With the digital revolution happening in the music world today, it would be a sin to not consider the home recording project as an alternative to big expensive recording studios. But the question remains, what should I buy to get started?

First of all you have to decide the appropriate location of your recording studio, it could be a garage, a basement, a living room, or even your bedroom. This question must be answered before you buy anything. If you choose your garage for example, youll have to think of maybe soundproofing it, so youll have a minimum of control over the reflective sounds coming from the surrounding walls. If its in a apartment living room, youll have to find ways to reduce the volume coming from your monitors so that you dont disturb your neighbors.

Second thing to look for is on what medium you are going to record your music on. Will it be on an analog tape machine or a digital system such as a computer? For purist, the analog way is still the better option, for its warmer characteristic and natural compression. But for many, the DAW (digital analog workstation) is the standard of the future. Everything can be replicate in the digital sphere these days, so take the time to decide what medium you will be comfortable with. But as a recommendation and for many, the computer-based recording system is the best bang for the buck on the market right now.

Then the recording chain, everything in it is important, but usually is like a decrescendo in terms of value, as the first to consider and pay attention is inevitably the music quality. Technically if youre a poor singer or a bad instrumentalist, no microphones, preamps, equalizers or compressors will make your performance sound better, all it will do is alter and modify the original source to some degree, but nothing more. So always try to get the best performance possible, before hitting the record button, Practice,practice and pactice make some good arrangements, write good lyrics, make it enjoyable. Go back to the essence of music.

Lets first look at the first piece to buy when you decide to record on a digital medium. Youve possibly heard a lot about soundcards lately, and with the explosion of various models, these digitals recorders can do a pretty professional job if you learn to operate them in a proper way. They can all possibly record in 24 bits 96 kHz and over, so for the recorder hobbyist, it wont be a problem to find something thats good an affordable.

Comes next, the choice of microphones, thats maybe the second most important thing to consider in the signal chain after the performance. All microphones have their own sound and personality, so when buying them, take the time, if possible, to audition as many as possible at your local store, Try to put your own voice or guitar or any instrument in it, and evaluate if you like the sound that comes out. Its a very subjective area so try to choose accordantly to what your ears like. Theres plenty of models available on the market, but basically youll find three types that you should be familiar with: the dynamic, the condenser and the ribbon microphone.