What are the equipment to set up a home studio?

Due to the improvement of technology in sound equipment and the practicality that it provides in the digital age, the dream of setting up a home studio is closer than you might think. There is even no shortage of examples of artists who chose to work on their music in the comfort of their homes - whether for cost benefit, for practicality, possibly because of the pandemic, among other factors.

To give you an idea, the singer's first album Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) was recorded and produced in a home studio together with Finneas, Billie's brother. The disc won a strike of awards in 2020, including Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Album of the Year at Grammy Awards. Of course, it's an example that worked very well on small probabilities, but it's still inspiring for you to think about having studio equipment at home and exploring your sound more freely.

If you are interested in setting up a home studio but still have doubts about the pros and cons, what to buy and how to proceed, I recommend continuing with this article. Here I will try to bring you a complete guide to help you in this new investment, whether you want to use it in your career or to build a step further in your hobby. 

The first step is to embody Nath Finance and organize yourself financially. Put your fixed expenses, the money left over and how much you have available to invest in home studio equipment. It is also important that in addition to the specifications of the items, you take the time to research comparisons between stores, either by cost, material, among other characteristics.

It is important to note that here one should not prioritize the cheapest and take only the cost as a basis. It is also necessary to evaluate the characteristics of the material, if it will fulfill what you are looking for and the estimate of its durability - sometimes it is worth paying more for something that lasts for years, for example, instead of opting for the longest account and have to change it in a year or less.

Okay, but wouldn't it be easier to rent a studio? Probably yes. But looking deeper, the benefits of having your own creation space at home are greater, so it's worth the investment. That's because, as every artist knows, regardless of the field in which he works, creativity is not linear, much less thought out or forced – it comes when it wants to and doesn't care if it appears at five in the morning or at three in the afternoon.

In general everything is fine, but in financial terms the scenario changes. Think that with the studio at home, you can access it whenever you need it, while the rented place has a date and time on the agenda, scheduled in advance. Can you imagine paying for a period of use and just on that day being totally blocked from ideas? It's basically money thrown away.

Not to mention that, generally, you don't just pay for the location. The cost also extends to the audio engineer and producer. If you and/or your band already know what and how you want to record, without many mistakes and repetitions, renting can be a good option in this case. Otherwise, it's not very profitable. 

As said, the technology has already developed enough to be implemented in more affordable and portable equipment, whereas before, really, high quality instruments could only be found in specific and specialized places for use on site or at most for rent. The mixing process also follows this line of reasoning as it is made possible by intuitive software. So don't get attached to the idea that the audio quality will be better in the commercial studio. With the right equipment and sound insulation, the music produced in your home can come out just as good as in these rented venues. 

So setting up a home studio is cheaper?

It may not seem like there is a lot to buy, but if you put it on the scale, it ends up being cheaper. Still in the mindset of Nath Finance, it is important to spend only when it is essential and budget the equipment intelligently.

Of course, the process is daunting, especially when you have no idea where to start. If you've read this far, I believe I convinced you to go ahead with this idea of ​​setting up a home studio. So let's go!

What does it take to have a home studio?

At first, there are ten essential items to build your studio at home. Check below what they are and the importance of each one in this process:

Dining Room

First of all, you need to think about the space you are going to dedicate to your studio. During the selection and evaluation, it is important to remember that when the space is used, you will probably spend a good amount of time there. So, before starting to set up the home studio, I advise you to observe if this chosen room absorbs a lot of external noise, if it is close to a busy street or close to the living room, where there is usually more noise. It is also ideal that you notice any air conditioning inlets, small windows that face pipes and any other element that can make noise and appear in your recordings.

Even if it's not the quietest place in the world, don't worry. Most external sounds can be muffled and even eliminated with a soundproofing alá DIY (Do It Yourself, that is, “Do it yourself” in free translation), has several YouTube channels with tips to make your environment more conducive and with the greatest possible acoustic isolation. 

One tip is to combine the useful with the pleasant. Some objects, due to their composition, are able to absorb sound well – materials such as foam and fabric are examples. You can think of a decoration for the space with this in mind. 

To understand how to set up a home studio, you may not need a space as big as an entire living room or a professional studio, but clearly, a place with enough space that you don't feel too cramped would be ideal - taking into account the possible instruments, equipment, band members, if any, etc. 

If you are a songwriter as well as a producer, who needs space to record musical instruments like vocals, guitars, keyboards and other instruments, one room will suffice. If your focus is only on mixing, your priority should be on speaker setup and acoustic treatment.

