Kit list for home studio

H-Junior

Hi all - apologies if this has been covered elsewhere...

I'm very new to this and just wondering what I will need to purchase in order to be able to record guitar and keyboard at home using my Windows 10 i7 laptop. From doing some research on the web it looks like I will need a music interface, monitor speakers - (do these plug directly in to the laptop?) and DAW software. I have read that Cakewalk was the best but I'm seeing Reaper mentioned here. Some music interfaces have MIDI inputs and others don't, will I need MIDI inputs for guitar/keyboards? Which ones are the best?

I don't want to spend a lot, hopefully less than £500 if possble (I already have the laptop)

Years ago I used a TASCAM 8 track multi-recorder...seems like the game has changed

Thanks for the advice and, again, apologies if this type of question has already been covered here. Any help much appreciated.

John_A

Speakers plug in to the audio interface, this then replaces the sound card in your laptop so all audio will come out of them

a zillion options, here’s some cheap but good

https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/Behringer-U-PHORIA-UMC202HD-USB-Studio-Pack/2KWM

https://www.studiospares.com/Headphones-and-Speakers/Studio-Monitors/Studiospares-Seiwin-5A-Studio-Monitors---Monitor-Pads_248041.htm?ne=AQAAAAMAAAAEDFN0dWRpb3NwYXJlcw==

plus whatever software you go for

fendergibson

Heartily recommend Reaper, free at first but you’ll want to buy it for not much at all once you get into it 

H-Junior

Thanks both, much appreciated. Downloaded Reaper yesterday, like the look of it already

lukedlb

Hi, I’m doing a similar thread but with an old Mac. 
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/174175/what-equipment-do-i-need-to-start-a-simple-high-quality-recording-setup#latest

TheBigDipper

I"m a fan of having MIDI in and thru/out sockets on my audio interface. Not all drum machines or keyboards can use USB - esp. older models. 

Legionreturns

A lot will depend on how and what you want to record. 

The quickest and cheapest results are achieved by recording direct to the audio interface from a direct out of an amp or multi fx board for guitar, or the phones/ speaker out of your keyboard. In this case you'll just need the cables, and an audio interface. You can also plug headphones into the AI, so speakers aren't an absolute must initially. 

Purists will tell you to record dry guitar signal and apply effects in the daw, in which case you'll need vsts and plugins to do this on the computer. Reaper includes a basic library for this but you'll want better ones for more professional sounding results. 

If you want to record vocals, a decent condensor mic is way better than a dynamic one so add that to your list. 

Your life will be infinitely easier if you record to a click. 

John_A

No affiliation but 20% off monitors at studiospares

H-Junior

Thanks everyone!  

H-Junior

I think I have my shopping list sorted for now...
Studio Monitors - PreSonus Eris E3.5
Audio Interface - Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen

Going to get a keyboard at some point as well, probably a Korg...

Musicwolf

I don't know those monitors but, as they are entry level, I expect that they will be fine for your needs at this stage.

The Focusrite should be fine provided that you don't need to record more than 2 tracks simultaneously.  I use one or two tracks 99% of the time and probably only use 3 tracks because I can (and then 2 would have been perfectly acceptable).

Are you recording vocals or acoustic instruments?  If so, you'll need headphones.  Closed back headphones are best for recording (tracking) so that sound doesn't spill into the mic (particularly annoying if you are using a click whilst tracking).  For mixing / critical listening then open backed headphones are generally better.

When you come to play back your mixes on other systems / other locations you are inevitably going to discover that things are not how you expected.  This is because your monitors / room will not be neutral or ‘flat’. the low end in particular will be a problem.  What is happening is that sound will be reaching your ear via several paths.  Direct from the monitors but also reflected off multiple walls / floor / ceiling / desk top etc.  These waves will combine constructively and destructively giving you different results at different frequencies and different positions.  Imagine painting a picture in a room light by coloured lights.  Your colour choice will be compromised and, when you take the finished painting outdoors or onto another room, the colours in your painting will look odd. 

The solution is to treat the room with absorber, diffusers and bass traps or, in the real world of small rooms and shared domestic spaces, check your mixes using good quality open backed headphones.  I use AKG K702s (c£100).  Spending this money on headphones is a better bet than spending the same amount on ‘better’ monitors.

H-Junior

@Musicwolf Thank you so much for that, really useful info - will check out those headphones

H-Junior

I've ordered the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 from GAK and the Presonus Eris 3.5 studio monitors from Amazon. I'll let you all know how I get on.