Simple Home Recording Components

[Keith1237]

Can someone give me a component list for a small home recording setup? Thanks! Keith

[cosmicdolphin]

A Computer - PC or Mac..I would say go far a desktop tower type machine if you can so it's easy to expand with extra drives etc

An Audio interface - If you only need to record one mic at a time then there's loads of great budget options - Even the ultra cheap Behringer UMC22 is pretty damned good , I had to get one as a spare when my main interface was being repaired.

A Midi keyboard controller - 49 keys is probably the sweet spot, don't go for these weird brands that are dirt cheap on amazon they tend to break after a coupla years - plenty f good options at all budgets

A pair of monitors - best you can afford, most are powered these days so self contained

A set of head phones - closed back for tracking

A 2nd way to check your mixes...could be an old boombox or cheap computer speakers..something lofi - if you can hook it up to the audio interface via the headphone jack or something it'll make things easier

A DAW programs -Cakewalk is free - Reaper is cheap ...both fully featured. There are others but they are either more basic if free/cheap or they are full DAWs that cost several hundreds but they don't do any more than Reaper/Cakewalk really.

A mic - Get the best one you can afford

Also think about acoustic treatment , a good chair, a DAW controller

Mark

[rizarefaldi]

A Computer - PC or Mac..I would say go far a desktop tower type machine if you can so it's easy to expand with extra drives etc

An Audio interface - If you only need to record one mic at a time then there's loads of great budget options - Even the ultra cheap Behringer UMC22 is pretty damned good , I had to get one as a spare when my main interface was being repaired.

A Midi keyboard controller - 49 keys is probably the sweet spot, don't go for these weird brands that are dirt cheap on amazon they tend to break after a coupla years - plenty f good options at all budgets

A pair of monitors - best you can afford, most are powered these days so self contained ukuran kertas a4

A set of head phones - closed back for tracking

A 2nd way to check your mixes...could be an old boombox or cheap computer speakers..something lofi - if you can hook it up to the audio interface via the headphone jack or something it'll make things easier

A DAW programs -Cakewalk is free - Reaper is cheap ...both fully featured. There are others but they are either more basic if free/cheap or they are full DAWs that cost several hundreds but they don't do any more than Reaper/Cakewalk really.

A mic - Get the best one you can afford

Also think about acoustic treatment , a good chair, a DAW controller

Mark

i use reaper but i got problem with VST3 plugins.
can you recommend me some better DAW programs?

[cosmicdolphin]

Try Cakewalk, it works with all my VST3's

[Kolstad]

GUITARS, tons of guitars!

[lesmac]

GUITARS, tons of guitars!

[Keith1237]

Thanks for the help! I debated about joining TAXI for some time. I did not know the real requirements for the recording quality needed for submissions. Had I known that at the start such as being explained more fully at the TAXI initial website, I likely would not have joined. I don't have the equipment for properly recording songs for the submission quality needed. I did speak with a TAXI rep who was very helpful, but was advised mp3 was OK. Well, of the 5 submissions i have made, the feedback on all was poor/lack of recording quality among a few other very good comments. I can't participate to the TAXI level even to start it seems without at least minimum small/home recording studio and the ability to operate it. Wish I'd known that sooner. Thx!

[Casey H]

Also, some audio interfaces come with a free copy of DAW software. Tascam units generally come with Cubase LE which is a scaled down version of the full Cubase but has pretty much all required functionality.

Good luck!

Casey

[cosmicdolphin]

I did not know the real requirements for the recording quality needed for submissions. Had I known that at the start such as being explained more fully at the TAXI initial website, I likely would not have joined.

" Broadcast Quality " is plastered across every Listing , there is a blog where you can listen to what got forwarded and many many folks have posted about what TV shows their music has been in so you can get a really good idea how high the bar is from watching an episode or two.

[Casey H]

Keith
Are you thinking about songs (lyrics, vocals) or instrumental cues? If it's songs, you may want to start with the absolute minimum to record your ideas, not as broadcast quality productions, and seek out collaborators (co-writers who produce) to help you bring the songs to production. Another route is full work for hire where you lay down your rough and pay someone, such as another member, to record the song which you would then own.

This is a great place to meet such people. The number of such relationships that started right here on this forum is huge. Everything I do is based on collab, mostly with other Taxi members I met here or at the rally.

Let us know more about your songwriting and/or composing.

Best,
Casey