Another tip: when choosing a space to set up a home studio, avoid one that has a low ceiling or is configured in a square aspect. This is because, in more physical terms, in lower ceilings the sound waves reflect the sound and end up harming microphone recordings. But, if you have no other option and you only have one place with this configuration, focus on acoustic treatment. 

About more square rooms, they are not recommended precisely because they are symmetrical. This means that they have “blind spots” where sound frequencies end up canceling out due to ping pong between parallel walls. In practice, this can spoil the sound. 

Computer (system and storage)

The computer is the essential and central part of all your projects – think that without it, you will not be able to assemble, mix and produce your project. Therefore, when choosing your equipment, it is important to keep in mind that it needs to have a fast processor, with ample storage and the ability to assimilate the audio you are recording. These features are valuable here and are not limited to a full desktop or a notebook – both can offer these elements, so choose what suits your purpose.

It all depends on a point of view. Of course, in theory, any average software that is dedicated to everyday use can also be used to record simple sound projects. I personally only recommend going this route if you have a lot of patience or don't have the budget at the moment for better equipment. As there are several layers in a music production, this category of computer can suffer a little when executing commands, threatening to leave you in standby mode on a very locked screen.

If possible, look for high-performance software that is compatible with the 64-bit operating system. With this specification, the probability of the equipment being able to hold the bar in the work between tracks, plugins, DAWs and samples already skyrockets. In an ideal world, it would also be interesting for the chosen computer to have at least 8GB of RAM and a 4-core processor.

Storage: SSD or HDD?

Before getting into this topic, you need to be aware that it is a fact that your storage will fill up with audios, even more so if you work with this type of project. So, for starters, it would be a good idea to invest in an internal space of 1TB, adding external memory if needed. The tip here for better performance is to use a SSD (Solid State Drive) as the primary source and the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) as secondary storage.

One SSD storage option is the KC600 SSD, from Kingston, which has 256 GB of storage capacity and SATA Rev. 3.0 (6Gb/s) – It is backwards compatible to SATA Rev. 2.0 (3Gb/s). This SSD can be found for R$299,99 in cash at the Magazine Luiza store.

Importantly, SSDs are relatively more expensive than HDDs, depending on the specifications. To reduce expenses, you can build a hybrid device using a smaller SSD, between 128 and 256GB to dedicate to the execution of the main software and use HDDs with slower performance at 1TB for file storage and large libraries.

An indication of portable external HD to compose your equipment for home studio is the HIKVISION HDD T3 from the Hikvision brand. It has 1T of storage capacity with rotation speed at 5400 rpm and SATA connection. It can be found for R$292,84 in cash at the Magazine Luiza store.

What type of computer should I invest in?

In terms of quality, aim for the Macs of life. But aim already knowing that it is not a cheap budget, and the price can reach up to R$24.700,00. That's because in addition to Apple being a giant reference in technology, it also offers integration between its products and has the LogicPro x – the music production megazord that lets you play digital instruments, mix your projects and even export your music with Spatial Audio. Best of all worlds.

One option could be Apple MacBook Air, which manages to meet the minimum requirements and offers much more. That's because it has Apple's M2 processor, 8-core GPU, 8-core CPU (4 performance and 4 efficiency), 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SDD storage. The sound system has four speakers and spatial audio, being compatible with audio in Dolby Atmos, in addition to offering a set of three microphones to capture voice and sound in a way that considerably reduces the noise around you. This Macbook can be found for R$ 14.278,98 at Magazine Luiza.

If you want to save money, try building a custom PC. From Black Friday to Black Friday you can get discounts on individual pieces and end up saving a lot of money.

If what matters to you is portability with (much more) affordable prices, let's go with notebooks. Several have the indicated configurations and can be found for around the same price as a desktop. Showmetech has even prepared a list full of notebook recommendations for you to choose according to your goal.

Although practicality is an important point in this case, try to prioritize notebooks with 14 or 15 inches – they offer a middle ground and you can work with a good overview of the projects, in addition to being able to carry it around.

audio interface

It is mandatory that you have a audio interface to record your instruments in the studio as well as the vocals. If you don't know or don't remember the function of the audio interface, consider this information: it bridges the gap between the sound produced in an analog way and its configuration in digital sound on the computer.

When choosing your audio interface, you should consider issues such as how many inputs will be used and how many sources you intend to record at once. These criteria are important because there are equipment with some variations in the amount of inputs and outputs. Naturally, the more inputs the interface has, the more instruments can be recorded simultaneously. 

