Affordable Home Recording

In the past, recording music was notoriously an expensive endeavor. However, in the modern age, people are finding ways to make the home recording process more affordable than it has ever been. Technology has dramatically reduced the labor, cost, and space requirements of specific techniques.

At a basic level, many standard recording techniques are the same at home as in a studio. The equipment is different, but you will be looking for great sounds and the right gear for the job.

Of course, the recording and mixing processes will be different if you’re working alone or with a group. If you’re alone, you need your instruments and likely a decent amount of software. If you’re working with a group, then obtaining instruments and equipment to use during recording might take a bit more time. 

The recording process is a mixture of multitasking and problem-solving. Musicians will have to play their parts to the best of their ability, while engineers work with all technical aspects to record each component accurately. Mixing is an equally tricky task because it requires both skill and patience.

The first step is to make a detailed plan listing everything you need, including instruments, amplifiers, effects, microphones, speakers, computer hardware, and software. Break down each track in detail and create a recording timeline. 

While each musician has to learn how to play their part, whoever is in the engineer and producer chairs (it may be you in all three roles) must also learn how to work with the gear. Focus on setting up the instruments so they can be recorded and isolated decently enough for mixing purposes. 

Learn how to integrate live instruments with fully digital tracks. Having a plan will make for a smoother mixing process.

High-quality recording requires a lot of data processing. Fortunately, technology has enabled people to make this whole process much more manageable. More powerful computers have made it possible to create more robust software packages.

Affordable Home RecordingAffordable Home Recording

What do You Need?

Before you invest in an arsenal of audio equipment, you need to consider your goals. If you intend on recording Mumford & Sons, you will need more equipment than if you plan on recording an acoustic guitar and vocals. 

We will give some examples of things you might consider investing in, but some of these may not apply to you. Think about the kind of music you will be making and only invest in what you need.

Equipment List

Hardware

Reel-to-reel. Don’t you want to be like Jack White? This is a joke, but if money is no object, grab an excellent vintage Otari one-inch recorder for five grand and go buck wild. 

Computer

For serious audio production, you need a powerful computer. If you try to use your stepdad’s crappy Dell, you will deal with frequent lock-ups and crashes. This slow performance will make you depressed and kill your creative spark. 

I don’t have much experience with using Macs for audio production. However, it should not be a problem as long as whatever Mac you’re using has enough power. There are plenty of DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) available, and you won’t have to worry about building anything. 

You can save money by sourcing parts and building your PC for a powerful machine with so many custom specs. It may seem daunting, but building is the best way to go. If people send me money, I will write an article on building a music production PC. 

For Windows, you want a 64-bit Windows 10 computer. The more RAM, the better, depending on your budget. You should plan for at least 16 GB, ideally going with 32 GB. This range will handle most audio production tasks with ease. You can always add more RAM if you start going completely bananas. 

CPU. Because you can upgrade RAM at any time, CPU is a more important consideration. You need at least a quad-core processor (Intel i5). Pro Tools, however, requires an i7 and 32 GB of RAM. What a resource hog! Not all DAWs need so much juice. 

While you’re out shopping, I recommend a CPU at the level of an Intel i9 or an AMD Ryzen 9. These chips are high-end equipment, and you will be in good shape with one on board. You will also spend around $400. Please don’t yell at me; you pay for quality! 

Motherboard. You don’t need to overthink this. Any quality motherboard used for gaming will work for audio production. I always use ASUS motherboards. Rock-solid quality and the company has been around forever. 

GPU. You don’t need to go ape on the graphics card if you’re not doing video production or gaming. You may have heard that there’s been a crazy GPU shortage happening. It’s true, although as of late 2021, it’s easing a bit. 

Hard Drives. I recommend two internal SSD drives—one smaller drive for the OS and a large drive for storage. Having the OS on a separate drive improves system performance. I recommend having at least a 250 GB drive for the OS and a 2 TB drive for storage. Audio files are large, so it comes down to how much you’re recording. Having an external 4 TB SSD on hand helps get files off the internal drive. 

Cooling. Liquid cooling is a niche that’s best left to an article on PC building. If you’re buying fans, you goddamn need to get crazy light-up fans. 

Audio Interface

An audio interface is a device connecting your computer with your guitars and microphones. An audio interface allows you to convert analog signals to digital, allowing you to record multiple sources concurrently. 

Audio interfaces allow you to control output regarding what goes to headphones and what goes to speakers. 

