What do I need for my 1st home studio?

[Highroler79]

If you have a room it would be ideal to treat it a little before you set it up with gear. It’s a game changer and will give you a different vibe when you walk in as well. Maybe you already did that.

Besides that I would second the SM57 and a basic interface while you get your feet wet.

Most important thing to do, treat the room (properly no egg cartons) before you start anything else.

 

[knumbskull]

Bass,guitar,vocals

if it was me, i’d get a Shure SM57.

blend with DI out from your amp when recording bass (to keep lows).

add pop shield when recording vox.

 

[nilorius]

Good active studio monitors, mixer (12-24 chanels), good computer with pro sound card with at least 1 stereo out and 1 stereo in or good usb sound card with more chanell in/out. Your choice music software for writing, playing, editing and mixing. Finally - a lot of different wires.

 

[Bolsyo]

Personally I went with:

• Audient iD14 audio interface (came with Cubase that I'm using).
• JBL LSR305 studio monitors (they also have the bigger LSR306 and LSR308).

Amp-less recording:

• Two Notes - "Wall of Sound" plugin for cabinet and tube power-amp simulation (basically Two Notes CAB in software format, costs about 10-14$ for two cabinets and then you get lifetime license): Two notes Audio Engineering - Torpedo Wall of Sound
• A nice preamp/DI box or just a simple pure DI depending on your setup.

If you want to record bass with a mic, I suggest AKG D112 over the usual Shure SM57.

No matter if you go amp-less or with a mic, I'd suggest you look into dual-micing and placement. I use at least 3 mics in the Wall of Sound plugin, it makes a huge difference! One at the centre of the speaker, one at the cone at an angle, and a room mic. Sometimes one about a metre away (3-4 feet) too.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I also prefer Steinberg Cubase for home studios. There is a free download version called Cubase Studio LE.

This is also my DAW of choice.

Oddly enough I upgraded to Cubase 5, then 7, spent a whole lot of unnecessary money - and then just recently found Cubase LE again, reinstalled it, and I couldn't be happier. It has an easy to understand layout and just enough bells and whistles to get the job done decently. The upgraded versions have far too many options and tweakability. Simplicity, for me goes a long way... and there's enough in Cubase LE to still do a great job.

STRONG SUGGESTION: Whatever you get, learn it before you buy anything else. There is a learning curve for all DAWs and it can be really frustrating. A simple little glitch can take days to figure out (it has with me). Google is your friend, forums for whatever software you use are really helpful, and patience is essential. Once you get past the first few mountains it becomes second nature.

I just finished my first song in a long time with Cubase LE. First thing I've written in a while... and as I've said in some other threads, I don't love it, but want to keep putting it out there. I love only about 1 out of 10 songs I write. Anyhow, through my rediscovery of Cubase LE came this...

 

[JRA]

I have a Scarlett interface and it came with pro tools 1

I have a PA,PA monitors and 2 pairs of studio speakers

you have everything you need to get started! you don't need to spend any more money until you decide you want to "upgrade." good luck with your recordings in your new house!

through my rediscovery of Cubase LE came this...

love that tune!