"The Shed" - my multi-million dollar (yeah right) backyard studio
Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 2:00 pm
Been meaning to put these pictures up here ever since Michael launched this area of the forum (I even took these pictures last Spring!), but I've just never gotten around to getting them up. At long last, here is my glorious music studio, unceremoniously called "The Shed".
The Shed itself is simply that.... a custom built shed, made by a local shed company here in the Boise Idaho area. The standard usage for these things is storing things like a lawnmower, garden implements, garage overflow, etc... Definitely NOT turning them into a music studio, but that's exactly what I did 4.5 years ago.
Here are the specifics of the structure, along with my modest list of equipment.
The Shed itself is 10' x 14' (exterior dimensions... interior is slightly smaller), with standard 8' ceilings. Takes up a corner of my backyard.
Inside, I run everything "in the box". So I've got a 27" iMac loaded with 32 gigs of RAM. Couple M-Audio BX8 monitors. A Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 interface. Cheap M-Audio keyboard (I've actually upgraded to the 61-key Komplete Kontrol since this picture was taken, which after dropping nearly $1,000 on it and never learning how to use the fancy control dials, just displays fancy light patterns on the keys. It was not a worthwhile expense... at least until I learn how to use it properly). My desk is a cheap folding table from Walmart with an even cheaper throw-blanket over the top. My mouse pad is a cutting board.
I use two condenser mics on those occasions when I need to record trumpet, banjo, acoustic guitar, or ukulele. They are a AKG Perception 100, and a Gauge 87.
I bought a used couch from a thrift store for $45, which I take the occasional nap on when I fall asleep at the keyboard. I painted and framed the guitar displays as a way to cover up my bad textured paint job. The baby hippopotamus hand-puppet in the banjo strings keeps them from ringing when I record loud live instruments like trumpet.
Inside the various hard drives for my computer are a bunch of sound files, one shots, virtual instruments, loop libraries, and synths. I've got tons of these. Probably over 2,000 kick one-shots alone. Way more than I'll ever use or need.
Now that you've seen how amazing this place is (said facetiously, of course!), let me tell you what you DON'T see:
* No wall or window treatments. No bass traps. No sound panels of any kind. Unless you count the carpet, and my couch.
* No outboard anything. No compressors or fancy preamps (except for the Scarlett, which ain't too fancy).
* No physical synthesizers.
* No vocal booth.
* No mixing consoles.
* No naked ladies or stripper poles (hoping to remedy that soon).
All of this should really show people that you don't need much to make a functional studio. Just a little creativity on creating a space out of nothing!!
~~Matt
The Shed itself is simply that.... a custom built shed, made by a local shed company here in the Boise Idaho area. The standard usage for these things is storing things like a lawnmower, garden implements, garage overflow, etc... Definitely NOT turning them into a music studio, but that's exactly what I did 4.5 years ago.
Here are the specifics of the structure, along with my modest list of equipment.
The Shed itself is 10' x 14' (exterior dimensions... interior is slightly smaller), with standard 8' ceilings. Takes up a corner of my backyard.
Inside, I run everything "in the box". So I've got a 27" iMac loaded with 32 gigs of RAM. Couple M-Audio BX8 monitors. A Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 interface. Cheap M-Audio keyboard (I've actually upgraded to the 61-key Komplete Kontrol since this picture was taken, which after dropping nearly $1,000 on it and never learning how to use the fancy control dials, just displays fancy light patterns on the keys. It was not a worthwhile expense... at least until I learn how to use it properly). My desk is a cheap folding table from Walmart with an even cheaper throw-blanket over the top. My mouse pad is a cutting board.
I use two condenser mics on those occasions when I need to record trumpet, banjo, acoustic guitar, or ukulele. They are a AKG Perception 100, and a Gauge 87.
I bought a used couch from a thrift store for $45, which I take the occasional nap on when I fall asleep at the keyboard. I painted and framed the guitar displays as a way to cover up my bad textured paint job. The baby hippopotamus hand-puppet in the banjo strings keeps them from ringing when I record loud live instruments like trumpet.
Inside the various hard drives for my computer are a bunch of sound files, one shots, virtual instruments, loop libraries, and synths. I've got tons of these. Probably over 2,000 kick one-shots alone. Way more than I'll ever use or need.
Now that you've seen how amazing this place is (said facetiously, of course!), let me tell you what you DON'T see:
* No wall or window treatments. No bass traps. No sound panels of any kind. Unless you count the carpet, and my couch.
* No outboard anything. No compressors or fancy preamps (except for the Scarlett, which ain't too fancy).
* No physical synthesizers.
* No vocal booth.
* No mixing consoles.
* No naked ladies or stripper poles (hoping to remedy that soon).
All of this should really show people that you don't need much to make a functional studio. Just a little creativity on creating a space out of nothing!!
~~Matt