Interfaces are available for individuals up to large bands. You need to determine the required number of inputs. Audio interfaces provide 48v phantom power. This allows use of condenser microphones that require external power. 

Direct monitoring is when audio from a sound source routes to the audio interface’s audio output without going through the computer. Direct monitoring is useful when recording live music. Without direct monitoring, delays in audio playback appear because audio must first travel through the computer, which can be very frustrating for musicians.

If you don’t want to use direct monitoring, audio delays occur before reaching your interface because the signal must first go through the computer. You can solve this by using a separate audio cable for audio to your speakers and audio to your audio interface.

Most DAW’s require Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) drivers, which help your computer communicate with audio equipment correctly and provide low latency recording. ASIO Drivers bridge the gap between your computer and the DAW. Macs work with any audio drivers, so once again, Mac owners can plug and play. 

Affordable Home RecordingAffordable Home Recording

Studio Monitors

For home recording, you will likely want “near-field” monitors, which means that the speakers will be close to your listening position or chair. 

It’s important to hear your music on a neutral speaker while recording and mixing. Good studio monitors will give you an accurate representation of what is coming out of your speakers. 

Make a distinction between studio monitors and home stereo speakers. Home stereo speakers can play pre-recorded tracks, but they are not made for recording or mixing purposes because they do not reproduce sound accurately.

Home stereo speakers typically have poor bass reproduction and overly emphasized treble. On the other hand, Studio monitors are designed with recording and mixing purposes in mind. They have a flat frequency response that allows the user to hear what is actually being recorded or mixed.

If you mix or master music on home stereo speakers, you will likely get poor results because the sounds won’t be right. That’s why it’s essential to have the proper gear.

You will need to choose between active and passive speakers. While one form isn’t necessarily better than the other, it’s vital to comprehend the distinctions.

The main difference is the amplifier. Active speakers contain a built-in amplifier that requires a power source, while passive speakers need an external power amp. 

Active speakers cannot be modified or upgraded. Passive speakers have separate parts that you can individually swap out. 

For home recording, it makes sense to go with active speakers. They’re much easier to set up and require less technical knowledge. Active speakers also have the internal amp pre-calibrated to work well with the speakers. 

You will lose some ability to customize your speaker system, but active is usually the way to go for a home setup. 

Studio monitors are measured by how large the woofer is, determining the lowest reproduced frequencies and how many drivers there are for reproducing higher frequencies. 

Most near-field studio monitors are five-to-eight inches. If you’re recording in a bedroom, for example, five-inch monitors are OK. If you have ample basement studio space, you can go with eight-inch. 

Just like with any speaker or audio gear, you must consider how it sounds. Home recording is all about getting great sounds, and there’s no way around it; if you get poor quality speakers, your recordings will sound poor too.

Buying quality monitors doesn’t mean that you need to sell your Star Wars figures. You can find quality speakers in the $300 range. 

Headphones

Headphones are either open-back or closed-back. 

Open-back headphones have the ear cups open to allow air to flow in and out freely, allowing for a total frequency response, which is ideal for mixing and mastering music.

Open-back headphones are generally more expensive than closed-back headphones because they require additional speaker drivers with better acoustics to achieve this “open” sound. 

Open-back headphones produce a far more natural sound than closed-back headphones and provide the best possible representation of your mix.

The main drawback to open-back headphones is that they leak sound and do not block out exterior noise as effectively as closed-back headphones. This leakage makes them unsuitable for recording purposes but great for mixing and mastering purposes.

Audiences, sound engineers, and musicians mainly use open-back headphones to hear their music mixes or recordings as accurately as possible. 

A closed-back headphone is a type of headphone that contains solid plastic or metal backing on the back of each speaker housing.

The backing reduces sound leakage and bass response, creating a more accurate audio signal reproduction than an open-back design.

Closed-back headphones diffuse sound in two ways: they seal the ear and create a resonant chamber that generates bass frequencies. The resulting bass response is robust and more resounding than an open-back design because it resonates within the closed speaker housing rather than escaping into free air.

A closed-back design also reduces noise leakage from inside the headphones, which is valuable for anyone who does not want to disturb nearby people or large crowds.

Closed-back headphones are popular among musicians, DJs, and studio engineers. Home recording artists also use closed headphones because the enclosed design blocks the ambient sound that microphones could pick up during practice or recording sessions.

Other Equipment

Affordable Home Recording Affordable Home Recording

Microphones

There are three main microphones used in recording: dynamic microphones, condenser microphones, and ribbon microphones.

