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Before purchasing music studio software, you must have equipment capable of quality recordings, and eliminating external sound, glitches and other problems. Before you jump into using the software, here is a list of the equipment you simply cannot do anything without:
• Computer: you need a high performance processor with at least 1GB RAM and at least 80 -120GB free space if you are going to be serious about saving recording. A high performance sound card is also essential for achieving clear cut sound and eliminating any latency during the recording session.
• Pre-amps/Mixer: A pre-amp is used to boost the signal from the microphone or a musical instrument to the input of the audio interface. It can be stand-alone equipment, or it can be merged with a mixer. The pre-amps that are stand alone come with two channels at a reasonable price; these pre-amps are rather good and are generally better than the ones which are merged with a low-quality mixer. Many pre-amps and mixers have two inputs, one for microphone and one for DI (Direct Injection). DI is used to match music instruments to line level input and is used for synths and bass guitars.
• Microphones: There are two types of microphones that are common, but in the music world there are many different types with different uses. The two common types of microphones are dynamic and condenser microphones. Dynamic microphones are used for recording loud instruments like electric guitars and drums as these microphones can withstand such amplitude. These can also be used for loud vocals and backup singers that require choirs and such. Condenser microphones are primarily used for recording vocals and acoustic instruments, they are also ideal for overhead microphones for drum kits. This microphone needs external power, like batteries or phantom power (which is provided by pre-amps or mixers). Depending on what your sound may be, choosing the right microphone for each element in your music is very important to get the right sound.
