1) A Computer System 
Always try to buy the most up-to-date computer on the market, because usually most new computers will pack enough punch to run the most advanced software (music production or otherwise) that will come out within the same year. Before buying a main software package for your recording studio do reseach on the software's computer system requirements. You will always want to determine if your computer has enough memory, cpu clockspeed, and a large enough hard drive to run this software. If you run memory hungry software (like music production/recording software) on a weak computer system, the computer will slow down and eventually crash. If this happens you could potentially loose some important song material during a recording/production session!
These days all computers come with CDR drives as a standard for recording (burning) your music to a CD. Some computers even have CD printers built-in to allow you to print custom graphics and text directly onto your CD, thus eliminating the need for paper CD labels.The laptop computer is preferred by most independent music producers, because of it’s mobility. A desktop computer is fine if used exclusively in your home recording studio.
Keep in mind that it takes about 40MB of memory to save one 4-minute song onto your computer’s hard drive. To avoid using up your computer’s hard drive with your music mixes get an External USB/Firewire hard drive unit for storing your song mixes onto. You can also take this hard drive containing your songs' files to a commercial recording studio, without your computer. Once in a commercial recording studio, a professional engineer can upload your songs' files to Pro Tools and perfect your mixes for your independent cd release master.
The sound/audio cards that come standard on most computers today are great for games and downloaded MP3 music files, but are not suitable for music production. Therefore you will have to replace your audio card with a music production quality audio interface card! The audio interface card should have the following:
-Input and Output for your midi keyboard controller's Midi cables to plug into (some new midi keyboard controllers now use USB cables for "plug & Play"technology).
-Pair of Audio Stereo Inputs and Outputs to accomodate an audio interface unit with built-in pre-amp capabilities for your condenser microphone, hardware sampler, groove box, workstation synthesizer/keyboard, electric guitar and/or a bass guitar to plug into. These audio input/outputs are also used to record audio to and from your computer into older equipment such as a cassette recorder.
-Spdif Input/Output to record to and from your computer to digital sources such as a CD Recorder or an older digital audio or "DAT" recorder for making a master at home. You could actually take this master to a CD replication/dup house to make your independent CDs.
Author Note:
Welcome to my site!
After reading the information on this site you will have knowledge about what is needed to set up a computer-based home recording studio. I have made it easy for you to browse music gear for more information and also to purchase your music gear directly from this site by clicking on the links.
Enjoy,
Samuel Gilleylen
Samuel D. Gilleylen has been involved in the independent music industry for about 25-years. His many experiences include audio engineering and music business administration. Samuel is the Author of the current #1 selling music business book for Newbies entitled:
