building a home studio: Audio Recording

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KingKapua96

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What's up y'all. I'm an upcoming artist and was looking into building my own home studio. As of right now I'm short on money and want to get something started at least. I'm looking at HP laptops until I could afford something like a MacBook. So my two main questions are; 1. When it comes to Windows Laptops (or Desktops) what are the best brands to look at when setting up a studio? 2. Do you guys recommend using FL Studio to record on windows or is there a better software I could use instead. Any other tips and recommendations towards a home studio in total is greatly appreciated. Let me know what Y'all think :cool:
 
My take on your questions:

1) it's less about the brand of the computer, and more about the specs of the hardware inside. All brands make some lemons, and most brands make some good computers. It depends on what you're planning to do with it. Audio tracks? MIDI? VST FX? VST instruments? Lots and lots of tracks or a few? Tell us your use case and your budget and we can be more specific with recommendations.

2) FL Studio is fine, but so are most of the other big DAWs. Think about your use case, what you plan to do, then download demos of all of the DAWs and give them a try to see what fits your needs and your workflow. They all do mostly the same stuff, but in different ways.

Give us some details about what kind of music, what kind of instruments, how many simultaneous things you're planning on recording and we can be more helpful.
 
So basically I want to use my studio to produce my own beats and if I purchase a beat just record my audio over it. I rap and sing so it would a mixture of both styles. (Primarily Hip-Hop music) I won't be too big on mixing and mastering just yet, I have someone for that at the moment, but I would like to be able to experiment and learn how to do that myself. For right now it would only be for audio tracks but I would definitely evolve my space to accommodate for instruments. Not in a rush for that though, I'll just go to a professional studio. Overall I'm looking for quality on a $2k - $3k budget. Something good enough to get me by until my career can pay for itself. Like I said I'm just starting out and I have people I can send my tracks to and places to record, but I also want the option to record and create something when an idea pops in my head while I'm sitting at home y'know? I had my eye on Chromebook, HP, and Dell computers. I want something that will hold it's own against all the software and plugins required to run a studio set up. I'd hate to spend mad money on a set up just for it to break down on me. So, any recommendations in regards to that?
 
Unless you have a desperate need for a laptop you might consider a Desk Top PC? The paper specc's of laps can be impressive but they can have hidden CPU throttling systems that canot be undone. They need the ministrations of a tech' as a rule to fix or upgrade and can be limited on connectivity. Unless you drop a very decent coin on them you will find the small screen limiting (but see later)

Of course. a DT lacks keyboard, mouse and monitor but the first two are peanuts and the latter can be an FSTV via VGA or HDMI (this is the "later" for the laptop) The tower can house multiple hard drives that you can fit yourself but the main "C" drive should be an SSD. The DT will sport PCIe slots where you can fit additional cards. Sometimes the graphics card in PC is a problem with audio (but I admit rarely these days) and with a laptop you are stuck with the incumbent. Almost all computers are super reliable these days but desktops almost never fail and even if something does bork, easily swapped out.

But, having said ALL that! I have just bought my son a refurbished Lenovo T430 (i5, 256G SSD, 8G ram) for ~$400 US (me ££s) It looks to be much slicker than this i3 HP laptop I type on but even that has run 20+ tracks of Cubase no sweat (but not many pluggins) The T430 is a 14" screen and I would not recommend one for "serious" work but then there is always the external display option.

DAW software? Reaper is of course always excellent but you might just catch the Samplitude Pro X 3 bargain if you are quick.

Dave.
 
KingKapua96 said:
So basically I want to use my studio to produce my own beats and if I purchase a beat just record my audio over it. I rap and sing so it would a mixture of both styles. (Primarily Hip-Hop music) I won't be too big on mixing and mastering just yet, I have someone for that at the moment, but I would like to be able to experiment and learn how to do that myself. For right now it would only be for audio tracks but I would definitely evolve my space to accommodate for instruments. Not in a rush for that though, I'll just go to a professional studio. Overall I'm looking for quality on a $2k - $3k budget. Something good enough to get me by until my career can pay for itself. Like I said I'm just starting out and I have people I can send my tracks to and places to record, but I also want the option to record and create something when an idea pops in my head while I'm sitting at home y'know? I had my eye on Chromebook, HP, and Dell computers. I want something that will hold it's own against all the software and plugins required to run a studio set up. I'd hate to spend mad money on a set up just for it to break down on me. So, any recommendations in regards to that?
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Sm7b and any interface that has enough gain to use it. I'm not the one to offer advice on interfaces, but that is what you want for a mic. IMO.
 
