Home Recording Hardware
On those pages are placed assorted sound devices. The things, should make available to be having a fun with home recording. It, likewise, help you to get ahead in the field of recording devices. I am also trying to help choose just useful and affordable gear.
The 1st thing - nexus of the recording gear - is the Computer itself
You need PC or Mac, both are suitable for sound processing. Desktop or laptop - that`s your choise. Laptop came in handy, if needed mobile sound recording gear.
Recommended minimum requirements:
- 2GHz processor
- 2GB of RAM
- Fast hard drive ( 7200 rpm) with enough free space
- Sufficient power supply for connecting external devices
If the computer is faster and more powerful - that's of use, this gives advantage for processing. Probably, your computer is good enough for getting started with Home Recording. Thereto is necessary existence a USB (or Firewire) connectors, for connecting external devices.
The 2nd thing - heart of the recording hardware - is a Sound Card
A sound card is the device, that representing the only gateway between a computer and the real world of sounds. It converts analog signals to digital & digital signals to analog. A good idea is to get an External Soundcard, connectable via USB or Firewire. There are 2 factors to consider will be fidelity and latency. The next decision will be which inputs and outputs this device should have.
Control Device for Software Synthesizer - a MIDI Controller
A MIDI controller is a "mute" keyboard, which enables to direct the various functions of music software. A piano keyboard is the most versatile, but for playing drum or bass can get controller with pads (called trigger finger). A MIDI Controller may connect directly to the computer via USB cable.
Input Devices - Microphones and Musical Instruments
For recording vocals and live sounds of instruments, we need microphones.
Selecting the Right Microphone and positioning it in the correct place, is important to get requested sound recording result.
Musical instruments – any instrument that plugs into the recording interface. It may to be plugged directly into the recording device input or to be recordable via microphone.
Studio Monitors Speakers and Headphones
Studio Monitor Speakers give you a feel of the way your finished music will sound. The Headphones allows you to concentrate on the instrument that is being recorded without any background noises. As well you might need Headphones for making music without disturb the others or conversely.
Setting up a Home Recording Studio Hardware
Simple setup, with simple external soundcard, which enables to record one line at the same time. It enables to insert an instrument & a dynamic microphone. It usually has headphone output & RCA output for connecting powered monitors or end amplifier. Such a hardware setup provides the possibility of a simple recording.
Basic setup, is used soundcard, which has most of the necessary options for connecting instruments and mic`s. It includes commonly 2 channel preamp for recording 2 inputs at the same time. Here is important to the existence of phantom power for connecting condenser microphone. If necessary, can be connected midi devices via midi I/O. It also has more outputs, which allow to connect equipments through different types of connectors. Like: RCA, TRS, S/PDIF. Such a setup gives the freedom, to achieve good result, of recording or editing sounds. Holus-bolus it enables more odds & fun.
Advanced setup, in case of using more capable external soundcard, it has more preamp channels. Like M-Audio Fast Track Ultra enables to connect 4 instrument or microphones and record up to 4 lines simultaneously. Good solution is possibility to connect 2 pairs headphones. Furthermore, these devices are supposedly built with better quality components. Nevertheless, may insert directly to computer midi controllers or second soundcard via USB cable. Midi hardware setup don`t depend on soundcard.
