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Getting Started with Home Recording

Friends, family members, workshop attendees and coworkers often ask:

“What are your recommendations for getting started with making music on the computer?”

Often, I feel like they expect me to have a stock answer. But my initial response is always:

“That depends… What are your goals?”

“Recording music on the computer” is a different animal from “recording computer music”. Thankfully I do both, so I’m equipped to speak/write on this topic either way.

Very often, folks that ask me for advice have already been bombarded by a ton of marketing messages from various companies or Internet influencers. Budget is often at the forefront of people’s minds, and nearly everyone wants to get something for very little money. We can’t begrudge them that, but I feel that people put far too much emphasis on the gear, and not enough on their intentions and the amount of time they are going to need to get up to speed. No device, program or system is any good for making music unless one spends time learning how to use it properly.

As I’ve written elsewhere, I don’t believe that recommendations that are too enthusiastic one way or another about certain brands or technologies are very helpful. I’m talking here about the perennial Mac vs PC, Analog vs Digital debate and arguments over which DAW is best. Thankfully for the purposes of this article, we’re focused on digital recording in general.

A middle aged woman plays guitar and sings while recording her performance on a computer.
A middle aged woman plays guitar and sings while recording her performance on a computer.

When looking at the system as a whole, think of each piece in this order:

  1. Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) (software)
  2. Audio Interface
  3. Computer Platform

With that order in mind, I consider these questions:

DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)

  • What are the minimum requirements to run the software? (Processing speed, RAM, storage, etc.)
  • What is the perceived learning curve?
  • What experience has the person had so far?

Audio Interface

  • What OS is needed? What is the compatibility?
  • What ports are needed to connect to a computer (USB-A, USB-C, etc)?
  • What sort of inputs are needed (¼” vs XLR)?
  • How many simultaneous instruments/voices need to be recorded at once?
  • What type of music is being made?*

*This is a trick question because all DAWs can record all types of music if you put in the time. But some DAWs are geared toward more electronic genres with specialized tools to accomplish certain tasks. Looking at what your peers use, and why, can be informative here.

Also, note that an audio interface is probably the most critical piece of the puzzle here, and that built-in sound chips on most laptops and desktop computers are not adequate for most professional or even hobbyist uses.

Computer platform

  • Does the laptop/machine in question match the minimum requirements of the DAW and recording interface under consideration?
  • What are the person’s historical preferences/experiences with laptop brands or OS types?
  • Get the fastest processor you can afford. Minimum of 32 GB RAM, and if at all possible make sure that the unit has a dedicated GPU.
  • 1 TB internal SSD, but plan on external storage as well. I like Samsung T5, T7 SSDs.
  • What type of connections do I have for controllers and other items?

Notice that none of the questions are about budget! Some folks with lower budgets may feel like they can’t afford to enter into the art. Those with large budgets may feel that they can just spend a lot of money and they will immediately have great results. Both of those viewpoints are flawed.

It may also be surprising to some readers that I have placed computer type and OS at the end of my list of considerations. Obviously, if you want to use Logic, then your choice of platform is made for you. But in other cases, the OS is going to be a more complex decision based on other factors, so I place it at the end. Most recording applications these days are cross-platform. Selecting the system/OS out of the gate before considering interfaces and DAW options puts you at risk of making some significant errors in terms of connectivity, performance, and added cost.

A middle aged man plays guitar and sings while recording his performance on a computer in his kitchen.
A middle aged man plays guitar and sings while recording his performance on a computer in his kitchen.

It’s also a good idea to know what sort of gear is on hand already, if any. Does the person have any mics? If so, are they dynamics or condensers? Do they have a place to set up their rig, or are they going to be doing everything at the kitchen table? We’re talking here about computer recording basics, so we won’t get into fancy preamp choices or monitoring systems.


Example Scenario:

Let’s walk through a real-life recommendation that I gave recently. The person’s name has been changed, but everything else is real.

Frank writes thoughtful punk/pop centered around his guitar and lead vocal. He plays mostly acoustic guitar, but also plays electric. Frank would like the option to flesh songs out with drums and bass. Sometimes he plays those extra parts himself, but other times he invites friends to get involved.

Frank is not a professional musician. He plays mostly for fun, and has limited time to dedicate to recording.

Frank uses Garageband on his work machine (Mac) to create digital music intros and outros for work videos. For those, all mixing is done “in the box” with loops – no live instrument recording. To keep work/play separate, Frank set up another system.

Frank started using Cubase LE in 2014 (over 10 years ago). Cubase LE was limited to 16 audio tracks and 24 MIDI tracks, which was plenty to get started.​ Cubase came free with the purchase of a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (1st Gen) interface. The kit also included a condenser mic and headphones. Frank installed everything on a Sony VAIO Windows laptop. At the time, the laptop had Win 7, but he later upgraded to Win 10. The laptop is now at the end of life in terms of upgrades, and can not go to Win 11.

