Home recording studio. Equipment

Of course, if you have composed one or two songs, then it is better to use it already ready-made studio. Many recording studios offer their services. But there are authors who have already written a dozen songs and have plans to continue their work. In this case, it is better to equip a recording studio at home. But how to do that? There are two ways.

First way simple. It includes the minimum of what is needed for a fairly high-quality recording:

• sound card with microphone and line inputs;
• a computer that meets the system requirements of the sound card;
• a sound recording and mixing program installed on a computer;
• headphones;
• microphone cord;
• microphone.

Every musician who understands computer technology, he will be able to assemble such a system himself. But there is also second, more complicated method. It assumes those studio components that were indicated in the first method, and also optional equipment for more high-quality audio recording. Namely:

• mixing console with two subgroups;
• audio compressor;
• voice processor (reverb);
• acoustic system;
• patch cords to connect it all;
• a room isolated from extraneous noise.

Now let's take a closer look at the main components for a home recording studio.

In what room should the recording take place?

The room (announcer's room) in which audio recording is planned should ideally be separate from the room in which the equipment will be located. Noise from device fans, buttons, faders can “contaminate” the recording.

Interior decoration should minimize reverberation within the room. This can be achieved by hanging thick rugs on the walls. It is also necessary to take into account that a small room, unlike a large one, has a lower level of reverberation.

What to do with the mixing console?

In order to connect all the devices together and send a signal to the sound card, you need a mixing console with two subgroups.

The remote control is switched as follows. A microphone is connected to the microphone line. From this line a send is made to subgroups (no send is made to the general output). The subgroups are connected to the linear input of the sound card. A signal is also sent from the subgroups to the common output. The linear output of the sound card is connected to the linear input of the remote control. From this line a send is made to the general output, to which the speaker system is connected.

If there is a compressor, it is connected through the “break” (Insert) of the microphone line. If there is a reverb, then the unprocessed signal from the Aux-out of the microphone line is supplied to it, and the processed signal is returned to the console at the line input and sent from this line to the subgroups (no send is made to the general output). The headphones receive a signal from the Aux-out of the microphone line, the computer line and the reverb line.

What happens is this: IN speaker system the following sound picture is heard: a phonogram from a computer, a voice from a microphone and processing from a reverb. The same thing sounds in the headphones, only separately adjusted at the Aux output of all these lines. Only the signal from the microphone line and from the line to which the reverb is connected is sent to the sound card.

Microphone and microphone cord

The key element of a sound studio is the microphone. The quality of the microphone determines whether a high-quality audio recording will be made. You should choose microphones from companies that make professional equipment. If possible, the microphone should be a studio microphone, since it is the one that has the most “transparent” frequency response. The microphone cord must be symmetrically wired. Simply put, it should have not two, but three contacts.

Sound card, computer and software

As mentioned earlier, for simple operation you need a sound card with a microphone input. This is necessary in order to connect a microphone to a computer without a mixing console. But if you have a remote control, a microphone input in the sound card is not required. The main thing is that it contains line input(In) and output (Out).

System requirements The “sound” of the computer is not high. The main thing is that it contains a processor with clock frequency not lower than 1 GHz and RAM not less than 512 MB.

The program for recording and mixing sound must have multi-track recording. The phonogram is played from one track, and the voice is recorded on the other. The program settings should be such that the track with the soundtrack is assigned to the output of the sound card, and the track for recording is assigned to the input.

Compressor and reverb

Many semi-professional mixing consoles already have a built-in compressor (Comp) and reverb (Rev). But using them for high-quality audio recording is not recommended. In the absence of a separate compressor and reverb, you should use the software analogues of these devices, which are available in a multi-track recording program.

All this will be enough to create a recording studio. With such equipment, there will be no question of how to make a high-quality audio recording.

Hi all! Today I will tell you how I built my home studio.
The post will be updated in the future, when furniture for the work area is designed and built.

Stage one. Design.

So, let's go. Design work began in May 2016. First, a plan was made for the apartment in Sketchup for easier planning working area. In general, it was possible to work in both Rhino and 3dsMax, but Sketchup is the most suitable for these purposes. convenient program. The actual dimensions of the wall corners differed quite well from the BTI measurements, with different scatters. Both positive and negative. But after working with the tape measure everything actual sizes were transferred to 3D space. When we started designing, there was only a bed as furniture, but a store with models helped a lot. We managed to download and arrange bedside tables, a wardrobe, and a TV area. In general, plan a symbiosis of living and working space in a living room of 20 square meters.

Sketches of the working area.

We do the wiring with a 6 kW cable with grounding. No frills, everything is hardcore. The consumption of a single diode light bulb in the studio is negligible, so there is no point in talking about short circuits or heating of the wiring. Moreover, the wire passes between the non-flammable insulation according to the bruterbrod principle.