The most flexible but straightforward microphone setup is to have one condenser and one dynamic microphone. Add a ribbon if you’re classy. You can find relatively good budget models that will serve you well in basic home recording. The Shure SM57 is the all-time classic dynamic microphone. The Rode NT1 is a popular, affordable condenser mic. 

What Is a Dynamic Microphone?

A dynamic microphone is the most popular type of microphone in recording studios. These microphones are usually more affordable and durable than condenser or ribbon microphones.

In the past, musicians used dynamic microphones primarily in live applications due to their high resistance to feedback. Today, these mics are also used in studio settings because they produce a warmer tone and have a more comprehensive frequency response range.

Dynamic microphones use a magnetic field to convert vibrations from sound waves into electrical energy. You can use these microphones with most sources of audio signal because they have a high input impedance.

Dynamic Microphones do not require external power and are typically less expensive than other microphone types. Home studio owners will often use dynamic microphones for recording vocals and guitar amplifiers.

Dynamic mics can achieve high-quality results across a wide range of frequencies, and they have a relatively flat frequency response. You can use dynamic microphones in loud settings because they are less sensitive to high decibel input levels.

Popular dynamic Microphones:

What Is a Condenser Microphone?

Condenser microphones require phantom power (48v) to run. This power transfers via the XLR cable. Dynamic microphones do not need phantom power because they do not contain active electronics.

Condenser microphones are used for recording applications when more a sensitive response is required.

There are two types of condenser microphones available: large diaphragm and small diaphragm. Each technology favors applications in different fields, with small diaphragm microphones being more commonly used for acoustic instruments, whereas large-diaphragm mics are for vocals and speech.

Condenser microphones are more sensitive than dynamic microphones, which means they can capture sounds from a broader range of sources and in a more extensive range of environments.

Condenser mics are also typically better at reproducing high frequencies, and their diaphragms deliver an extended low-frequency response. As a result, you can use condenser microphones for a broader range of applications than dynamic microphones.

Popular condenser microphones:

What Is a Ribbon Microphone?

The Ribbon Microphone arrived in the 1920s. It became popular in professional recording studios during the 1940s and 1950s because it provided a warm sound.

The ribbon microphone is the oldest type of magnetic sound recording microphone.

Ribbon mics consist of a thin, very flexible metal ribbon electrically connected to the output. The whole assembly is magnetically shielded so that it will not interfere with magnetic tape.

Since they are only used in studios now, ribbon mics need to be carefully checked after each recording session to ensure they are not picking up any magnetic particles.

When sound hits the diaphragm, the ribbon moves back and forth, which causes a voltage induction in the coil around the magnet. This induction passes through the preamplifier circuit of the microphone, where the signal amplifies.

There are two main types of ribbon microphones, active and passive. Active microphones require phantom power for internal signal-boosting circuitry. 

Popular ribbon microphones:

MIDI Controller

A MIDI controller is significant for the home producer. There are controllers with just 12 keys ranging from controllers with the full piano keyboard scale of 88 keys. Many of these will have additional MIDI controls you can assign to other parameters within your DAW.

Many MIDI controllers are “playable” instruments in their own right, with velocity-sensitive and semi-weighted action. MIDI keyboards act as control surfaces for DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations, like Logic Pro or Ableton Live).

You can also use MIDI controllers for virtual instruments (VSTs in a MIDI track in a DAW). Producers, musicians, and DJs use MIDI keyboards to add MIDI-assignable controls that allow users to trigger specific effects in real-time easily.

MIDI is a language that allows electronic devices to communicate together. MIDI is not an audio format (like WAV or MP3); MIDI only describes the MIDI events sent between MIDI devices to describe musical gestures like note on, note off, velocity, modulation wheel, program change, etc. MIDI tracks do not contain any audio information.

Software

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

The essential software for your home studio is the digital audio workstation (DAW). It is the DAW that you will be spending the most time with, so it’s vital to choose one with all of the features you need.

You can purchase all of your recording equipment, from mics to preamps to interfaces, but it’s like trying to build a house without any tools or materials if you don’t have a DAW with which to record.

I will not recommend a specific DAW here, but I will talk about some of the most common ones used by home studio producers. I will also try to list which features are essential so that you won’t have to do all of the research yourself.

