Whether it’s a full-blown studio album, or just a simple melody you can’t get out of your head, you can record and produce your own music, in your own home. Musically inclined? Here are four different ways to affordably produce some truly world-class tuneage!
Overview of Home Recording
If you’ve ever daydreamed about being a star, you’ve probably wondered about what it takes to get in that position in the first place. Talent, charisma, blind luck?
Sure, those things help, but if you’re serious about creating “that big break,” you are going to need to have an example of what you do. Until recently, this process was known as “recording a demo.”
The word “demo,” pre-supposed it was recorded on cheap equipment with low-quality mics, was anywhere from one to four tracks at the outside, and “didn’t really capture” your best capabilities.
Sadly, those days are gone. In today’s entertainment world, if you want anyone to even consider hiring you, you need to have a CD of your work. Studio quality, top of the line. Most professional recording studios start around seventy-five bucks per hour, but, even if you don’t have a girlfriend with a really good day job, don’t despair!
Modern digital technology really does put that “pro studio” capability in your hands. And the best thing is that its all both affordable and fairly simple to use! “Sound cards” have been evolving steadily since their inception, resulting in flexible, dense, and very authentic-sounding instrumentation that is indistinguishable from the original. Here is a look at four of the most available platforms, with some notes on both the strong and weak points of each.