One of the most common reasons that DIY musos like you and I just fail to get stuff finished, or even started, is an apparent lack of available time. Since the wife and I decided to have a baby this lack of time has become something I’ve needed to really think about. I’ve found a few methods that have really helped ensure I get stuff done. I’ve avoided the classic “five things…” title just to be different, but here is a list of five things… Continue reading
I previously wrote about my five essential home studio websites which have helped and continue to help me enormously in my journey. If you’ve not read it already I’d recommend checking it out. Since publishing that article I’ve discovered a few more gems on them there internets that I would like to share with you.
If you want to be able to record into your computer you are going to need an audio interface. This is basically a bit of gear which allows you to plug real world audio devices such as microphones and guitars into your computer, as well as send audio from your computer to external monitors. However, there’s usually a bit more to it than that and there are a variety of audio interfaces available which have slightly different functionalities and build. In this article I’ll list a few of the best low-budget audio interfaces on the market to get you started recording at home.
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If you plan to record real audio in your home studio you’re going to need at least one microphone and probably more, depending on what you’re recording. Here are my suggestions for the five best low-cost microphones you’ll need to get started, with one or two bonus entries for good measure. Continue reading
Although there is a tonne of information for DIY home studio type people like you and me all over the internet; websites, podcasts and Facebook groups for example, and as useful as these have been to me, I am still a huge fan of the good old fashioned printed word. I’ve read a number of books about music, home recording, song-writing and more. Here’s a breakdown of the five home studio books which I consider to be the most valuable home-studio related books I own.
UPDATE: You can now find a growing list of recommended DIY Music books about all kinds of things in the DIY Music Bookshop. (This article still covers my top five though so please read on).
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Let’s face it. Pretty much everyone’s on Facebook these days. Even my mum (though not my Dad, admittedly, luddite that he is!). This unfortunately means there’s also a tonne of rubbish on there; people arguing about the new Batman movie, people arguing about politics, cats, baby photos, more cats, photos of your lunch, people arguing about cats etc… But there’s also some great communities of people who have vast knowledge about things you might need help with, such as your DAW. Here’s a breakdown of my favourite FL Studio groups. Continue reading
Facebook. Love it or hate it, it’s hard to ignore it, being the second most popular website in the world after Google. Apart from all the baby photos, humblebrags, funny cat videos and general attention seeking you can also find some genuinely valuable communities. Here are the Facebook groups I’ve found most useful as sources of information and advice for my DIY home studio. Continue reading
Sometimes you sit down in your home-studio to make some music with your guitar, or in front of your piano, or at your desk with your DAW loaded up… and you can’t think of a single thing to do. I’ve been there many times and often I’ve ended up just walking away feeling like a failure. Lack of inspiration can be one of the worst things for a creative person to deal with. After all, what good is an artist without ideas? Continue reading
The internet is a wonderful place… If you know where to look.
It’s certainly a massive source of valuable information. Aside from a few books I own I’ve gained most of my DIY home-studio recording and mixing knowledge from a number of excellent websites. Here’s a few of my favourites. Continue reading