Not too long ago, you had to book time in a professional studio if you wanted to make a professional-sounding recording. But today, modest-priced gear is capable of producing recordings that are indistinguishable from their commercial big-budget equivalents. The biggest obstacle to making top-notch recordings at home is no longer the equipment—the trick is to know what to do with what you have. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to set up your home studio to create quality acoustic guitar tracks, focusing on techniques that will help you sound your best no matter what gear you use.
Equipment Needs
Recording music does require some equipment, of course. Many retailers offer complete recording packages at various price points, and browsing websites or catalogs can give you ideas about typical setups and budgets. The most important thing is to understand how gear choices will affect your recording workflow. For example, there are many small two-channel handheld digital recorders that can capture stereo sound, typically with built-in mics. These are great for recording live concerts and can also be useful for solo guitar or guitar and vocal performances. Like point-and-shoot cameras, these devices are virtually foolproof. Place the recorder in front of you, hit the record button, and play! The sound can be surprisingly good, and these devices are a great entry point into the world of recording.
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However, if you want to record multiple instruments at once or overdub additional parts, you will probably need a more elaborate setup. There are self-contained multitrack hardware recording systems, such as the Boss BR-1200CD, Tascam DP-24, or Zoom R24, but many people prefer the flexibility and ease of use of a computer-based setup. A computer-based system may cost a bit more initially, but it is easier to expand as your needs grow. Yet another approach is to record to your smartphone or tablet. There are microphones designed to work with these devices, and a variety of inexpensive recording apps—you may even be able to transfer your recording session to a computer for editing and mixing.
A reasonably current desktop or laptop computer (Mac or Windows), combined with an audio interface and software provides a powerful recording system that can record dozens, or even hundreds, of tracks. Software packages like Logic, Pro Tools, Reaper, or Sonar support the entire recording process from recording to editing and mixing. You will need some type of audio interface—a hardware device that combines microphone preamps/inputs with the ability to connect to the computer via USB or FireWire. Make sure the audio interface you choose can handle as many inputs as you will need at any one time. Two inputs may be enough for simple solo guitar or guitar-and-voice recordings, but you will need more if you want to record any size group live. You will also need microphones, mic stands, cables, and other accessories. Short mic stands designed for use with drums make a great space-saving choice for acoustic guitar, and boom stands make it easier to position the mics. Be sure to leave room in your budget for speakers or headphones, so you have a way to listen to and evaluate your recordings.