- Setting up a home recording studio mac how to#
- Setting up a home recording studio mac Patch#
- Setting up a home recording studio mac software#
- Setting up a home recording studio mac professional#
Of course, another way to reduce the potentially for latency is to get your amp tones from a dedicated modelling unit such as the Strymon Iridium (£399, ) before the signal reaches your audio interface. When recording with amp modelling plugins on a computer, the more raw CPU power you have, the better.Įxternal DSP can help take the load off of your CPU, and interfaces such as Universal Audio’s Apollo range and Audient’s Sono (£419, ) offer amp modelling solutions free from computer-based latency. More than a few milliseconds will throw your timing and feel unnatural. For recording, this means minimising the delay between what you play and what you hear (latency). For mixing this means the best monitor speakers and/or headphones you can afford. High-quality monitoring is vital for high-quality recording.
Money no object? Check out the Universal Audio Apollo x16 (£2,747, ). More ambitious budding recordists among you might want to consider interfaces with dedicated reamping outputs, multiple monitor outputs, more than a couple of line inputs, a range of digital I/O or internal mixer routing. The former causes unwanted distortion if the input signal is too loud, while the latter can cause hiss when the level is boosted to match other instruments.
Setting up a home recording studio mac software#
If you’re planning on getting your electric tones from software amp-modelling plugins then you may not need anything more than a pair of headphones and a basic audio interface to get started.Įven simple interfaces with two inputs and outputs are pretty powerful and sophisticated these days – Audient’s new EVO 4 (£99, evo.audio) includes Smartgain functionality that automatically and intelligently sets the input levels of your microphones or instruments to avoid clipping or signals that are too quiet.
Setting up a home recording studio mac how to#
READ MORE: How to record acoustic guitar like a pro.If you’re planning on recording vocals or acoustic guitar, 48v phantom power drastically increases your microphone options too. At a bare minimum you’ll want it to have quarter-inch jack and XLR inputs, with outputs for headphones and monitors. In most cases a simple audio interface for your laptop, desktop or tablet is the best option for plugging in, as the less gear you need the more budget you have for other stuff: monitoring, cabling, other guitars. The only mistakes you want are the odd bum note, and you don’t want a great take to be ruined by a noisy signal chain.
Setting up a home recording studio mac Patch#
The same goes for every part of your chain, from patch cables and pedals to your interface or amp. Tune it up, make sure it’s acclimatised to the room temperature and tune it up again. There’s no fixing poor intonation in the mix, and if your jack socket is crackly or your signal intermittent, even recording a scratch demo can turn into a draining experience.Īlthough limitations can sometimes be inspiring, whatever instrument you plan to use, it shouldn’t be an impediment to your creativity. Perhaps more importantly, you need to be the best you can be. Whether you’re plugged into a laptop in your bedroom or shredding in the live room of a multi-million dollar studio, your guitar needs to be the best it can be. Whether you’re making your first foray into recording or planning a multi-layered magnum opus, here are 20 pieces of essential advice that will help you get the best results possible, whatever your budget.
Setting up a home recording studio mac professional#
Happily, it’s never been easier to capture professional guitar tones at home without waking up the neighbours. Even before lockdown, it was becoming clear that an SM57 on a grille cloth might not be either the most practical or best-sounding solution for electric guitar recording in 2020.