LED lamp. Doesn't emit heat, which is very important! Any 60 fleece would heat this volume in 5 minutes to the temperature of the bath.

Finishing door cavities. Heat/sound insulation material.

Gluing sound-absorbing Euroblocks.

The door will be made in the same way according to the bruterbrod principle. Many layers of different materials.

A very dusty job. Laying insulation. It is important to protect your respiratory system, eyes and skin during the process.

Vapor barrier Izospan. It does not allow moisture into the insulation, and does not let fine dust from it into the room.

Temporary testing of equipment and testing.

Gluing layers of Euroblock to the door.

It was decided to cover the ceiling with the remains of plywood. Otherwise, it would not have been possible to attach the carpet without sagging.

There are minor visual flaws, but sound absorption is important to me. The visual part comes second.

Meanwhile, the acoustic foam arrived. For those who are not in the know, these are pyramids designed to disperse sound. In the photo it is still flattened, because... was packed in a tight roll. But after 3 days of lying down, he straightened up and transformed!!!

The fashionable word “studio” today refers to a one-room apartment that combines all the main areas: kitchen-dining room, living room and bedroom. In addition to them, there is space in the room for a workroom and a dressing room, thanks to which housing with a small area becomes multifunctional.

It should be noted that despite the apparent simplicity of arranging a studio apartment, its design should be thought through especially carefully, because just one detail or area placed incorrectly can significantly reduce the level of your personal comfort.

Incorrect zoning

The cornerstone of all studio apartments is the zoning of space, which further determines the convenience, practicality and functionality of a small open-plan home. That is why you cannot treat the delimitation of the room carelessly and improvidently, for example, by installing a dining group near the bed.

Combining a dining room and a bedroom is a rather strange decision, comparable in absurdity to a kitchen-bathroom.

Right:
The layout of a studio apartment should be clear and as convenient and logical as possible: the kitchen should be combined with a dining room, a dining room with a living room, a bedroom with a work or dressing area.

1

Low light

Even if your apartment is quite modest in size, this does not mean that it is enough to install one light source, for example, in the form of a horn chandelier. Most likely, the remaining areas, especially the remote areas of the studio apartment, will not be properly lit, which will generally lead to a feeling of discomfort.

Right:
In small apartments, in which the main room is divided into several functional areas, partitions are often erected. And in the case of a poor lighting system, the space is “fragmented” and turns into uncomfortable and rather gloomy. This effect can be avoided if you install an artificial light source for each individual zone: a chandelier in the living room, pendants in the kitchen, a floor lamp in the bedroom area, etc.

2

Bed at the entrance

When you get into a studio apartment, it’s completely unexpected to see a sleeping bed located close to front door. Needless to say, this is extremely impractical, and you won’t be able to have privacy or simply relax.

Right:
When planning the space of a small apartment, try to install the bed as far as possible from the entrance. Ideally, it should be located on the opposite side or in the farthest corner. In the foreground it is worth placing the kitchen, living room or dressing room area.

2

Non-functional furniture

You should not use heavy furniture in a studio setting that does not have additional function. Thus, it is not entirely justified to place a squat massive wardrobe, sofas or armchairs that do not fold out, as well as stationary tables and large chairs.

Right:
If you are looking for a dining table, pay attention to folding models that are compact when assembled; the bed can replace a sofa with a pull-out mattress, and a built-in structure along the wall will accommodate part of the wardrobe, books and dishes.

3

Without Borders

A one-room apartment, in which one zone smoothly flows into another, has the right to exist. But to be honest, such a stop is more reminiscent of a hostel and does not have the comfort of a real, lived-in space.

Right:
Build a light partition between the living room and kitchen area, highlight the bedroom with color, and the dining room with a material with an original texture. Even such a seemingly insignificant visual distinction will make the studio voluminous and also more orderly.

2

Untapped potential

Quite often, studio apartments are distinguished by significant ceiling heights, and this obvious advantage many ignore and completely unjustifiably. As a result, in a large room, it is sometimes difficult to find space for a wardrobe, work area or dining table.

Right:
Use the opportunities provided wisely, namely, in a high room it is appropriate to build a mezzanine floor for the sleeping area, or in a certain place to raise the floor level. Inside such a podium you can place sections for storing things and make the furnishings of the apartment more original.

6

Monotonous design

Gone are the days when only two or three primary colors were used in the interior of an apartment, as well as restrained textures and monotonous shapes. Today such design would be called tasteless, almost elevating it to the rank of archaism.

2

Right:
Designers strongly recommend not to be afraid to mix textures, especially natural ones: wood and metal, glass and stone. In addition, the noble combination of different shades of a natural color palette, characteristic of an eclectic interior, is welcomed.

