I’ve taken the first basic step in building my own home recording studio. This article is for all of you who are music enthusiasts, audiophiles and any interested party.

So what’s the first step that you should take? For me, it would be investing in your basic audio recording equipment.

Questions that everyone asks

I have a good pc and a midi keyboard, can this be counted as a home studio already?
Well, yes and no. It depends really on what you’re content with. If you feel that you won’t likely be needing any live vocal or instrumental tracks, then I guess that will work for you. But as you progress with your home recording career, you are bound to expand due to the need of future recording projects, and trust me, the day will come when you will really have the urge to upgrade.

Do I really need to spend big if I want a good home recording studio?
It’s important to spend a little money if you want to get far with your home recording studio. But how much am I talking about? Take it slow of course. For starters, let’s begin with the most important equipment, the microphone.

You will want a multi-directional dual diaphragm condenser microphone. This is the most versatile kind of microphone as it can record live vocals, instruments and small groups such as string quartets or chamber choirs. I bought a SAMSON CO3 Dual Diaphragm Condenser Microphone.

Analog versus USB?
I bought the analog version. I was supposed to buy the newer USB version but it was out of stock in the local store and I figured I would still need to do analog recording with the nature of my projects. The downside of the analog version is it’s not really portable and it would require a mixer to work.

The downside of the USB version on the other hand is, since you probably won’t buy a mixer along with it, you’ll still end up buying one if a certain recording requires you to play directly connected instruments (i.e. electric guitar) simultaneously with singing or other live tracks. So in the end, it’s your decision if you’ll buy analog or USB version of the Samson CO3.

Next thing to consider are the microphone accessories.

The pop filter eliminates breathing noise of the singer or performer. It also eliminates air noise caused sudden gestures of the performer to a certain degree. All in all, a pop filter will help make the sound cleaner and more professional.

The shockmount will prevent some noise caused by subtle bumps to the mic itself or sudden shakes caused by external sources.

And finally, mic stands will not only make you look professional, but a mic setup is really incomplete without it. Here’s what a full setup Samson C03 mic looks like.

So how much does it all cost? Here’s a breakdown:

Samson CO3 Analog Dual Diaphragm Condenser - $90
Shockmount - $48
Pop Filter - $12.50
Boom Stand - $23
TOTAL - $173.50

Do take note that my prices are based on the conversion rates and economic status of my country, prices may vary a bit depending on the region, but at least you have a rough idea now.

There you go, I hope my home recording tips helped you in finding the right microphone. Stay tuned for the next home recording tip which I will be discussing how to choose the right mixer. ‘Till then, cheers everyone!