The Best Music Production Equipment for Your Home Studio

Are you an aspiring musician or producer but don’t have the money or resources to record an album? Money can cause a lot of stress and feel like a hindrance to achieving your goals. However, you shouldn’t have to give up on your goals of creating your very own at home studio. The cost of producing equipment shouldn’t be holding you back. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Music Production which gives some really helpful information on excelling in the industry. This blog will be focusing on the home studio requirements and the music production equipment you’ll need if you’re thinking of recording music at home.

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

This is the most important part of music production equipment in home studio recording. This software used to edit and produce music files, including sound effects and mixing different instruments. This is a must have if you have your own home recording studio. There are several varieties of software with different features and functions. There’s a software out there to match every budget. If you want to begin with the basics of audio engineering, we recommend starting here.

Audacity is the most popular freeware with the highest number of downloads by aspiring artists for both beginner and expert musicians. The interface is simple and doesn’t require any formal education to use. You can access their manual if you have specific questions about the software.

Computer

This one is a little more complex than just freeware. When it comes to computers, there’s tons of debate over desktop vs laptop or Mac vs PC. You may want to do a little shopping around, but here is the list of things you’ll want to make sure your computer has, in order to mix, record, edit, and produce music:

3.0 dual core processor
8GB of RAM
500GB of hard drive capacity
12″ screen

A video card is not important and is entirely optional, depending on your budget constraints. The most cost-efficient computer for music recording containing all of these aspects is an HP Elite 8000 Desktop.

MIDI Keyboard

This is primarily used as a piano-style interface connected by a MIDI cord to send cues and movement from the keyboard. You can get a MIDI keyboard for a very inexpensive price. We recommend the Midiplus AKM320.

Audio Interface

This production equipment is a bit more complex due to the quality. Obviously, the better the quality, the more expensive the audio interface will be. But for a beginner, you’ll want to start with something less complex and therefore, more affordable like the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22. An audio interface is used for amplifies and advances the capabilities of any computer. It allows you to hook up multiple instruments, including microphones.

VST Plugins

Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plugins ST plugins are used for combining and integrating sound effects with sound editing and/or recording software. Audacity comes with a list of free VST plugins on their website.

Pop Filter

A pop filter has more than one purpose for home recording studios. The first is to protect your mic from saliva. The second is to create a more crisp sound by reducing the “pop” noise while singing. It’s mainly used as rap studio equipment, and it helps to prevent feedback when editing the file. These come unbelievably cheap and the quality is almost always the same for each of them. You can buy a pop filter for dirt cheap. Depending on your mic, you can also use a foam ball filter placed directly over the mic.

Another option is a shock mount pop shield filter screen that comes with a stand, or you can hook it onto the stand that came with your mic.

Studio Monitor Speakers

Depending on your budget and experience, these could be considered optional, but they’re used for professional audio engineering. They can be used in studios, radio stations, etc. Studio monitor speakers can be pretty expensive but it is possible to find some on the lower cost end. If you’re really tight on funds, you might want to check out Craigslist or eBay. One of the cheapest options that still gets really great reviews is the Edifier R1280T studio speakers. They’re enclosed with a wooden finish, and have an amazing sound and an attractive, stylish design.

Microphones

There are many types of different microphones and you’ll need more than one. Most recommended studio microphones are condenser mics, but dynamic microphones also work. Dynamic microphones are usually for performing onstage due to the increase in volume. A decent and inexpensive dynamic microphone is the Neewer NW-700. If you’re more of a loud singer, check out this dynamic microphone.

Headphones

High quality headphones aren’t cheap, and, unless you’re a professional sound engineer, you probably don’t need super expensive music production equipment. However, you’ll still want to invest in a decent quality pair like the Yamaha HPH-50B which are a mid-range price with high-quality sound.

If you want something more heavy-duty that can control different sound waves while keeping your wallet happy, you could pursue gently-used headphones on sites like Newegg that sell refurbished equipment.

Microphone Stands

This particular music production equipment depends on whether or not you play an instrument as well as sing or rap. Sometimes, you can hang a microphone from a mount in the ceiling, but most studios have a microphone stand. They are generally inexpensive and easy to transport.

Cables

This is basic music production equipment to keep in your studio. The five most basic cables are: instrument, speaker, patch, daisy chain, and microphone. They are all affordable, but might have to be purchased separately, depending on where you buy them. An instrument cable is intended to connect an electronic instrument to a preamp, or amplifier. Patch cables connect various components together. Daisy chain cables are used to combine numerous guitar effects in a chain. A microphone cable is used to connect the microphone to the mixer. Speaker cables are responsible for the electrical connection between loudspeakers and an amplifier. Below is a list of links where you can find this kind of equipment for a good price.

So there you have it! These are the cheapest ways to get started with your own home recording studio. Whether you’re recording instruments, singing, rapping, or beat boxing, these tools will definitely come in handy. This information can be used for either professionals, beginners, or anyone in learning about music studio equipment.

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