In the studio you can apply the main features of modern style (for example, loft, Scandinavian, boho) and classical design trends (neoclassicism, classicism).

Bad storage systems

A studio apartment is a small living space where you will have to be especially careful about how and where to place a large number of necessary things, objects, equipment. Therefore, purchasing and installing retro furniture, antique items and small organizers will not be justified.

Right:
The best thing you can do to further the comfort and functionality of a small space is to order a built-in, floor-to-ceiling closet design with plenty of sections, drawers, rods and shelves to conveniently store clothes, Appliances, bed linen and more.

Only if you have a basic and fairly spacious storage system in your studio apartment, can you think about placing vintage or modern designer pieces of furniture in the interior.

What windows!

Window decoration can be called a separate independent area in interior design, and in small apartments, in particular one-room apartments, openings are either ignored or decorated too lavishly. Of course, neither the first nor the second option is suitable when we are talking about housing with a pair of windows with access to one side of the house.

So, if you deprive them of decoration, you can create the impression of understatement, and if you decorate them with too thick curtains, they will take all the attention and partially deprive the room of light during the daytime.

Right:
IN in this case, it is important to stick to the golden mean, and as a textile design choose fairly light, flowing floor-length curtains, complemented by transparent tulle or Roman blinds that softly diffuse the rays of light during the day.

1

Bedroom area at the head

Returning to the bedroom area in the space of a studio apartment, it is important to note that it is not correct to plan the furnishings based on the area of ​​the bed. Speaking of a modest room, such as a studio, the bed cannot be made the main, key object around which the entire layout is built. You will not feel completely comfortable, you will not be able to relax in the company of friends, and the room will seem smaller if the bed is installed in its center.

Right:
If possible, determine the most remote area of ​​a one-room apartment for the sleeping area, as mentioned earlier. Also, it will be better if in addition to it you use a partition, a ceiling cornice with curtains or sliding doors that will provide privacy under any circumstances.

Musicians are creative people, and for productive work they need freedom. And for a musician, freedom often equals the ability to record material whenever and however you want. Every musician thinks about how to create a personal studio with their own hands. This solution is a way to overcome dependence on the work schedules of professional studios. In addition, this is an additional degree of creative freedom. Let's look into the issue and find out how to create a recording studio at home with your own hands.

How does a recording studio work?

Let's conduct a short educational program on the topic of what a full-fledged studio is. To record music you need:

• Acoustically prepared room. This is a topic for a separate article. However, below we will touch on the basic principles of equipping a studio space
• Sound recording equipment. The list of necessary “hardware” is extensive, but for starters, a “gentleman’s kit” will suffice: a computer with sound editor, sound card or USB interface, external preamplifier (preamp), monitors and headphones. Over time, the list expands to include a variety of mixing consoles, microphones, MIDI controllers, and so on.
• Sound recording aids. It doesn’t matter in what form you receive knowledge: from books or video tutorials on Youtube, you will need knowledge. A musician who decides to set up a studio at home automatically becomes his own producer. The listenability and quality of the recording now depends on it

Let's talk about how the studio is structured in general. An idea of ​​studio work can easily be obtained from documentaries, of which musical groups produce many. A classic studio consists of two separate rooms: a recording room and a control room. In the first, as the name implies, the recording process occurs. There is located necessary equipment: microphones, amplifiers. Half of the control room is occupied by the mixing console (the same panel with a million knobs and buttons), other controllers, and studio monitors.

In the case of “live” bands, parts of individual instruments are recorded in turn: starting with drums and ending with bass. It’s easier for electronic musicians in this sense, because they don’t have to perform anything “live.” But general rules the entries apply to them as well.

In a home studio, creating two spacious rooms isolated from each other is not often possible. Therefore, it is important to adapt the room in such a way that it can fulfill both roles at the same time.

Let's move on to the question of how to make a home recording studio with your own hands. Entire articles and books are written about the acoustic preparation of a room, so we will only touch on the main aspects that the equipment of a room for sound recording cannot do without. Let's start with choosing a room.

Choosing a room

There is a stereotype that not every room is suitable for acoustic preparation. That a studio is necessarily a house on the outskirts, which becomes a source of increased seismic activity and headaches for neighbors. This is wrong: special requirements no to studio spaces. Moreover, in Russia, studios are often equipped in office and residential buildings. The main thing here is good sound insulation. If it is done at the proper level, neither the inhabitants of the studios nor their neighbors will guess about each other’s existence. This means that turning your home into a studio without harming others is quite possible.