DAWNotes
Ableton Live
  • Best for samples, virtual instruments, or pre-recorded audio.
  • Initially gained popularity with hip-hop and electronic producers.
  • Known for high-quality built-in instruments and effects.
  • Three versions are available: Intro ($99), Standard ($449), and Suite ($749).
  • Mac and PC.
  • Clip-based approach to production. Strong automation features. 

Adobe Audition

  • A good choice for mixing and mastering.
  • No MIDI support.
  • $20.99 per month for the annual plan or $31.49 month-to-month is only option.
  • Mac and PC.
  • 16 GB RAM.
  • Expensive for the features provided.
  • Recommended to use as an addition to a video editor.
ACID Pro 10 

  • Record on different tracks simultaneously, play virtual instruments and create unique songs and remixes with loops.
  • Loop and sample based production. Draw loops directly on the timeline.
  • Extract tracks from songs and remix.
  • PC only.
  • Acid Music Studio 11 €20, Acid Pro 10 €129, Acid Pro 10 Suite €199

Anvil Studio

  • Free, simple DAW. Multi-track MIDI and audio recording and editing.
  • Options for sheet music printing.
  • PC only.

Ardour

  • Powerful free, open source DAW for PC, Mac, and Linux.
  • Unlimited multichannel tracks.
  • Matrix-style patching/routing.
  • Massive plugins library available.

Audacity

  • Another free, open source tool for PC, Mac, and Linux.
  • Record live or digitize recordings from other sources.
  • Record multiple channels concurrently.
  • Multiple clips allowed per track while editing.

Bitwig Studio

  • Top-tier DAW for Mac and PC.
  • Features 90 instruments and effects.
  • Over 2,000 world-class presets and clips.
  • Advanced comping technology allows you to combine the best parts of several takes.
  • Audio and MIDI can exist on the same track.
  • $99 for 16-track basic package, $400 for full studio version.

Cakewalk

  • A top-notch free DAW for PC only.
  • Cakewalk cost $600 before Bandlab acquired it and made it free, so you know this is a quality DAW.
  • Track templates, an integrated staff view, chord charts & tab support, and a variety of high-quality virtual instruments.

Cubase 11

  • Professional-level DAW with some interesting features.
  • PC and Mac.
  • Warp-quantize multiple audio track concurrently.
  • Chord Pads tool assists with songwriting.
  • Create a sampler track from any piece of audio.
  • Advanced score editor.
  • Record audio during playback or in stop mode.
  • You can specify how many seconds of incoming audio will be captured in buffer memory.
  • Elements 11 $99, Artist 11 $338, Pro 11 $588.

Energy XT

  • Simple yet powerful DAW for PC and Mac.
  • €19. 400 drum loops and 32 multi-sampled instruments.
  • Multi-track audio recording, editing and built-in guitar effects.
  • Easy on the CPU and laptop friendly with dockable windows.
FL Studioimage 100479344 14080899 | Mod Cheap Guitars | https://modcheapguitars.com/affordable-home-recording/
  • Powerful DAW for PC and Mac.
  • $400.
  • Features effects chains, audio sends, sidechain control, advanced automation, and plugin delay compensation.
  • Sequence all elements of the project to make the final song.
  • Tracks can hold notes, audio and automation.

Garage Band

  • Apple’s free DAW, so Mac only.
  • 32 track maximum.
  • 4 effect plugins per track.
  • This is Logic Pro’s step son.
  • Features Apple Loops, Amp designer, and drummer automation. 
  • Powerful enough for basic music production.

Logic Pro

  • Apple’s professional-level DAW, so Mac only.
  • Quite the deal at $200.
  • Designed for songwriting, beat-making, editing, and mixing.
  • Integrated Dolby Atmos for mixing songs as spatial audio.
  • Huge collection of plug-ins.

Metro

  • A complete and integrated MIDI, audio, and video production system for Mac and PC.
  • The audio system supports up to 128 audio tracks.
  • Tracks, auxiliary busses and mixer channels can all have their own effect chain.
  • Multitrack MIDI up to 99 tracks of MIDI per section, up to 25,000 sections per song file.
  • SE $30, LX $100, Metro $300.

Mixcraft 9

  • PC only DAW.
  • Record an unlimited number of audio and virtual instrument tracks, edit, crop, and crossfade sounds, add tons of effects and automation, and mix and master your project to WAV, MP3, and other formats.
  • Massive loop library features over 7,500 professionally-produced loops, music beds, sound effects, and percussion samples, in a massive array of genres.
  • Recording Studio $75. Pro Studio $149.

