People who are already making beats ask me this a lot. The number one thing I tell them is that it really doesn’t matter what you use as long as you can use it. Macs don’t sound better then PCs. I’ve worked in million dollar studios but can still say that most of the time, especially when it comes to song writing and making simple beats, I prefer my home studio. It doesn’t matter if you have a million dollar studio or a $500.00 laptop that can barley run 5 tracks in fruity loops. It dose not matter if you have rooms full of gear. Its best to have only what you need.
For me it makes sense to have it all in one and have the ability to quickly record multiple live sources when necessary. This may or may not work for you. You'll have to figure out what works for you with lots of trial and error, while continually expanding what your capable of. At the end of the session it will be your knowledge, both musically and technically, that you put into your equipment that will fuel your creativity and shape sounds. I've written a little bit about the gear in my current home studio setup and have tried to provide links so you can learn more. I didn't want to get too technical myself and reveal how much of an audio nerd I can be :D
Now before I reveal my list (or if you haven’t scrolled down to it yet!) I should state I am a firm, firm believer in the old saying, “if its not broke, don’t broke don’t fix it! I don’t believe in getting the latest piece of anything when it is first generation. This also goes for upgrading my software and even my OS to the next point whatever version. I wait it out or if I don’t have a problem or don’t need a feature I never upgrade. At the same time it is good to try new things as it can reenergize your creativity and even make your work faster. Take it slow and learn each piece of gear or software. After years of using some programs I always find some new sound, feature or a whole new way to use them.
Part 1: The Hard Stuff
Computer
Power Mac Dual G5
Back when Apple still made a processor just for running their flagship computers this beast was created. One of the last before the “new” Macs with the Intel chips. It still looks better inside then the latest models. Instead of a dual core, which is actually, one chip that acts like two, this mother has two separate processors and it looks completely bad ass inside! I have a lot of reasons to hold on to this. Not all the programs I use, especially my very valuable Waves Plug-ins. It is stable as stable can be. I also haven’t found a good enough reason to upgrade the operating system so this bad boy is still running tiger. It is years old now and I do not consider it slow. In fact compared to the last Intel macpro I used, I found mine a lot faster and smoother. You will still find these powering most major studios. This computer to me is like a vintage Les Paul custom is to a guitar player. It comes from more honest time when a company cared more about quality then control.
Midi Keyboard
Akai MPK 49
I have used a lot of different midi controllers in my time all with different purposes. The Akai has a feature that no other midi controller has. MPC swing and its really, really good! Sure you can use a groove template that will emulate the famous MPC style swing, but they never sound quite right. The MPK delivers. I’m no slouch when it comes to Midi controllers, but I still think the Akai has less of a learning curve for basic operation then a lot of the controllers on the market. MMC and MTC may be the only problem you will run into. With keys, pads (which aren’t as great as Akai pads should be) and banks of faders and knobs. I spend a lot of time on the MPK and have never felt so connected to my digital audio productions.
Audio/Midi Interface
MOTU 828mk2 firewire
Another classic, sort of. This is the last of the Firewire version of the MK2. I wanted one of these and got it dirt cheap because I knew they were going to be recalled when the new models were coming out. MOTU makes great interfaces with tons of features and unreal chaining ability so you can record a gazillion tracks (not quite). A little pricy the “pro-sumer” or if you don't need to record and playback a lot of channels in your home studio setup. MOTU’s sound quality is top notch and this is coming from a guy who rocks $40 000 Pro Tools HD systems!
External Hard Disk Drives
Glyph GT050
Custom Built
This is as important as the computer itself. This is your recording tape! It will become as precious to you as the master reels of The Beatles sessions are to EMI. My rule is for every hard drive I need, I buy a second drive to back it up. No matter how much you invest, disaster can and will happen. Glyphs are tanks, but once I dropped one 10 feet on to concrete and it wouldn’t read anymore, but this is why I recommend their drives! I sent my drive to Glyph and they were willing to send me a new drive right away or I could wait and they would try to recover my data and fix my drive if I sent it to them. Usually I would have had a back up but ten hours of valuable mixing would have been lost in this case so I sent my drive to them. The person who fixed my drive kept calling me and kept me in the loop, and even asked me to call back when I got my drive back to let him know everything was okay! You can’t beat this service, but buying a glyph is often hard to justify. Under the hood is an average Seagate disk and an Oxford bridge chip. Macsales.com OWC Mercury drives have the same specs, a great reputation and way, way lower price. I find myself making my own drives sometimes, and I really can’t complain except you get what you pay for and the enclosure you chose will ultimately make the difference in how much shock and damage your drive will suffer. Firewire is a must over USB. Firewire uses less CPU resources, has a higher track count and can be chained so you never really run out of extra ports!
