How
do I build a Home Studio?
PART
I - Your PC configuration
First of all, we are making the assumption that we are
talking to those of you who already know you want to
set up a home studio.
For
those of you who have traditionally recorded in commercial
studios and may have felt that it was the only way to
get a pro quality recording, or maybe it seemed too
expensive or complicated, we are here to tell you that
things have changed and it might be very beneficial
for you to look at the options that are available now.
You really can create a pro level recording at home
on your computer and we show you how. Atleast, try to...
We realize that some of you will have very different
backgrounds and experience in recording and also that
you may have very different goals than what we have.
Nonetheless, we are convinced that the same combination
of hardware and software, with only a few variations,
is the very best answer to pretty much all your recording
needs. Keep in mind we are gearing this column towards
the home studio as opposed to a commercial studio.
The first piece of hardware is the computer itself
and the PC running Windows 98SE, 2000 or XP is the absolute
best choice. These days it seems like the "average"
home computer is somewhere between a P4 2.4GHz onwards, a few Gigs of Hard Drive (20GB upwards), between 128 to 512 megs
of RAM etc. So, many of you already have the main workhorse
of the studio sitting right there on your desktop. There
was a time when the Mac had a jump on the PC but those
days are long gone and with the huge choice of software
and peripherals and the flexibility of being able to
upgrade easily, the PC is the hands-down winner. Mac machines also create fantastic home studios too. Most hardwares / softwares are both Mac and PC compatible.
If you already have a suitable computer, the remaining
expense involved in getting it fitted with the right
software and audio card will be extremely reasonable.
If you do not have a computer, you may be tempted by
the vast array of stand-alone direct to hard disk devices
out now by all the big companies. Roland has at least
two models, Korg has one, Akai has one and so on.
We investigated this whole issue in detail when we
made the switch from a tape based recording environment
ourselves. Though we use the older machines for archival work in unison with the digital environment. The stand-alone boxes have one thing going
for them, portability. If you need to take something
small on the road with you and into your hotel room
etc. then it may make sense to look into a compact and
portable all-in-one device. Thankfully in India, laptop prices are coming down. Otherwise, the flexibility
and upgrade potential of the PC will far outweigh the
small size of the stand-alone units.
With the stand-alone units you are stuck with one type
of software, one size hard drive, one set of inputs
and outputs and a tiny LCD display to view everything
on. Sure, some of them may have an interface to a conventional
computer monitor, but if you're going to lug a monitor
around then the portability issue goes out of the window.
With a PC based system you can have more than one sequencer
or audio recording program, you can add more programs
for effects and editing, you can add more outputs or
inputs in the form of a bigger audio card or multiple
cards, you can have as big a hard drive as you need,
etc. etc. Many companies are developing effects programs
for the PC environment in the form of Active-X plugins,
including makers of high-end outboard gear like TC Electronics
and Focusrite. So when the newest and coolest effect
becomes available in software you can bet it will be
available on the PC with Windows, and probably ONLY
the PC.
The cost factor is always a consideration and with
the massive drop in computer prices over the last few
years, the affordability is really amazing. For about
the same amount you would spend on the top of the line
hard disk recorder, for example, you can have
a Pentium IV, a good audio card and the software to
record, edit and mix a session - plus, you can do all
the other things in the universe that computers are
good for, graphics, games, internet access etc. Not
to mention that you have a more powerful and flexible
recording setup that will change with the times via
new software etc.
One of the other slick things about the computer world
is that you can also mix your project direct to CD or
now a DVD!
OK, so it should now be abundantly clear why the PC
running Windows is THE choice for recording. To be specific,
the basic requirements are generally a P4 1.8 GHz or
faster (note, not all audio cards are compatible with
non-Intel processors, be sure your CPU will work with
the sound card you want to use before buying one). We
recommend an actual Intel processor for guaranteed compatibility
with various other hardware and software. Next, you
need a reasonably fast hard drive.
Most of the UDMA drives in the newer computers are
quite capable of multitrack recording but the faster
the better as this determines the amount of total tracks
you can play back or record at one time with most software.
(Some programs, such as CoolEdit Pro, Sony's
Sound Forge, etc. do a background submix that allows
more tracks to play back than would be possible if played
as separate tracks and are almost unlimited in this
respect).
The basic thing to keep in mind regarding computer
power and how it relates to recording is this; faster
hard drive equals more tracks that can be played back
simultaneously, faster CPU equals more real-time effects
that can be used at once.
You also need some RAM memory. They often say 128 MB
RAM is the minimum but 512 MB or 1GB+ is more like it.
Part II : Which is a good
sound card?
SudeepAudio.com
Research Team
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