Music studios can fit virtually anywhere. With the limited amount of equipment needed to make one, someone can begin producing and recording music in their dorm room with ease.
“I keep all my instruments in one corner of my room except for my [keyboard], which is on my desk next to my laptop and interface,” Aidan Nelson, an Atlanta musician, said. “I have my mic in that corner too. I keep everything there just to save space, since my room is so tiny.”
A music studio can exist in a small corner of a dorm room or even on top of a desk, which allows the artist the ability to create music in the comfort of their own home and advance their abilities at their own pace.
Equipment for a Studio
The music equipment needed to build a studio is very limited in itself. The first piece of equipment someone will need is a laptop with a digital audio workstation, or DAW for short. FL Studio, Ableton and Logic are very popular and affordable DAWs.
“I run Ableton on my laptop, but I started out with FL. I like Ableton cause it’s really simple to me and I can get my ideas down real fast. You can still do a lot with it, though, and since I’m mostly recording live instruments, I can warp the sounds I use with the basic stock plugins,” Nelson said.
DAWs are necessary because they provide different instrument samples, plug-ins and a workspace to lay out and create songs. However, there are other pieces of equipment needed to relay the sounds as cleanly as possible.
Audio interfaces are another necessary component of every studio. Interfaces can be used for a variety of things, but their main purpose is to enhance the computer’s sound capabilities. Most interfaces allow people to connect speakers, microphones, headphones and even instruments to assist them in recording.
“I have a Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio interface to help connect the microphone to my computer,” Eric Kamusau, a junior at Georgia State said. “I have a mic stand, pop filter and two speakers on each side of the computer connected to the interface.”
Once an audio interface is obtained, speakers and other devices need to be purchased to connect to the interface and relay the sound to the musician. Quality monitor speakers and headphones are needed because they allow the highest quality sound to reach the ears of the musician.
“I use 8812 Linear Phase studio monitors, a Scarlett 2i2 Interface and Audio Technica headphones for sound,” Nick Diminico said.
If one wishes to record vocals or instruments, a microphone is required. They can be connected to an audio interface to record even higher quality audio. Mic stands and pop filters are also useful for recording comfortably. Overall, microphones come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and good ones that deliver quality sound can be bought for quite affordable prices.
“For a mic, start with what you can afford,” Nelson said. “Get a USB mic or a Shure sm58. That’s what I started with.”
Another useful tool in a studio, although not necessary, is a MIDI Keyboard. MIDI Keyboards can connect to a computer and serve as controllers to a DAW. They can be used to play different synths and plugins, lay out drum patterns and myriad other uses that can advance one’s musical abilities.
Musical equipment itself can be purchased from many different stores, including online websites, music stores, antique shops and other second-hand sellers.
My jazz bass and classical guitar were actually given to me by a close friend, and I found the old Casio I have in this really big antique store far from my house in Loganville,” Nelson said. “The MicroKorg was the first instrument I bought; I sold my 3ds when I was 15 to help pay for it, and I remember buying it at this second-hand music store in the area. Everything else, I just ordered online.”
Challenges of Having a Home Studio
Though building a studio at a house or in a dorm room can be relatively cheap and easy to do, owning one can come with disadvantages, one of these being dealing with other people living in these spaces.
“A big disadvantage is having roommates and dealing with neighbors, also clothes being everywhere and the room not being treated,” Trey Dowell, a junior at Georgia State, said.
Having roommates or neighbors can limit the ability to record or play music at certain times, which can mess up workflow. Clutter can also be a cause of roommates, or just having a small room to begin with.
“I honestly would really prefer to have a bigger space to work on music. I just like having lots of empty space,” Nelson said. “I don’t know why, but it helps me with my mood. I love big spaces that are also clean, and my room is neither of those. I feel like when I get a place of my own, I’m gonna have as little furniture and things in it as possible just because I really hate clutter.”
Advantages of Having a Home Studio
Although there are some challenges that come with home studios, they can still be very advantageous to musicians.
A benefit of having a studio in a room is the ability for a musician to create at their own pace. There is no need to pay for studio time or rely on someone else’s studio to make music.
“Recording in your own space is the best way to go for me because you’re not out on a time limit,” Kamusau said. “You have the freedom you take as long as you want to get the finished product whenever you want. You also get to learn a lot about music production in the process.”
Overall, a home studio can provide a place where a musician can be comfortable when creating. This can allow one’s creativity to flow, and for a musician to grow their skills.
“I’m always comfortable, which is important to me. I really need to be able to focus and pay attention to what I need to add to the mix, what ideas to use for laying down the chord progressions, but most importantly, what melodies I should use. And it’s a lot easier for me to do those things when I’m the most comfortable with my surroundings and myself,” Nelson said.