MOTU Digital Performer 11

  • $500 professional-grade DAW for Mac and PC.
  • New features like Nanosampler 2.0, Retrospective Audio Record, Articulation Maps and MPE Support, plus dozens of workflow enhancements requested by DP users.
  • Create unique beats, instruments and sounds.
  • Drop in a sample and start stretching, slicing, randomizing and transforming audio into just about any sound or instrument you can imagine.

Music Maker

  • Designed for beginners.
  • PC only.
  • Free, Plus ($60), Premium ($80).
  • Explore a variety of Producer Planet Soundpools from directly within the app.
  • Custom designer allows you to move all modules around freely and create a personal workflow.
  • Song Maker AI comes up with a unique musical combination of patterns from any selection of Soundpools.

N-Track Studio 9

  • Mac and PC.
  • Features VocalTune and Guitar & Bass amp simulators.
  • Piano roll view for writing and editing MIDI.
  • Step sequencer for creating beats and arpeggios.
  • Supports surround mixing for creating DVD audio projects using 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 channels surround formats.
  • Standard $69, Extended $139, Suite $229.

Pro Tools

  • The most famous DAW.
  • Includes access to an entire studio full of gear with the Avid Complete Plugin Bundle, Pro Tools Inner Circle rewards, 3 months of Auto-Tune Unlimited, and HEAT.
  • Get your music on Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, TIDAL, Deezer, TikTok, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and many more of the most popular streaming outlets around the world.
  • AvidPlay makes music distribution easy and accessible to all, enabling you to grow your fanbase and keep 100% of your rights and earnings.
  • $299 one year subscription ($24.99 monthly), $34.99 month-to-month subscription.

Reaper

  • 64-bit internal audio processing.
  • Import, record to, and render to many media formats, at almost any bit depth and sample rate.
  • Automation, modulation, grouping, VCA, surround, macros, OSC, scripting, control surfaces, custom skins and layouts.
  • Support for thousands of third-party plug-in effects and virtual instruments, including VST, VST3, LV2, AU, DX, and JS.
  • $60 discounted license for individuals, low income, and educational. $225 commercial license.  

Reason

  • PC and Mac.
  • Reason+ $19.99 per month.
  • Reason+ is a music making service for producers, artists and professional sound designers.
  • You can always find fresh sounds and make them your own, using the the 75+ instruments and effects.
  • Make music with Reason+ by plugging it into your favorite music software or by simply using ours.
  • Reason 12 $499.
  • The most significant new Rack device is the Mimic Creative Sampler. This is a well-equipped, multi-functional sampler with modes including pitched playback, loop slicing, and Multi-Slot and Multi-Pitch, which specialize in eight-part drum kits and multisample patches respectively.
  • Mimic features multiple timestretch modes, including granular and formant-focused Vocal capabilities.
  • Each sound – or multi-slot – also has access to effects, a filter and amp, plus LFOs and envelopes for modulation. The other major update comes to Reason’s Combinator, which is used to house and save multi-device patches.

Samplitude Pro

  • $249. PC only.  
  • Samplitude Pro X offers recording and mixing engineers useful features that revolutionize classic DAW workflows.
  • Edit while recording. Apply effects individually to individual clips.
  • Visualize volume, frequency and phase for selected tracks.
  • Take advantage of customizable interfaces and automations that will redefine efficiency in your own personal workflow!
  • Edit even the smallest segments in large projects more efficiently.
  • The object editor gives you control over your own plug-ins, sends and automations for each clip.

Sequel

  • Free. Windows only.
  • Overflowing with premium content that spans more than 5,000 loops and sounds, Sequel lets you get started with making music in next to no time.
  • Play a hook, add a bassline and give it some depth by choosing from the many available pads, all easily accessible through the acclaimed media management too, MediBay.
  • Choose Step Envelopes to tweak loops or use élastique Pro, high-quality time stretching and pitch shifting tool, to adjust tempo and tone in stunning audio quality.

Waveform

  • Free version available. Basic $119. Standard $259. Extreme $1,069.
  • Waveform is a rapidly evolving application specifically designed for the needs of modern music producers.
  • Specializing in creative and inspirational workflows and avoiding features not explicitly needed to allow the app to remain surprisingly fun and intuitive.
  • While other apps try to appeal to broad user groups, for example film score, live sound, performance – we are laser focused on music production.
  • Waveform’s powerful ‘rack’ environment allows you to create your favorite DSP combinations – for example you may have the perfect vocal effects chain for each of your bands singers for immediate recall, or complex parallel processing to be deployed effortlessly.

Affordable Home RecordingAffordable Home Recording

Plugins

Since you are opting for a more affordable home recording set up, you will probably use technology to help you attain certain sounds (grand piano, symphony orchestra).

Below are free and paid plugins you can use on your projects. These are a lot of fun to play with.

Free VST Resources

Drums

Bass

Guitar

Keyboard / Piano

Vocals

Libraries / Samples

Soundproofing Your Recording Space

Although your studio is small, it’s critical to soundproof it effectively. While the procedure is straightforward, there are a few stages to complete. We’re focusing on cheap and easy here. If you want to deal with wall insulation and floating floors, there are resources on YouTube. 

Soundproofing doesn’t change the acoustic character of a room, and acoustic treatment does nothing to soundproof a room. You need both.

For soundproofing, you need to think about high frequencies and low frequencies. You can either absorb frequencies or reflect them. Broadband absorbers (foam panels) absorb sound, whereas broadband diffusers scatter sound.

It’s not enough to just put up a lot of foam tiles. The goal is to keep sound waves from exiting the studio. Higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths and can penetrate through wall cracks and outlets.

Low frequencies have longer wavelengths and cannot pass through wall cracks. It’s considerably more challenging to soundproof for low-frequency noise since these frequencies travel through walls and studs. 

A tall bookcase over a thin wall can help. The bookcase should cover the whole wall and should be full of books. Heavy furniture is also ideal. Place it against the wall to create padding. Paintings, photographs, and tapestries will help.

A White noise maker is fantastic for blocking out other noises. You can use carpets and blankets to help soundproof. Sound absorption blankets work well, but heavy moving blankets are less expensive. Solid core doors are durable, but you can fill hollow core doors with spray foam insulation if you want to go bananas. Drill a hole and squirt it in there. 

Try applying soundproofing wallpaper or paint.  A sound sealant fills wall cracks and makes windows soundproof. You should seal any gaps at the bottom of any doors. 

Building a guitar isolation box is a good idea for a couple of reasons. First, it will prevent noise from leaking out of your studio and potentially bothering others. You can make your amp as loud as you want without much sound getting out of the box.

Second, it creates a consistent recording environment. Dial-in the sound you want. You can move the box around and know the sound will remain the same. See the video posted below.

A sound diffuser is an acoustic treatment designed to scatter sound waves in all directions, minimizing the concentration of sound energy in one area. You don’t want so much soundproofing that all natural reverb is gone. This kind of dead area sounds weird and makes your brain hurt. The diffuser scatters the sound evenly without totally killing all room reflections. 

You can build your sound diffuser if you have time. The design is not random; it’s exact. You can use an acoustic calculator to design your diffuser. See the video posted below.

How to Record Electric Guitar at Home

Electric Guitar can be recorded at home using several methods. It depends if you want to mic your amp or run direct. 

Guitar Direct to Audio Interface

The simplest way to record electric guitar is to use a straight cable that goes from the guitar’s output jack into the input on your audio interface, then into your computer.

Amp Direct to Audio Interface

Use the record out on your amp to run directly to the audio interface. This output works well on my Boss Katana because most of the effects are coming from the amp. 

Microphone to Audio Interface

Microphone in front of an amp that runs through an audio interface. Mic placement has a significant impact on the sound, so do some experimenting.

The audio interface provides phantom power, which allows you to use a condenser microphone if desired. 

Reamping

Reamping is an excellent option to add some versatility to the recording process. 

First, you record a dry guitar track direct through a reamp box. Then you re-record the track by sending it back out through amps and effects. Is this blowing you away?

There are benefits to reamping. You know guitarists can be moody, so if you get a couple of excellent dry takes, you can send the musician off to take a nap while you play around with sounds. 

Nap time also gives you opportunities to alter the sound of the track as the recording evolves. You can just run the original track through a new setup. 

You need a reamp box. You run the signal from your recorder/computer into the box and then connect the box to the amp. You can then mic the amp and record. This box is also helpful for running synthesizers through guitar amps. See the video posted below for more detail. 

Conclusion

The affordable solution for an individual’s recording practices will differ between each person. Not every home producer will be making the same kind of music, so each will probably have a setup that differs from the one outlined in this article.

Hopefully, I have provided some inspiration for you to plan a simple home studio. Use this guide to reference the kind of things you may need to consider, and tailor it to fit your own specific needs.