For starters, there is the option of investing in Um2 Behringer U-phoria, from the Behringer brand, which is simple but does the job. This is an ultra-low latency 2-in, 2-out USB audio interface for microphones and instruments and XENYX preamp. The resolution is 48 kHz and is compatible with many recording software, including Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live and Steinberg Cubase. It costs R$534,55 in cash at the Magazine Luiza store.

If you want a more elaborate equipment right away, to set up a home studio, there is the option of investing in Scarlett 2I2 Focusrite 3 Generation from the Focusrite brand. It features a 2-in, 2-out audio interface, AIR mode, dual ADAT, loopback, 192kHz/24-bit, two headphone outputs, MIDI and 106dB Dynamic Range. The price is R$ 1.979,10 in cash at Magazine Luiza.

It can also be purchased together with a kit including condenser microphone, 3m XLR cable and headphone. One of the biggest perks of purchasing the kit is that it also offers a software package with two digital audio workstations, the Ableton® Live LiteTM and Pro Tools® First Focusrite. The combo can be found for R$ 2.839,16 in cash at Magazine Luiza.

Regarding the outputs, they are usually used by a double set of studio monitors. That is, it must have at least two outputs. In more tuned cases, where mixing engineers use more external equipment in the setup and multiple speakers, it is necessary to invest in an interface with at least four outputs.

Lots of information to absorb, right? So let's go to a practical example. If you want to record someone singing and playing the guitar at the same time, two inputs are needed – one for the voice and one for the instrument sound.

studio monitors

As mentioned briefly in the topic above, let's move on to the fourth element: the studio monitors (or reference monitors), item that composes what is needed to have a home studio. It is with them that you can hear what you are recording and/or mixing. If they used to be big hoops, today you can find more compact versions that fit in your home studio. 

These reference monitors are designed to be sound neutral. This means that your job is to ensure that your music and recorded sounds are “translated” to the computer as faithfully as possible without experiencing any change or distortion in bass/tone.

When choosing your monitor, keep in mind that the bigger it is, the more powerful it will be. But you still need to take into account the size of your home studio because space also influences the acoustics passed to the monitor.

Among the monitor options for setting up a home studio, we can indicate the following equipment for research.

O yamaha HS5 from Yamaha is a professional studio monitor that works at 127v. It is bi-amplified (which is good, as it contributes to the elimination of sound interference), with a 5″ woofer speaker (responsible for the bass sounds) and a tweeter dome (speakers that reproduce the high sounds, that is, , from 2kHz to 20kHz) of 1″. It has balanced XLR and balanced P10 inputs, working with frequencies from 54Hz to 30KHz with a power of 70Watts RMS. The price of the monitor is R$ 1.869,15 at Magazine Luiza store.

The pair of monitors Presonus Eris 3.5, has an 8,89 cm woofer and 2,54 cm tweeter; Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology; 1/8-inch balanced TRS and RCA; built-in headphone amplifier; Low and high frequency tuning controls and side class AB power amplifier. In addition, the package includes a Studio One Prime and Studio Magic software plug-in for music production. This equipment is selling for R$ 1.648,90 at Magazine Luiza.

the monitor R1010BT from the Edifier brand is among the devices that include Bluetooth. It can be connected with 2 devices at the same time. It has a built-in amplifier and its power is 24W RMS, which is more than enough to handle a sound space of up to 30m² with precision and efficiency. The monitor features its drivers with 4″ woofer and 3/4″ silk diaphragm tweeter. You can find this equipment for R$ 1.269,99 in Magazine Luiza.

For places that fall into the small to medium category, reference monitors with 5 to 6 inch drivers will do the job well. If your space is larger, it is recommended that you look for a 6,5 to 8 inch studio monitor. It would not be appropriate to look for a monitor larger than 8 because these are at an extra level and require a more professional structure – like those of professional studios that have high quality acoustic treatment.

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

A digital audio workstation, better known as a DAW (digital audio workstation) is the music production software that you will use to create your music. The biggest criterion to define if the chosen program is good or not to fulfill its objective is its ability to execute well the MIDI technology (more on that later) and the audio recording and editing items.

There are thousands of DAW options out there, including specs appropriate for specific music genres. In general, the software used in recording studios is Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, New, Studio One, between others. If you want to jump into the world of electronics, try Ableton Live, FL Studio or the Bitwig Studio.