Frank made some progress recording his songs in Cubase, but stepped away from recording after a few years, partly due to life taking over, and partly due to growing frustrations with DAW and OS updates that got in the way of creating. By the time Frank came back to his Cubase system, he felt it might be time to switch gears to set up something more modern. That’s when Frank asked for my recommendation.

We both thought he might benefit from a clean slate. For one thing, the Scarlett 2i2 is now in its 4th Generation, making his 1st Gen model a dinosaur.

I had two recommendations for Frank:

#1 – Get a new M4 and a new interface that is more modern and is 100% compatible with the new Apple architecture. The new interface should have a minimum of two channels, but I’d strongly recommend four channels for recording with friends. Eight would be overkill right now. Use GarageBand as a DAW, but then work up to Logic because it uses a more industry standard UI. Establish a schedule. Block time to really learn the tools.

#2 – Same as above, but consider Presonus Studio One. If a new M4 Mac is not within budget, good results would come from Studio One on a newer Windows machine with a newer interface.

Looking at Frank’s situation, I think he would benefit from having a MIDI controller on hand too. Controllers are useful for fleshing out ideas in any genre – not just for synth or electronic material. I recommend any of the 37 or 61 key versions of the Novation Launchkey, either Mk3 or Mk4. The older Mk3 can be found cheaply used. Even a 25 key Launchkey model is great for starters.

Let’s be clear: no choice will be 100% perfect. No choice will matter without spending time using the gear, learning the quirks, and dedicating effort to learn the basics. Recording is a skill that needs to be constantly exercised to stay productive.

I’ve purposely left live performance and live streaming out of this article. Those topics demand their own guides. Perhaps one day I will get around to publishing those. However, the concepts covered here are essential to master before moving on to the murky waters of performance and streaming.

A middle aged woman plays guitar and sings while recording her performance on a computer.
A middle aged woman plays guitar and sings while recording her performance on a computer.

Staying Current

System updates are annoying, but they are a fact of life when dealing with computer recording systems.

Keep track of your licenses – it’s part of the game these days. Only use officially licensed software – not “cracked” software.

If you don’t spend a lot of time on your system, updates can often get in the way and present roadblocks to productivity. That’s why I highly recommend a regular schedule of gradual development. Also, don’t feel the need to upgrade right away. In most cases in the audio world, you do not want to be an early adopter of a new OS.


Ongoing learning

For each of the main components of a recording system – DAW, interface, platform – watch a few videos from different sources that cover the topic of audio recording. Sweetwater has some great buyers guides, but also check the manufacturer websites and well-respected reviewers. I also highly recommend a subscription to Tape-Op magazine.

But be careful. I can’t stress enough how important it is to avoid audio industry marketing hype as much as possible. Any modern DAW is going to come with a lot of fluff and garbage that will only get in the way for beginners. Focus on the basics:

  • How does your DAW of choice communicate with the audio interface you want to use? Do you know how to properly assign channels, monitor signals, etc?
  • How do I record a basic vocal? A guitar? A keyboard part?
  • Understand the difference between recording mono and stereo sources.
  • Learn about gain staging and proper recording levels.
  • How does recording with a microphone differ from recording direct?
  • What is the workflow for mixing and adding effects?
  • How do you mix down to a stereo file?
  • If you are going to interface with external gear, learn about MIDI sync and clocking as soon as you can.

Yes, those are the basics!

A middle aged man plays guitar and sings while recording his performance on a computer in his kitchen.
A middle aged man plays guitar and sings while recording his performance on a computer in his kitchen.

Standalone Systems

If we’re looking for the shortest distance between the idea and a recording, I actually wouldn’t recommend a DAW / Interface / Computer setup. I’d recommend one of the very functional SD recorders on the market. These have remained competitive against laptop and desktop setups. Those who don’t like to stare at screens and want a more hands-on experience may benefit from such devices. The other benefit of standalone recording units is that they keep the focus on signal flow and listening to what you record rather than the optical distractions that can come about from a laptop or desktop based system.

Standalone systems don’t get you out of mastering the basics, but they do tend to focus your energy because you aren’t likely to be as distracted. Since they aren’t connected to the Internet, standalone systems save you from the temptation of downloading plugins you don’t need, or going down a rabbit hole of videos on YouTube.

Still need help? I provide 1:1 consulting and training on everything mentioned above. Reach out to set up some time.

DISCLAIMER: AI images above do not depict recommendations for mic placement or anything else. They are simply for visual interest!

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By jjdeprisco

Sonic explorer, sound artist, guitarist in Fricknadorable, software designer.