How do I build a Home Studio?

PART III - Recording Softwares

In the first two issues we covered the hardware needed to put together a PC based studio. There is so much software out now that deals with recording and/or editing that the range of choices is enormous but we can break them down into a few categories and then talk about the features that we really need to do a given job. Since the focus of this article is on the PC as a home studio and is written for musicians composing and recording their own music, we're going to talk in terms of what is needed with those goals in mind. What we want to be able to do is write and record with the greatest ease and efficiency and still have plenty of flexibility to edit and mix everything the way we want.

These days we get a little annoyed when we have to pour through a manual to figure out the labyrinthian hierarchy of a program before one can do anything. Sometimes the nature of the task at hand is diverse enough that the programmer is forced to write the software to satisfy more than one type of user or approach to the job. This is sometimes the case with graphics software etc. and we can appreciate the complexity of it and deal with the learning curve involved.

When it comes to music, however, we have no such patience. The job at hand is very clear and the method of achieving it should be very direct and intuitive. If you're a songwriter you know how important it is to be able to get an idea down before it slips away, because inspiration doesn't always wait for you to get all your gear working.

At the same time we want ease of use we also want flexibility. Fortunately, we do not need to make any such leap into uncharted territory or leave behind the familiar trappings of the analogue recording world. Instead we can work in much the same way as one would with tape but without all the limitations of tape.

If you have experience recording on tape of any kind and working with outboard gear, you can use and adapt that knowledge to working in the digital world. If you have no such experience there will be many things you will never have to learn or be concerned with and you should be able to get "up to speed" much quicker than you would have been able to in the "old days" of tape. SudeepAudio.com also has a training division to offer you such services and getting used to the digital world.

So, with all that in mind and considering that cost is an issue as well, there are two programs that must be talked about first because they will fit the bill for most of you. These two are "Cooledit Pro" by Syntrillium and "Cakewalk Pro Audio" by Cakewalk. There are some major differences between them but they both share the traits of ease of use, flexibility and value for money.

For other high-end softwares, pls feel free to write to us.

Part IV : Some more gear for you... coming soon
SudeepAudio.com Research Team