In terms of money, we can define existing DAW types into three simplified categories:

Free DAWs: Recommended for beginners learning about phonographic production. It's a great option to explore the basic tools without having to put your hand in your pocket. Then you can take the first step by testing apps like Audacity, GarageBand and the free version of Studio One.

DAWs with limited functionality: This category of digital audio workstation offers a free trial period to explore the software before deciding whether it's right for you to purchase and use in your projects. Applications like Ableton and Cubase are good options in this range.

Paid DAWs: This includes professional-grade software. We're talking about tools like FL Studio, Reaper, Pro Tools e Logic Pro. They definitely stand out when it comes to features, user interface and workflow. There are some package options among these applications, it is worth analyzing which one will meet your needs and which is more profitable. 

Microphones

Although there is a huge variety of microphone options on the market for setting up a home studio, from the most vintage to the most modern, many professionals in the phonographic industry recommend microphones such as the turn NT from the Rhode brand. This line captures the vocals more clearly and cleanly, while also maintaining a natural sound. Regarding the instruments, this type of microphone also manages to align itself with the original sound made live. This microphone is selling for R$ 1.377,93 in cash at the Magazine Luiza store.

Anyway, to set up a home studio, you need to have at least one or two microphones to record vocals and instruments in the environment. Over time you will probably have a large collection of assorted microphones. Here I will indicate some for the beginning.

In the category of dynamic microphones, I recommend looking for models such as Shure SM57, SM58 ou Audio Technica AT202. These examples are basic and classics that work like real wildcards, bringing good results to any production you have in mind. 

O Shure SM57 is a Shure handheld cardioid dynamic microphone ideal for live sound reinforcement and recording. As it is cardioid, its main strength is good isolation from the main sound source and, consequently, the minimization of background noise. Its connector is XLR, the frequency response is 40Hz-15.000Hz and the output impedance is 150 ohms. The microphone can be found for R$ 1.350,00 in Magazine Luiza.

Already SM58, also from the Shure company, is a little saltier. It costs R$ 1.778,00 and is available at Magazine Luiza. However, it is important to point out that it can withstand high levels of SPL sound pressure and does not require external Phantom Power. In addition, it has a reinforced structure and an anti-shock system (known as a shock-mount) that guarantees good performance both indoors and outdoors and reduces handling noise. Like his younger brother, he is a hand dynamic. In addition, it has a built-in spherical filter with built-in pop filter and has a frequency response of 50Hz – 15kHz, with an impedance of 300 ohms.

Meanwhile, the AT202, by Audio Technica, is a condenser microphone with a cardioid polar pattern like the ones mentioned above. This, in turn, is the cheapest option on the list, being sold at Magazine Luiza for R$ 891,69. Its high point is in capturing loud signals with noise and distortion containment. It is a solid condenser with XLR output, that is, it needs to be coupled to a microphone preamp (also equipped with XLR), so that it can send 48V Phantom Power. Its frequency response is 20Hz – 20kHz and the impedance is 100 ohms.

When it comes to specialized microphones, the priority is to look for a condenser or a niche microphone – that is, dedicated to a specific use according to the genre you have in mind to work with.

For acoustic instruments, a good indication is the Shure SM81-LC, from the Shure brand. It does a great job of capturing high frequencies, including from drums in studio recordings and sound reinforcement. It has a wide frequency response ranging from 20Hz to 20kHz, low distortion over a range of load impedances, and accurate response curve for reproducing audio sources. This microphone operates with Phantom Power and adapts to different temperature and humidity conditions. At Magazine Luiza you can find this equipment for R$4.191,68 in cash.

As mentioned above, the Shure SM57-LC, a cardioid dynamic microphone that doesn't work with extreme sounds but proves to be very versatile, works well in other specialized functions, fulfilling what it promises.

To connect all of this, you'll obviously need some cables – I'll go into more detail later. But already ahead, some XLR cables wouldn't hurt. In this case, your microphone may already come with a wire or not. If missing, you will have to purchase separately. In addition, another functional item is the microphone stand. You will need two or three depending on the model you have chosen for your home studio. 

Headphones and Amplifiers

Nowadays there is a phone model for every occasion. Just as there are sweat-resistant versions for exercise, day-to-day headphones, anti-noise, among others, there are also the most suitable for music producers to consider when setting up a home studio.