For everything to work out, when choosing a room for a studio (if you have a choice at all), adhere to the following principles:

• The more spacious the room, the better. Yes, small, cozy spaces make you feel creative. But as new hardware is acquired, such rooms turn into warehouses for equipment and instruments, with no room left for the musician.
• Noise is enemy number one. No one will like it if on the recording, in addition to instruments, you can hear a garbage truck working outside the window or birds singing.
• Gender is the foundation. Make sure that it is smooth and free of obvious defects (cracks, potholes, etc.). Keep in mind that you will have to install a “floating floor” in the room, which will be discussed below.

When the room has been chosen, it's time to think about sound insulation.

Studio soundproofing

Making a separate room - a studio in an apartment is difficult, but possible. This can be achieved in a number of ways: from “decorating” the walls with carpets and blankets to complete acoustic repairs. The first method is cheap and cheerful, the second is expensive but effective. Let's stop there.

To turn a room into a full-fledged studio, you will have to work hard. In the process, the hand of the master (or the musician himself) will touch every plane in the room from floor to ceiling. So, proper sound insulation includes:

• Installation of sound-absorbing coating on the walls. In apartment conditions, a multilayer sheet covering is used for this. The result is a “sandwich” of plywood, plasterboard and gypsum fiber sheet, which is placed on top of the wall of the room.
• Installation of a “floating floor”. For a home studio, a floor consisting of layers of mineral wool, plywood, calcined sand (yes, sand), and acoustic rubber is suitable. Using the classic version with a concrete screed for home studio equipment is unreasonably expensive and difficult.
• Installation of suspended ceilings. If there is a lot of space in the room, then the best option The ceiling will be laid on a frame made of sound-absorbing walls. The composition of the ceiling repeats the composition of the sound-absorbing walls.
• Installation of acoustic doors. Main principle– make the gateway out of double doors whenever possible. It is necessary that the doors have anti-resonance properties and dampen sound vibrations.
• Additional glazing of windows. The thicker the window, the better it dampens sound waves.

Results

It is possible to turn a room into a studio. Yes, it is expensive and difficult, but the result of the work done will result in high-quality recordings and additional creative freedom. When equipping a home studio, solutions used in the construction of full-fledged studios are not available. But making demos recorded at home sound decent is quite possible. The range of options here is large: both the blankets mentioned above and full-fledged and expensive repairs are used. In the second case, the musician will receive a room adapted for recording music. In a properly isolated room, you can turn on the amplifiers at full volume without worrying about the peace of mind of your neighbors. And they will stop bothering you with unnecessary noise in the evenings. Don’t forget about the recording equipment itself, the selection of which is discussed in one article.

A recording studio at home is perhaps the dream of any musician, composer, arranger. Has it happened to you more than once that a brilliant idea arose in your head and you urgently needed to write it down on sound file, or a muse came to you and instantly your soul demanded to record a demo of a new hit. In such cases you understand that home studio this is the best way out of the situation. After all, this is a tool that is always at hand. Any time of the day or night.

Fortunately, in our technologically advanced 21st century, this dream may well become a reality. Every home now has at least one computer, or even for every family member. This means that from now on each of us has a unique opportunity to establish high-quality sound recording and mastering without leaving home!

The information provided below is the result of more than one year of painstaking work, trial and error of my fellow beatmakers, my accumulated personal experience. I believe that experience should be shared, because... I believe in the statement: today you will help, and tomorrow you will. And the plus to karma has not been canceled)) Well, let's get started!

So what does a home studio consist of?

Computer or laptop

Sound card

Studio monitors speakers headphones

They will become great helpers in your work:

Midi keyboard controller

Microphone

Live instruments

Now let's look at all this separately.

1.Computer or laptop

I am sure that now everyone already has a computer, but if you are serious about the matter, your iron friend may need to be updated.

Key points:

There should be a lot on your hard drive free space for plugins, samples, projects and the like, don’t bother free space rubbish, because Every megabyte can be useful. It would be nice to have extra HDD. Pay attention to what the processor costs, because if it is weak, then the DAW ( Digital Audio Workstation or in other words sequencer) will be stupid as hell.

Audio interface, sound card, mixer

The next important step is to take care of where the studio monitors and microphone will be connected.

Here are a couple of options:

USB audio interface ROLAND TRI-CAPTURE

M-AUDIO M-TRACK

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS COMPLETE AUDIO 6

Studio monitors, speakers, headphones

The most ideal mixing option, of course, is studio monitors. But there are different reasons, for which not everyone can afford them. In this case, ordinary people come to the rescue quality speakers or even headphones.

YAMAHA HS50M

YAMAHA HS80M

AKG K141 MKII

SENNHEISER HD 439

MIDI keyboard, controller

It should be said that having a midishka in your home will make your life much easier. It is much more convenient to play/fill out parts on special keyboard, rather than scribbling in Piano-Roll. My advice: get a 24-key keyboard. Convenient enough.