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This article is written by Caleb J. Murphy, a songwriter-producer based in Austin, Tx., who also runs the blog Musician With A Day Job. His blog focuses on how to be a successful musician even with a day job. When he’s not making music or writing, he’s hanging out with his family or the few friends he has left.  In this article, Caleb breaks down the bare minimum of what you’ll need to make a decent sound from your own home recording set-up. Read on to the very end and you’ll even get to hear a recent song Caleb wrote, performed, and produced from his personal home recording studio.

A lot of musicians just don’t have the budget for the fanciest and newest recording equipment. But nowadays, you don’t need much.  So let’s talk about the bare essentials of what you’ll need. Here are the absolute necessities for a workable home recording studio.

Computer

Unless you’re going to record everything on your phone (which people like Steve Lacy of The Internet have done), you’ll need a computer.  Just use the computer you already own or buy a non-expensive but usable computer. If you’re just starting out, use what you have and save up for a nicer one. And if your laptop or desktop (what is this, the 90’s?) has the power to run Audacity, it will work just fine. Audacity is the simplest Digital Audio Workstation in existence, and it’s free.

Speaking of DAWs…

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

This is the free Audacity Digital Audio Workstation
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Audacity, Free Digital Audio Workstation

After you’ve figured out what computer you’re going to use, find a DAW that it will run. If you have a semi-recent laptop, it should be able to run Reaper or Audacity, two free but solid DAWs for beginner and intermediate producers. And if you have a MacBook, it will be preloaded with GarageBand, a fantastic DAW to use if you’re just starting out. Just make sure you’re comfortable with the DAW you choose. It has to be easy to use — it’s a tool that allows you to easily make music. It shouldn’t be hindering your creativity.

Audio Interface

If you want to record a live instrument, you will need an audio interface. You can get by recording vocals with a USB mic that goes directly into your computer, but, as of right now, there are not mainstream instruments, like acoustic, electric, or bass guitars, with USB connections.

 

And you can start with a simple interface, like the Focusrite Scarlett Solo, a device with one input that accepts either an XLR cable or a quarter-inch cable. I use the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and it has performed superbly.

Microphone

“I make instrumental music. I don’t need a mic,” you might say.

Well, what if you want to collab with a singer on one of your tracks? And you never know — maybe you decide to record your voice for a song. Along with a mic, you’ll also need an XLR Cable, mic stand, and a pop filter. And you can pick up all of those things for less than $200.

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Headphones

You can get a decent pair of Sennheiser headphones for around $100. Not a bad deal, and a necessary piece of your home studio. You’ll use headphones for editing, mixing, and monitoring. An obvious part of any studio. But I had to mention it, just to be sure.

Desk

I don’t mean to sound like your mother, but you should make sure you’re sitting up straight. If you don’t work at a desk, you may find yourself slouching.  But here’s the good news: you can get a decent desk for super cheap or even free. Hit up your local thrift store. Go to garage sales. Look in the Facebook flea market or ask your Facebook friends if anyone is selling or giving away an office desk.  Buying a brand new desk at your local Staples or on Amazon should be your last resort. Just make sure your computer can be at eye height so you’re not hunched over it like an animal. I just took a small wooden crate, flipped it upside down, and put my laptop on top of that.

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Comfy Chair

Because you’ll probably be spending hours making music, you’ll need a comfy chair. As with the desk, you can find a nice one at your local thrift store or from a friend.   But of course, if you have back problems, it may be worth spending a bit more on a new office chair. When inspiration hits, you want your general comfort to be the last thing you have to think of.

The Point: You Don’t Need Much

A lot of my equipment people gave to me or I got it for super cheap. Or I bought it new but for a reasonable price. The keyboard I’m typing on right now (which I also use for shortcuts while recording)? Got it at a thrift store for a couple bucks. The chair I’m sitting on was from my former employer.  My sound system was from a garage sale. People have given me guitars, including a super nice 5-string Ibanez bass guitar.

Here’s my point: you don’t need loads of cash to put together a decent home recording studio. Work with what you have and be creative with how you get the other stuff.

[bctt tweet=”Work with what you have and be creative with how you get the other stuff.” username=”IndieArtistsDIY”]

And once you get these bare essentials, you’ll have enough to start making music from your bedroom, basement, or garage.

Listen to Caleb’s latest Single from his album, Everybody Breaks. Caleb wrote, performed, and produced the entire album from his home studio.  

Everybody Breaks

How we recorded “Everybody Breaks”:

  • Caleb J. Murphy (vocals, guitars, drum programming with the Addictive Drums plugin)
  • Dom Versace (bass): came to my home studio, spent a few hours tracking bass (he already had the parts planned out from when we played the song live)
  • Josh Williams (keys): came to my home studio, spent a few hours tracking keys
  • Ben Saylor (saxophone): recorded the parts he had already come up with at his house (he already had the parts planned out from when we played the song live)

I emailed my subscriber list (here’s the email) asking if anyone wanted to sing BGVs on this song. Four people responded and ended up on the track.

Follow Caleb on Twitter and get tips on how to be a musician with a Day Job on his blog. Sign up for Caleb’s free Resource Guide – How to Be a Musician With a Day Job.

Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission (with no additional cost to you). Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.

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