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The Simple Home Studio Kit

Creating and recording music can be a daunting task if you don’t have any prior knowledge of production. From aspiring music producers to seasoned musicians, the art of recording your music can become quite a difficult undertaking very quickly.

So, to combat this, I thought I would compile a range of equipment that I believe to be great for beginners and anyone wishing to record on a budget.

The Right DAW

A DAW is short for Digital Audio Workstation. To put it simply, it is the software you use to record and mix your music. There is a wide variety of different DAW’s out there, and each producer has their preference for a multitude of various reasons and depending on what they require.

My advice is to start simple. If you’re new to music production, software like Pro Tools, Logic and Ableton can seem extremely daunting.

If you’re a Mac user start with GarageBand. It’s free and is very much a simplified version of Logic. If you have a Windows computer, try Audacity. They are both mapped out in a way that it is straightforward to begin recording some tracks you can then transfer this knowledge to more complex DAW’s.

The Interface

I have used many interfaces, and the one I find recommending most to beginners is the Scarlett 2i2.

It is a USB audio interface and has everything you need to start recording: two line/mic ports, 48v phantom power (some microphones require this power to operate), can record 192kHz /24-bit sample rate.

Overall it’s the perfect compact recording device and comes in at around $160/ £100.

A Microphone

Microphones, for me, are the hardest to recommend. It depends so much on a person’s preference and what they want to record. More specifically what sound they want to achieve. But, if you need a place to start, I recommend the MXL 770.

It comes in at around $72 / £90, and I believe it to be well worth the money. It’s impressive, to say the least. It’s not perfect, but it certainly can give microphones worth triple the price a run for their money.

I hope you find this information helpful and just remember there is no perfect set up. I am always updating my kit and trying out new things. It’s what keeps you creative as a producer.

 

Switching up the Sound

I’ve been writing a lot of music lately, and after a while I noticed myself applying the same software instruments to nearly every new track. In my defence, they’re just demos as of now, but I knew that by using the same drum pads and Roli sound packs that I was doing the music a disservice.

So, on the hunt, I went for new sounds and instruments.

A quick search online and you can find a range of different sounds and loops from Time + Space to Loopmasters but be prepared to part with some cash if any of these catches your eye (or more suitably your ears).

I then came across Spitfire Audios LABS programme. It’s essentially a collection of software instruments that you can access for free. Yes, for FREE. There is a reasonable amount of sounds on the site already, and they do release new packs every month.

My curiosity got the better of me as I started downloading many of the sounds available.

Currently available are Modular Piano, Peel Guitar, Frozen Strings, Synth Pads, Choir, Charango, Electric Piano, Amplified Cello Quartet, Drums, Strings, and Soft Piano.

My opinion so far is they’re quite good.

Soft Piano

The soft Piano is quite a nice change from the instrument I was using but if you’re looking for more of an authentic sound and one that can cope with very melodic heavy parts perhaps this is not for you. But overall it has a lovely airy sound to it.

Strings

As a string player, I am always skeptical of software strings. These, however, have quite a modern feel about them and I think when embedded and mixed into a track can definitely be useful.

Overall I really recommend checking out the LABS programme if you haven’t already. It’s a great way to discover some new sounds and who knows, it might just change your sound completely.

 

 

Pitch Perfect

Using Pitch Shifter in Your Mix

If you’re looking to enhance your mix or simply just want to experiment with some effects, pitch shifter is a great place to start. The effect has been used for many years in dance music although it is slowly creeping into some major pop songs as well.

If you’re new to plugins and effects, a pitch shifter simply does what it says on the tin – it will raise or lower the pitch of your audio signal.

So why might this be of interest to your mix or project?

Well, I believe it can be a simple way to add depth and development to any style of music you’re creating.

The first technique is to add a pitch shifter effect under a main vocal. This can be quite effective for a second verse in a song as it allows the track to develop. This can be done by duplicating the vocal and adding the pitch shifter to this track and then adjusting the effect to the setting you prefer.

If you want to add more bass to a track, this is an excellent way of doing just that. By pitch-shifting the vocals down and playing around with the volume and panning, you can get quite a nice bass sound without doing very much at all.

You can also add pitch shifter to your instrument track. This is a great way of experimenting around with your instrument in a mix and who knows you might find the perfect sound that blends well with the music you’re creating!

You can chop and change this effect to benefit your mix in whatever way you find necessary. The great thing about pitch shifter is it is an easy way to change the sound of a track without really putting in much effort. So, if you’re looking for a way to spruce up a mix you have lying about perhaps add in a pitch shifter to a few of the tracks.

 

 

Silence as Sound

The Power of Silence in Music Creation

In a world occupied by sound, it can often be challenging to find a moment of silence in everyday life. In the realm of sound design, however, silence can be a very powerful tool.

The use of silence in film isn’t a new technique, but it is indeed one that makes a bold statement. For example, films like Saving Private Ryan and 2001: A Space Odyssey make great use of silence as a compositional tool. More recently Star Wars: The Last Jedi used the technique to emphasize a colossal explosion of a dreadnaught ship.

So why is silence so powerful?

Well, I believe it comes from the premise that silence is supposed to be uncomfortable. The phrase ‘awkward silence’ for example is used frequently to describe situations when the conversation runs out, or you’ve just run out of phone battery and need to look up at other people in a crowded train – to name a few examples. We are almost programmed to believe that silence is something to feel uncomfortable about.

In the context of cinema, silence makes the audience hyper-aware of their surroundings. Especially if the entire film up until that point was beautifully orchestrated and every second was underscored by lush sound design and Foley work. To hear silence is almost unnatural.

To quote Mary Shelley “nothing is more painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change,” and silence is almost always used as a dramatic modification to the score. If done correctly, the use of silence can be an excellent way of eliciting an emotional response from an audience. Whether that be to shock, anger or to create a break in the sonic narrative, silence can be a straightforward yet powerful tool to add to any sound designers’ project.

If you’re interested in film scoring or just even want to jazz up the track that you’re working on, perhaps find inspiration in silence. I have tried it a few times when I have been struggling with ideas. On one particular occasion, I added a bit of silence to a track that was getting too repetitive, and I think it worked. The sudden silence definitely makes you re-engage with what you were listening to in the first place.

If silence is a bit too absurd to add to a track though, you could always try the less is more approach. By stripping away some of the unnecessary tracks in your session, you could be left with a sound that differs just enough so that it offers something new to the listener.

Overall I think adding silence to a project is often overlooked. It’s a great creative tool to use and is also extremely simple to incorporate into any project. Even if you don’t always like the outcome of adding in silence, the main benefit is that it makes you re-engage with what you’re listening to and often adds a different texture and layer to your project.

 

 

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