How to Pick a Computer for Your Recording Studio
Take things into consideration., Do you want access to lots of effects that you can apply to instruments and voices(e.g., Perhaps you will want to add some third party effects, plugins, or mixing tools; this will require VST support. , Consider...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take things into consideration.
Preliminary considerations are as follows.
Do you plan to record, say, a big band or a small acoustic act? This will determine how many tracks you need the program to be capable of processing.
Some programs, such as the latest version of Steinberg's Cubase support unlimited tracks. -
Step 2: Do you want access to lots of effects that you can apply to instruments and voices(e.g.
reverb, echo, distortion)? Keep in mind that the more expensive software packages may come with better quality effects. ,, How much are you willing to spend? If you are just starting out and are unsure about whether you will lose interest in recording, then perhaps it would be a good idea to invest in a basic version of (Cubase, for example) a recording software package.
Or, better yet, you could try free software such as Audacity, Reaper, or Kristal.
Free software is a wonderful way to get to grips with the basics of producing music. , The software you choose may dictate the operating system you must have.
Or maybe even your preference or familiarity with one will be the deciding factor.
In the recording industry, Macs are usually considered the standard on account of their reliability and stability.
Unfortunately, you have to spend more to get a Mac of the same specification as a PC.
If you're on a budget, a PC is most likely the wisest choice. , For most home recordists, the majority of the processing goes on inside the computer.
You can never have a processor that's too fast; adding more processes requires more power to ensure that everything runs smoothly. , The more RAM you have, the more your computer will be able to handle in the way of plugins, effects and so forth.
It will also help your system run faster for reasons that I will not get into (see the computer information page if you would like to get into the details).
Remember, 32bit operating systems cannot utilize more than 4gb of ram.
This is a strong reason to go with a 64bit OS. , This is another important consideration.
Recording music requires takes up a lot of space; one song can occupy a few gigabytes of hard drive space.
Therefore, get the biggest hard drive you can afford, or keep in mind that you can always add an external hard drive or two later on.
Also, a fast hard drive will reduce the chances of unwanted pops and clicks during recording and playback and somewhat speed up your computer's processes; at least a 7200 rpm hard drive with a 32mb cache is recommended.
SSD hard drives are currently the ideal but can be very pricey. -
Step 3: Perhaps you will want to add some third party effects
-
Step 4: plugins
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Step 5: or mixing tools; this will require VST support.
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Step 6: Consider Price.
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Step 7: Once you have decided on your recording software
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Step 8: it's time to consider which operating system you would like to work on.
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Step 9: Make sure you have a fast multi-cored CPU.
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Step 10: Have as much RAM as you can afford.
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Step 11: Have multiple fast hard drive with lots of space.
Detailed Guide
Preliminary considerations are as follows.
Do you plan to record, say, a big band or a small acoustic act? This will determine how many tracks you need the program to be capable of processing.
Some programs, such as the latest version of Steinberg's Cubase support unlimited tracks.
reverb, echo, distortion)? Keep in mind that the more expensive software packages may come with better quality effects. ,, How much are you willing to spend? If you are just starting out and are unsure about whether you will lose interest in recording, then perhaps it would be a good idea to invest in a basic version of (Cubase, for example) a recording software package.
Or, better yet, you could try free software such as Audacity, Reaper, or Kristal.
Free software is a wonderful way to get to grips with the basics of producing music. , The software you choose may dictate the operating system you must have.
Or maybe even your preference or familiarity with one will be the deciding factor.
In the recording industry, Macs are usually considered the standard on account of their reliability and stability.
Unfortunately, you have to spend more to get a Mac of the same specification as a PC.
If you're on a budget, a PC is most likely the wisest choice. , For most home recordists, the majority of the processing goes on inside the computer.
You can never have a processor that's too fast; adding more processes requires more power to ensure that everything runs smoothly. , The more RAM you have, the more your computer will be able to handle in the way of plugins, effects and so forth.
It will also help your system run faster for reasons that I will not get into (see the computer information page if you would like to get into the details).
Remember, 32bit operating systems cannot utilize more than 4gb of ram.
This is a strong reason to go with a 64bit OS. , This is another important consideration.
Recording music requires takes up a lot of space; one song can occupy a few gigabytes of hard drive space.
Therefore, get the biggest hard drive you can afford, or keep in mind that you can always add an external hard drive or two later on.
Also, a fast hard drive will reduce the chances of unwanted pops and clicks during recording and playback and somewhat speed up your computer's processes; at least a 7200 rpm hard drive with a 32mb cache is recommended.
SSD hard drives are currently the ideal but can be very pricey.
About the Author
Marie Morris
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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