LEARN THESE FUNDAMENTALS AND YOU'LL BE RECORDING BANGERS IN NO TIME.
DYNAMIC MICS are are smooth, warm and can take plenty of punishment. They’re great for rap, rock and anything else that gets loud – like snare drums and electric guitars.
EXAMPLES: SM58, SM57, SM7B, KSM8
CONDENSER MICS are amazing at detail. A good condenser will pick up every intimacy in your performance. But these mics will also record the imperfections and require phantom power* in order to work. *Huh? Don’t know what phantom power is? Find out in the MIC BASICS section.
EXAMPLES: PGA27, BETA 87A, KSM9, KSM32
RIBBON MICS are a bit more exotic. The reason? Well, ribbons used to be very fragile and very expensive. They still don’t come cheap, but Shure ribbons are extremely durable and they sound amazing, so they could be just what your home studio needs.
EXAMPLES: KSM313/NE, KSM353/ED
THE INTERFACEAn interface is what you’ll plug your mics, guitars, synths or whatever else into via XLR or ¼" plugs. It'll need enough channels to match your number mics, plus have phantom power if you’re using condensers. USB mics like the MV88+, or MV7 don't require an interface. The MVX2U is an extremely handy way to record with any XLR mic and your computer.
THE DAWDAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. This is the software you’re using to record. They all have pros and cons, but Audacity and Garageband (Mac only) are good free ones to try out before you move on to Logic, Audition or even Pro Tools.
THE ROOMThe more soft stuff you have in your room, the better it will sound. Cushions, curtains and plants are your friends. And if you do want a brighter sound, simply step into the bathroom (another perk of home recording).
Mikey Young has recorded, mixed or mastered pretty much every great garage rock band out there…often in their actual garages. So, there’s no one better to turn to for advice on home recording.
“Whatever you’re recording, you need to adjust your approach to match the situation,” says Young. “So, if I’m recording a garage rock band, I’ll intentionally use fewer mics and let things bleed into one another so that it sounds raw. If it’s something more technical, then I’ll go the opposite way and get a mic on everything.
“But the main thing is getting the vibe,” he adds. “If the singer feels better running around the room, I’d rather deal with that than tell them not to do it. Your job is to capture a great performance – to me, that’s way more important than any fidelity issue.”
ABSORBERS, as the name suggests, are things that absorb sound – for example, the acoustic panels you see in professional recording studios. Absorbers remove unwanted audio from a space, allowing you to capture more of the original source. Curtains, cushions and soft furniture all absorb sound, so a room with plenty of these is ideal for podcasting and livestreaming.
DIFFUSERS break up sound rather than remove it. This scattering cuts down on echoes and reflections that will clutter up your audio recordings. Books, furniture, photos and plants all help to diffuse sounds.
ROOM CHOICE might seem obvious but picking a room that sounds good to start with will make your job a lot easier. Bedrooms are excellent for re- cording because they usually have more absorbers like cushions and curtains. Also make sure you close any windows and switch off appliances that make noise, including air conditioners, washing machines and fans.