Monitors
Tapco S5
Monitors are monitors to me. A good monitor should have a flat in frequency response, adding no color to what your actually hearing. I don’t recommend these monitors for that at all. I’ve used Yamaha NS 10’s, I’ve used loud speakers in a million dollar room. I think just like your hardware or software, you need to stick with and learn your monitors. For a lot of people their car is actually the spot where they judge whether a mix is good enough. I use my monitors but always try my mixes out of other systems I know well like my headphones, home stereo and car. I like to go into a professional room and listen but that doesn’t always happen, nor after five years of using the same monitors should it. Even if you have $10 000 monitors with room correction you need to try your mixes and masters out on an assortment of sound systems to make sure they “translate” well.
Record Player
Numark PT-01
Yes at my level of production and being a hip-hop enthusiasts I should have a direct drive turntable so I can scratch. I don’t really scratch and if I do I usually go back and chop and sample them back. For years my Numark does what I need it to which is play records so I can record them into my computer. It is built in its own flight case so it really durable. Plus it has a built in speaker and will also take batteries so you can play records at the beach or in the middle of nowhere, now that’s a trip!
Records, CDs and Music
I have a giant collection of cheap compilation CDs and record I never heard of before. It is a “whatever music I can get my hands on” policy. I dig because it inspires me.
Why you need to dig? Blog post coming soon!
Pre Amp
Art Tube MP PS
This is cheap and every studio should have one! Instead of plugging in direct to your audio interfaces crap pres, use on of these to warm up your signal first. Works good on anything I have every put into it. Their have been so many people who have used mine, loved it and got their own. A steal at under $100.oo, and it also doubles as great D.I. box. If you have an extra $1500.00 to spend then get the art, but also get what I consider the best value in channel strip outboard units, Universal Audio’s LA – 610.
Microphone
I’m good at “polishing turds”, which means I can make something that doesn’t sound like it was recorded well, sound a lot better. However, you should always go for top quality when choosing your microphones. The right microphone makes a huge, huge difference. The pre amp you plug the mic into makes a huge, huge difference. For me my favorite vocal combination is an AKG C12 and UA 610. This is a pretty expensive setup though. In my home studio you will find a MXL 90, which I use and abuse and blow smoke on throughout the day. It was when Marshall first started their foray into microphones so the quality is a million times better then what they offer now, for instance it wasn’t made in China. I use a mic to make beats cause I’ll often hum something and try to make a song around it or I’ll have a hook written and try to make a whole beat off the vocals. Want that one line of pitched up vocals, don’t worry about clearing the sample, sample yourself, try it out!
Headphones
AKG K 240 x 2
I have used these headphones forever. I have two pairs, the older gold ones and a newer pair that are branded MKII. These are open style and I feel open style sounds more natural. Closed are of course better for vocals, but even with the headphone cranked its not that big of deal. I’m used to them and can pretty much mix a song in them and have it translate well. These are probably the industry standard for professional studio monitoring headphones. I see them everywhere. I always have two pairs around.
Instruments
Actually real life instruments will breath a whole new life into your digital productions. Record your guitars, basses, drums, viola and whatever else you can get your hands on. Remember to do what I call “self-sampling”. If you play a riff, a nose, a sqeak, toss it in whatever you use to chop loops and rework it. Even if the timings off, or you used it in another song, it can become something different.
If you don’t know how to play an instrument then find someone who does!
Jeeez! That took longer than expected. There are a few other things I have that would count as “hard” such as other control surfaces and keyboards, but they aren’t mainstays and make there way in and out of my setup.
Check back here soon to find out what I use for software!