O MDR-7506, from Sony, for example, offers solid frequency response and more accurate sound replication. It also provides the sound isolation needed to eliminate outside noise and tune in to what you're currently working on, without distractions. The folding headphone comes with wire, has sensitivity of 104 dB and 40mm driver. It can be found at Magazine Luiza for R$ 1.394,00.

Already a recommendation for monitor is the folding model ATH-M50x from Audio Technica. It's large enough to completely cover the ears and offers good performance, sound clarity and noise isolation, even in noisy environments - meaning the neighbor can tap-dap upstairs, they can renovate the house next door from start to finish. you are unlikely to hear anything with this headset. It comes with detachable cables, 45mm audio driver and 99dB sensitivity. The value of this equipment is R$ 1.573,57 in Magazine Luiza.

As with monitors, sonically flat headphones are best recommended in the studio. A “flat sound” ensures accurate reproduction without adding your own EQ (equalization) or audio enhancements. Ergonomic designs are essential and highly recommended to avoid pain and discomfort after prolonged use. A good seal, on the other hand, prevents microphone leakage during recording.

MIDI keyboard 

In particular, I think the MIDI keyboard is the most charming and fun part to choose when setting up a home studio. It makes you want to collect all the keyboards out there – you really want to, because your pocket cries just thinking about it. 

The term MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, that is, a musical instrument digital interface. All by connecting one device to another. So MIDI is responsible for synthesizer keyboards, samplers, drum machines, sequencers and several other musical tools.

It is important to remember that synthesizer keyboards are musical tools in which we can create and synthesize sounds. At the very beginning, the purpose was to create sounds from a copy of the sounds of acoustic instruments, but eventually this method didn't work very well and the copy sounded very different from the original.  

With the emergence of samplers, it was possible to develop the ability to record any sound (from instruments to ambient sounds) and send it to a musical keyboard capable of playing the material. This is done by synchronizing the sampler and keyboard via MIDI technology. 

That is, another essential item for your home studio. Best of all, you don't need to know how to play the piano or have any advanced knowledge of the instrument. The handling of the MIDI keyboard is quite different and its use opens doors to wide possibilities. It's with it that you'll test different sounds and experiment with virtual instruments in your project.

In addition to having the function of virtual instruments, MIDI keyboards can be used for production tasks. Samplers and patch changes are examples. The fact that this device is multitasking makes post-production much more practical in terms of editing, correction and so many other modifications that may be necessary.

A compact and very charming recommendation is the USB MIDI Microkey-25 from the Korg brand – great for carrying around too. As the name suggests, this model has 25 keys, but Korg also has versions with 37 and 61 keys in their catalog. The Microkey-25 works via USB and has a touch-sensitive Natural Touch system — something that makes it easy to produce the sound cadence. The controllers are the joystick, arpeggiator button and Sustain/TAP button. This keyboard consumes less than 100mA of energy and can be found at Magazine Luiza for R$895,00.

There are many keyboard models out there, divided between the best, the cheapest, etc. MIDI keyboards can vary between models that have 25 keys and reach equipment with 88 keys, so it will depend a lot on the space you have dedicated to it and the functions you intend to use.

Cables and Hardware

Among home studio gear, you're definitely going to need a few cables to connect everything. In addition to it, you will need supports for a keyboard, microphone, etc., but then these will depend a lot on what instruments and devices you buy.

About essential equipment, it is interesting that you have a Pop Filter for condenser microphones and a mic stand as well. The Pop Filter is just ideal for recording on condenser microphones and doesn't require much discretion when choosing. Its function is important but, at the same time, secondary. It has the role of acting as a noise protection filter for microphones, reducing or even eliminating popping sounds generated by impact. The model GT649 of the Lorben brand is R$32,80 at Magazine Luiza.

Finally, as mentioned, you will need cables for instruments and microphones. In this case, XLR cables. Even though it's a simple item, there are many differences between cables and it's worth researching more about it to buy according to the home studio equipment you chose earlier.

studio treatment

No matter the size of your space, what will really make a difference when setting up a home studio, recording your music or mixing your track is the level of treatment this studio has to deliver a high quality project.

The studio treatment is related to materials dedicated to minimizing sound reflections. For this, panels of absorbent material such as foam panels can be placed in strategic corners. The wide acoustic foam is also useful for controlling reflections at considerably higher frequencies.

Now that you practically have a guide on hand on how to set up a home studio, let us know what you think in the comments!

See also other features:

Also access other related content on Showmetech. Look how to use auto-tune for free in Audacity.

Sources: Rolling Stone, audience e Wire Actual