Pretty well all the big names in software have cut down versions, so my advice is only buy something with an upgrade path. You might just give up, but you might really get into it - changing software is a killer. I started with Cubase on an Atari 520 computers in black and white - the first computer with a mouse and a graphics screen. I'm still on Cubase. It's not the best, but it is the best for me. If you read magazines like the UK Sound on Sound, they gave up trying to pick the 'best' years ago and every month have tips for all the popular ones, because each has a dedicated user base. Try a few out in the demo versions, find the one that appeals and away you go. Things like Cubase can be daunting. The simple ones appear much nicer, but you run out of steam quickly.

I'd echo Dave's comments on a desktop. Laptops, in the powerful ones are very expensive. Cheaper laptops can fall short in maximum memory, faster processors and lots of sockets without adaptors. I can run Cubase on my MacBook if I have to, but everything hangs off - including hard drives, because the internal one is too small. I've also now got three monitors on my desktop - it's stuff like this that tip the scales. Laptops are convenient, but just awkward. That said, many love them, and have the funds for powerful ones.
 
Audio 'beats' or whatever backing tracks are the minimal you need. What is needed is a decent interface/mic and a decently treated room.

It blows my mind how simple it is to do this well. Condenser this and condenser that... Bullshit.

For hip hop rap, hands down a sm7b and a decent interface with simple acoustic treatment. Buy good beats or rap over the the free ones till you got something worth listening to.

I am not talking out my ass. I have a crew that do this every other week. My suburban gangsta's! lol

Seriously they are really good, or I wouldn't bother....
 
"I'd echo Dave's comments on a desktop. Laptops, in the powerful ones are very expensive. Cheaper laptops can fall short in maximum memory, faster processors and lots of sockets without adaptors. I can run Cubase on my MacBook if I have to, but everything hangs off - including hard drives, because the internal one is too small. I've also now got three monitors on my desktop - it's stuff like this that tip the scales. Laptops are convenient, but just awkward. That said, many love them, and have the funds for powerful ones. "

Nice of thee to say so Rob! Yes, I got my son a LtP because he is an itinerate bugger! He shares a flat on the channel coast but dives about. He does not even have a tellie in the flat so a DT is out because he can't lug it all back with him.
And yes, he will end up with a dangly mess. I am getting him a 1TB USB drive and he has a Souncraft 8fx USB mixer and a Digitech pedak that is USB (Ooo! Better hunt him up a USB 3.0 powered hub!) Thankfully the T430 has a built in DVD drive/burner else THAT would be external!

I have also got him a Mini-Dispaly port to HDMI adaptor and HDMI cable SHOULD he happen upon a telly!

Re the OP and a 7b. Way to go if you can of course but has anyone tried one directly into a standard AI such as a F'ritr 2i4, Steiney UR22 or a Tascam? I am thinking really close, the gain would be "adequate"? My NI KA6 only has about 55 dB but the noise is low enough even flat out to make a fair job of acoustic guitar at about a foot with a '57.

Dave.
 
There's at least one review out there where a guy is using the SM7b into a 2i2 or 2i4. It works but he admits that he has to raise the gain in post, i.e., you might not get the level you want [in the raw track] needed for the mix. He was a doing mostly spoken word though, so obviously not screaming into the mic.

"Short on money" does not say SM7b to me, though. I'd say get an SM58 or SM57 with a foam windscreen. Quite possibly close enough. (Even those will push some interfaces to the edge of noise if the input is low, though.)
 
2-3K is a decent amount to start with. I’d check out other beat makers studios and gear. I know a lot like FL studio, while others like Reason, others like Reaper with MPC . Try out different mics. There is no, one mic fits all. Shure SM7b is a great start but, be sure and check it out first, it may not be the right mic for you. There’s a bunch of options, you just need to research and find what’s best. I second the desktop over laptop. I only use my laptops for mobile recording,
 
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