Essential Home Music Studio Equipment | 1500 Sound Academy icon
Music Education Articles

The Right Home Music Studio Equipment

Making quality music at home is more accessible than ever! But how do you know what type of equipment to invest in? Having home music studio equipment that fits your needs can be a serious investment, and the amount you’re willing to spend depends on how seriously you’re committed to the craft, but getting quality equipment for at-home recording projects doesn’t necessarily have to break the bank.

Whether you’re starting a music publishing company or would like to know what you need to record professional music at home, there are a few pieces of studio equipment you’ll need.

Continue reading to learn more about the best home music recording equipment and find out what you need to make great music in the comfort of your own home.

The Best Recording Equipment to Make Music at Home

A bright, airy home music studio

So, what’s the best recording equipment a musician or producer needs to make good music at home?

Image of a digital audio workstation

1. Digital Audio Workstation

Also known as a DAW, digital audio workstations are a must-have for new music producers. A DAW allows you to create, edit, and record your audio files. Not only is it an essential piece of equipment, but it’s one of the best music recording equipment you could get for your home studio. Different DAWs come with different perks, but without one, you won’t get far on your music recording journey. In almost all DAWs, you’ll have the ability to play around with multitrack recording, pitch/tempo, and equalization. A DAW is a must-have for your home music studio equipment checklist.

2. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) Controller

Another essential piece of home music studio equipment is your MIDI controller that controls your DAW. The most common types of controllers look like a piano keyboard, and they are especially recommended for those just starting out. Without a midi controller, even the best DAW added to your home’s music recording equipment will be rendered pretty useless.

Image of a MIDI controller
Focusrite audio interface

3. Audio Interface

This little piece of equipment is one of the most important tools in your home music studio. An audio interface is a device that converts the signals sent by your instruments and microphones into a recognizable format for your digital recording software. This enables you to record your songs and ideas with exceptional quality.

4. Microphone

No home music studio is complete without a good mic as part of your equipment. You will also likely require a studio recording microphone. This allows you to capture sound that will be translated to a digital signal, ensuring that a higher quality of sound is captured.

Image of a microphone
Image of black headphones on a dark background

5. High-Quality Headphones

Don’t forget to add studio-grade headphones to your list. Equipped with specific tunings to meet professional standards, this makes a world of difference. The headphones you require should have neutral sonic balancing, designed specifically for creating beats and correcting tonal imperfections. With these impressive qualities, you simply can’t do without this equipment if you want the best for your home music recording studio.

6. Cables/Adapters

While they might not be the most exciting tool in your home studio arsenal, they are one of the most crucial: cables and adapters. Without the proper cables and adapters, it would make recording or even playing anything besides an acoustic instrument pretty difficult. Some of the more common cables you should have on hand are XLR cables for microphones and ¼ inch instrument cables for guitars, basses, and any other instrument with a jack. Some gear needs extra juice, so this is where a spare 9v power adapter could come in handy. Also, having ¼ inch to ⅛ inch and vice versa headphone adapters around is never a bad thing. There are more specialized cables out there for setting up your studio, but these necessities should be enough to get you up and running.

Variety of instrument and microphone cables hanging on a wall
Image of a pop filter attached to a microphone stand with a microphone

7. Pop Filter

Speaking of a microphone, it helps to have a pop filter as part of your home’s music studio equipment. The unacquainted may think this isn’t necessary, but a pop filter helps you reduce the noise of air particles that come from consonant sounds when you’re performing. This little device can be attached to your microphone stand and is an invaluable accessory for recording vocals in your home studio.

8. Computer

It goes without saying that you need a computer as part of your equipment when recording music from home. The best computer is fast and can be used with the software you need. Your computer is the hub for recording, editing, and mixing your music and is arguably the most important part of your home’s music studio equipment.

Image of computer with microphone and pop filter attached
Image of a studio monitor on a small table

9. Studio Monitors

Getting good quality studio monitors for music is one of the best investments you can make when setting up your home recording studio. These will help you monitor the sound you’re recording and how it will sound when played back.

That said, studio monitors are much different from regular speakers. They’re specifically designed for audio engineers, musicians, and sound professionals who work in recording studios. Studio monitors use a flat frequency response to accurately reproduce sound from a performance. The benefit of this is that you’ll hear details you just won’t pick up from regular speakers.

The Takeaway

With these nine key essentials on your home music studio equipment checklist, you’ll be well on your way to creating good music. Making music takes time—making good music takes even more time. It’ll take patience, attention to detail, and determination to get it right. That’s why it helps to ensure you have the best home music recording equipment.

Enjoyed reading this article? Why not take it to the next level and advance your music career? To further your music education and be surrounded by a supportive community of like-minded artists, check out 1500 Sound Academy. Our experts are eager to help you develop your skills as you pursue a musical career. Reach out to our friendly team if you have questions, comments, or concerns regarding our programs.