A few months ago, we did a blog posting for budding musicians

A few months ago, we did a blog posting for budding musicians, with some helpful product ideas on guitars, drums, basses and all kinds of accessories. Well today, we’re going to take it up a notch.If you’re a musician/songwriter, professionally or otherwise, you certainly know all too well how expensive it can be to get into a studio to record your songs. Between producer costs, renting studio time, and post-recording work like mixing and mastering, it can get really pricey fast. However, many independent musicians thrive with the DIY approach (do-it-yourself), and recording your songs should be no different. We’re going to show you how to build your own small home studio that will work perfectly whether you’re recording tracks for fun, or producing your very own album.The first decision to make is whether you want to use a traditional production device or record through your home computer. Now, recording on a computer takes up a lot of space on the hard drive, perhaps more than you have to spare on the average run-of-the-mill home desktop or laptop. So instead, invest in a ‘tracked’ recorder, which works as your production station and recorder all in one. Each voice or sound gets assigned a track, which produce a song when mixed all together. Years ago, these devices worked with audio cassettes, but not anymore. Now they’re digital, offering a greater range of possibilities for your recorded sounds. If you’re a solo act, and won’t be using complimentary backing vocals or instruments, go with a digital four-track. If you’re recording with a band and need more tracks, then go with the eight-track instead. Most come with detailed instructions to help you quickly figure out how to use them.For those of you with hard drive space to spare, there are really only two choices when it comes to home recording software. Garage Band is the basic software platform that allows for solid editing and sound modification. It’s also pretty easy to learn, meaning you can likely install it and then staring recording on the same day. However, if you want something a bit more professional, try the Pro Tools family of software, used by many professional sound technicians and engineers in their own studios. We’re not going to lie. Pro Tools is comprehensive and will literally do everything you need to make your song “radio ready” but it is EXTREMELY difficult to learn. You can pick up an instructional guide to help you out but be forewarned that the learning curve on Pro Tools is steep. We wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re someone who’s serious about recording professional-sounding material and has enough time on their hands to learn it. Otherwise, go with Garage Band.You’re going to obviously need microphones but don’t skimp! Not all mikes are the same. We’d recommend doing at least an hour’s worth of research on brands of microphones. Read the customer reviews on the websites that you shop on, and if possible, consult colleagues who have purchased and used microphones for home recording. If you’re planning on recording vocals, it’s advisable that you buy a vocal microphone for that on top of the normal studio mikes that you’ll use to record instruments.No matter what you think you know about home recording, it helps to have a guide. Books like Home Recording for Dummies will help you discover the best ways to maximize your sound-making experience. There are also a bunch of instructional DVDs out there to help. As with most things musical, the more you do it, the better you’ll get. Good luck