HOME STUDIO DESIGN PART I

Home music production and home studio design are the largest growing areas of the recording industry. Advancements in computer technology coupled with a less profitable recording industry have led the pro audio manufacturers to go where the money is… Home.

For a relatively small amount of money, a home music production studio is now at the fingertips of the novice, enthusiast, and everybody who has a song and a dream. If you want to create the right home studio design for your needs, the following article will point you in the right direction.

Each of the following questions will help to focus you toward the essentials for creating a home music production space that is best suited to the way you work. Every person is different and works and thinks in unique ways. You must honor that in the design and purchases you make.

What do you want to do with your studio?

Everybody has a different idea of what they want or need out of their studio. What you want will determine the home studio design, software, interfaces, microphones and gear that you buy. It is critically important to have a goal for your home studio. Before you set your goal, answer the following questions. The answers to these basic questions will help determine the design of your home studio

1. Are you musician, engineer or music producer?
2. What type of music do you want to record?
3. Will you be collaborating with others in your studio?
4. Do you need a live acoustic space for recording?
5. What is your budget for the studio?

As you answer each of the previous questions try to visualize what your home studio design might look like. After you have answered and visualized each of these basic questions, It's time to set a goal for your home studio design and what you hope to accomplish with it down the road.

Goals

Goals should always be set with two things in mind. What is my long term vision, and what is the first step I need to take. Basically this is a long term goal and a short term goal. Without the long term goal, your short term decisions may be ill-advised, unfocussed and lead to a less than satisfying outcome.

The long term goal helps to define where you want to be in 5 years or 10 years. Defining this goal clearly will allow you to make better decisions on how to design your home studio. The short term goal is the next step you need to take. What can you do right now to get one step closer to your long term goal?

Defining Your Goals

If you are unclear about your long term goal then answer these questions:

1. What drives your passion to create music?
2. Do you see yourself as a creator of music or as part of the process?
3. Do you see yourself making a career in the music industry?
4. Where do you see yourself fitting in or standing out in the music industry?
5. Do you want to create music solely for your own entertainment and fun?

By answering these questions, you are defining a role for yourself and your studio. This puts you one step closer to the home studio design that is best for you. Your home studio design may only need to be a temporary situation to help enable your long term vision. Keep this in mind when you make your short term decisions.

Every decision you make with design, software and equipment purchases should be part of this larger picture. As you read on further to see what design and purchases you need to make, remember to keep your long term goal in mind.

Examples of Long-Term Goals

The following are five examples of what this process might look like for five unique situations. If you are still confused or unclear of your long term goal, maybe some of the following examples will help.

Example 1: I am a musician in a alt rock band, my long term goal is to get a record contract with a major label.

Example 2: I am a songwriter and my long term goal is to sign a deal with a publishing company that sells my songs to signed artists.

Example 3: I am a recording engineer and my long term goal is to build my own commercial recording studio for all my engineering work.

Example 4: I am a music producer and my long term goal is to create a record label and sign young talent that will be distributed through major record labels.

Example 5: I write hip hop beats and my long term goal is to write for top producers and artists in the music industry.

Examples of Short-Term Goals for a Home Studio Design

All of these examples express a long term goal. The design of each home music production studio will be different based on the long term goal. With a long term vision in mind, let's look at the short term goal for each:

Example 1: The musician needs a home studio to record their alt rock band for the purpose creating CDs and to promote live performances and sales online.

Example 2: The songwriter wants a home studio design that will be their primary workspace for writing and recording demos of their songs.

Example 3: The engineer is looking to create a quality home studio that can be used for recording, editing, mixing and mastering work.

Example 4: The music producer is looking to create a recording space that they can use to develop young artists.

Example 5: The beat writer needs a small production space that can be easily broken down and set up for work in other recording studios.

Home-Studio Design Part I

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