The Best Recording Gear for Beginners

How to choose the right audio and recording equipment for your home studio or mobile rig to match your ambitions, budget and music.

Music recording used to be something that was only done by professionals in large studios full of expensive equipment. To learn the trade, a person generally needed to enroll in a specialized program or apprentice in a studio, giving them access to this equipment. And if musicians wanted to put their songs on record—even just to make a passable demo recording—they needed to shell out some pretty serious dough to buy studio time.

In recent years, that has all changed.

The ever more powerful consumer devices we use—such as laptops, tablets, and even smartphones—are now capable of powering a low-cost recording setup that virtually any musician can afford. With a few well-chosen pieces of recording gear, just about anyone can set up and operate a fully functional home or mobile studio. And that means aspiring producers can get plenty of hands-on experience right in the comfort of their own homes.

This guide will cover some of the most important recording equipment you’ll need to build a mobile or home studio and give you some recommendations for equipment that’s great for starting out. 


One great thing about building a home or mobile recording studio is that you can start with just a few essential pieces of gear, then add or upgrade as you develop your skills and want additional options. This guide will cover the most important pieces of recording equipment: computers, audio interfaces, microphones, headphones, and studio monitors.

We’ll also cover some additional audio gear that can expand your studio to be just what you want it to be.



Recording software and apps


Without audio software programs, computers don’t do a whole lot to help you record and mix music. The software that musicians and engineers use for their music production is commonly referred to as a digital audio workstation (DAW) program, and there are a lot of different DAW options to choose from. Ranging from more basic programs such as Ableton Live 10 Intro to Pro Tools—the choice of most professional studios—there is a DAW program that will match your music, budget and skills.

Most digital audio interfaces (explained in the next section) often include some basic software that should be suitable for most beginners to create near-studio-quality recordings. Those looking for something a little more powerful—with tools to help compose, edit, mix, and arrange music—might consider a software package such as Image Line’s FL Studio, an end-to-end music production program that’s both highly-regarded and affordable enough for beginners.

FL Studio Producer Edition sports a new UI that scales up or down with your screen size while delivering a robust music-production environment. Free updates for life make it a great buy.

Other popular options are Cubas and Nuendo.




Note: article is courtesy of musicianfriend, edited and posted by Audiozilla

Audio interfaces for recording

If you’re using a computer as the center of your recording studio, you need a way to plug in the microphones and other gear you will be recording with. This is where the digital audio interface comes in. Beyond simply offering the types of connections you’ll need, the digital audio interface processes the sound you’re recording and converts it to digital data so your software can work with it. The good news is that most interfaces with USB connectivity are compatible with all the major DAW software titles that work with Mac and Windows computers‹but double-check to be certain.

When looking at audio interfaces, it’s important to find one that has all the connection types you’ll need. You’ll also need to make sure it’s compatible with the type of computer or device you’ll use to record with. So be sure to check the product descriptions for these details.


Built to handle the needs of anyone who records vocals and instrument together, the  Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface delivers a sweet-sounding preamp and instrument input at a great price. The latest edition improves on the excellent sound of the original with a more even gain structure that makes balancing your mixes easier. The instrument input has been upgraded to handle the hottest pickups. Reduced latency means you’ll perform more confidently and be able to run your favorite plug-ins in real time. The Behringer u-phoria series are another good and pocket friendly options to consider, starting from the u-phoria um2. 

If you need more inputs to record vocals and instruments simultaneously, the very affordable Tascam US-16x08 audio interface allows to you to connect up to 8 microphones and 4 instruments while offering the convenience of USB connectivity.





Note: article is courtesy of musicianfriend, edited and posted by Audiozilla

Microphones

A good microphone is one of the most important items in the beginner’s recording setup, as it makes a big impact on how a recorded voice or instrument will sound. To get started, you likely only need one quality microphone that you can put to use recording lots of different sound sources. So you will want to pick a versatile model that sounds good recording a wide range of frequencies.

There are two types of microphones you’ll work with most often: dynamic mics and condenser mics. While dynamic mics are more rugged and often preferred for live performances, condenser mics usually have a better frequency response range and sensitivity, so they’re often the go-to for studio recordings. Many condenser mics require what’s called phantom power, supplied by an external preamp or interface. Be sure to read specs carefully to make sure your rig will provide any necessary power. For on-the-go recording, USB microphones get their juice from the host computer or interface, making them plug and play. Similarly, if you¹re using a tablet or smartphone for audio capture, then an iOS-friendly mic is the way to go.


Condenser microphones tend to be more costly than dynamics, but in recent years, many good-quality, lower-cost models have become available. The Newer NW800, for example, is a great, multi-purpose condenser microphone that includes a shockmount and a pop filter.


For those recording with an iOS device, the Tornor PC USB/iOS Microphone is another good option. This quality condenser mic can plug right into your iOS device from which it also draws its power and can record a wide variety of instruments and vocals with great results. 

There are also many dynamic microphones suitable for the beginning studio setup. The  Shure SM58 is a good choice for vocals and will also serve double duty in live performance.


The Shure SM57 is a fixture in just about every pro recording studio for capturing instruments and vocals and is often used in both live and recording settings to mic guitar amp speakers.


The Blue Spark SL Microphone provides classic, transparent sound and plenty of versatility, with a high-pass filter and -20dB pad, making it capable of accomodating loud vocalists, instruments or amplifiers with ease






Note: article is courtesy of musicianfriend, edited and posted by Audiozilla

Headphones for recording

When you listen back to your recordings, you want the sound to be as accurate as possible so you know what you want to change in your mixes. A good pair of studio headphones is often the most cost-effective option for beginners. Closed-back headphones are essential when you’re recording vocal or instrumental parts over existing music tracks. Their sealed design prevents pre-recorded sound from leaking into the microphone as you monitor the backing track(s) while overdubbing new parts of the music.


Studio headphones vary greatly in price. When you’re just starting out, there’s no need to break the bank. Plenty of good, accurate models are available within an affordable price range. The Numark 125, AKG 52 and Behringer HPS5000 are highly rated products that deliver good accuracy at a beginner-friendly price.







Note: article is courtesy of musicianfriend, edited and posted by Audiozilla

Studio Monitors

The best way to get accurate playback is through speakers specifically designed for the job. These speakers, referred to as studio monitors, come in different designs for different listening environments. In large studios—where the monitors might be positioned some distance from the recording engineer—mid-field or far-field monitors would be most appropriate, as they are designed to produce an accurate sound at a distance.

Near-field monitors, on the other hand, are designed to be positioned directly in front of a listener, so they are the best kind to use in small home studios.

For a beginning recording engineer, a small set of near-field monitors designed for desktop use are a good option, as they fit take up little space while delivering a fair representation of your recording. M-Audio AV42 and AV32 are both good options in this category.


The Mackie CR3 multimedia monitors aren’t much larger than standard computer speakers, but they are built for great sound.







Note: article is courtesy of musicianfriend, edited and posted by Audiozilla

Studio subwoofers

Adding subwoofers for studio monitoring is not always a necessity for recording beginners. However, by adding a more accurate response at low frequencies, subwoofers can enhance the results of your mixes, no matter what type of music you are recording. Of course, if you are planning to record bass-heavy music, such as hip-hop, a subwoofer might be a more essential consideration