) for soundproofing the space

Buy this material, which usually comes in rolls of 1~1.5 meters in length, either on the internet or at a music store. Install it on the walls, ceiling and floor where the studio will be located. Fix it to the walls with nails or staples, with the help of one or more friends.

Ideally, MLV should be installed in an inner layer of the wall, under the surface. However, unless you're renovating the entire house, you can leave it on top without a hitch

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 12
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 12

Step 2. Install bass traps in all four corners of the room

Place each one in a corner, starting from the ceiling. If they came with brackets, follow the indicative installation instructions.

  • If, by chance, the space is not square and has more than four corners, buy more bass traps for the additional corners.
  • Technically, they can be installed from the floor rather than the ceiling. However, this option ends up reducing its useful space in the environment.
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 13
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 13

Step 3. Prepare a table on which to organize all your equipment

Bring at least one table to the recording studio and set it in place. Put all the equipment (computer and accessories, monitors and audio interface) on it, in the desired position, and connect all the respective cables.

  • Put the chair at the table and sit down. Make sure the equipment is accessible from this position.
  • Note that the rest of the studio will be set up based on your chair's position. If you're not sure where you'll be staying, try a few alternatives before deciding.
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 14
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 14

Step 4. Place the audio monitors at ear level for proper mixing

Sit in the chair and confirm that the audio monitors are at the same height as your head. Raise them on supports if they are too low. Both should be distanced from your head forming an equilateral triangle (with the three equal distances from each other).

If you've placed the audio monitors three meters away from each other, for example, your head will also need to be equally distanced from each of them

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 15
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 15

Step 5. Place sound insulation foams under audio monitors to minimize magnification

Place under both of the two that were purchased. If the foams raise the audio monitor too high, you will need to lower it (lower a shelf or adjust the stand) or raise its head to be on the same level.

Insulating foams prevent the table surface from amplifying the sound coming out of audio monitors

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 16
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 16

Step 6. Install the microphone on the stand and place it near the table

Mount the pedestal, if necessary, and install the microphone and pop filter. Leave it directly in front of your mouth while you are sitting at the table. This way, it is possible to work on the computer while the vocals are playing.

  • The pedestal allows you to move the microphone (up, down and sideways). If someone else is recording voices, you can just slide the microphone towards them.
  • The pedestal must also be mobile to some extent. If your room is big enough, you can take it around as needed.
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 17
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 17

Step 7. Connect all equipment with proper cables

Connect the optical cables (or the lightpipe interface) from the audio monitors to the audio interface. Connect the microphone and headphone cables to the audio interface, also using a USB or PCMCIA cable to connect the computer to it. Configure the keyboard and mouse. If necessary, use a VGA or Thunderbolt cable to connect one or more video monitors to the system. Plug your computer and video and audio monitors into a power outlet.

Purchase and make use of a protected power strip for all equipment. Not only does this allow you to have enough outlets, it also prevents possible damage from power surges

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 18
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 18

Step 8. Use the mirror trick to find the best locations for the absorbance panels

Sit where you will be doing the recording work and ask someone to hold a mirror against the wall, to the right of the right monitor and at the same height as your head. Ask her to slowly move along the wall and around the room until she reaches the left side of the left monitor. Look in the chair mirror and rotate as you watch him travel the perimeter of the room. At each point where at least one monitor is visible, ask your assistant to make a mark on the wall.

Audio monitors direct the sound out, beyond you and to the back and side walls. Then the sound is reflected back towards you, distorting the sound

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 19
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 19

Step 9. Hold the absorbance panels in the designated locations

Move around the room and place a panel at each of the points marked during the mirror trick. Use spray adhesive to attach them to the wall - remember to keep them at ear height and to the side walls of the studio.

The kit purchased will likely come with panels of different shapes. The order of placement doesn't matter in the different places on the walls, and they don't need to have a top or bottom side

Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 20
Make a Cheap Recording Studio Step 20

Step 10. Install absorbance panels in front, behind and above the audio monitors

Use spray adhesive to attach more panels to the walls behind the audio monitors and chair (even if they are far away). Hang them above and below ear level, in addition to those at that time. Use the same spray adhesive to attach multiple panels to the ceiling directly above the chair.

Do not cover both walls completely with panels, only a maximum of 50%

Tips

  • You can also purchase a DAW/Audio Interface combo, which includes both recording software (DAW = English for "digital audio workstation") and an audio interface. Such kits are often less expensive than buying these products individually. Plus, when purchased together, you can be sure they'll be compatible and you'll be able to get technical support for both at the same time.
  • Many of today's desktop and laptop computers no longer include a CD/DVD drive. If you think you need to transfer your recordings to an optical disc, you need to ensure that your model offers this inclusion or purchase an external drive.

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