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Making and recording music is a fun and rewarding experience! The only prerequisites to this tutorial are having a computer and being musically inclined.

Steps

1. Write a plan of what you want to do. Do you want to build a recording studio? Is it a singing booth? Is it an engineering booth? Is it for computer-based music production? Knowing what you want before you start can help you decide which equipment you’ll need.
2. Acquire the appropriate equipment, such as: amplifiers, microphones, mixers, electric instruments, cables for connecting it all together. A modern computer built or purchased within the past past three years should be sufficient. If possible, acquire a working high-quality soundcard, such as an M-Audio Fast Track Pro or DigiDesign Mbox Mini.
   

   Mbox 2 Mini

   Creative Labs DOES have a Pro Music line called EMU. I’d recommend a 1212M PCI system if you were going to go that route. Monitor speakers are helpful if you’re looking to stick with this for more than a hobby. I recommend the M-Audio Studiophile BX8a’s, KRK RP-8 Rokit, or if you’ve got money to burn, the Mackie HR824 Studio Monitors. If you’re into hip hop, techno, or dance music, a set of turntables will be needed to record your sets or scratches on the fly. A MIDI keyboard will be useful if you want to use MIDI software (which you can use to write bass lines, piano parts and drum beats). Nothing fancy is needed, but each person will have their own preference.
3. Buy or download music-editing software for your PC. The following are recommended Reason, Cakewalk, Pro Tools, Cubase, Fruity Loops, Adobe Audition, LMMS or Audacity. If you have a fairly new Mac, it will already have GarageBand preinstalled. This will work well, although if you want to be more professional you can also buy Logic. Play with it, learn the keyboard shortcuts.
4. Connect everything up. This is where most of the genius (and perspiration!) comes in. In general, keep it as simple as possible. For best playback quality run from the sound card into a mixer or amplifier and then to your monitor speakers. For best recording quality, run instruments/mics into a mixer (make sure you are getting a clean, clear, undistorted signal) then run from the mixer into the sound card.
5. Learn how to record a sound from an input line and how to arrange pre-recorded sounds. Also learn how to turn an arrangement into a .wav or .mp3 file. (After all, eventually you want to make a CD with all this awesome music!)
6. Select a room in your house. Soundproof it if possible. It not, try to use special carpet or insulation that can at least reduce external noise.
7. Start writing simple tracks. Start off with a drumbeat. Add a bassline or piano or vocal track. Start mixing. Explore! It’s all about experimentation. At the beginning, you don’t have to write a masterpiece – just focus on having fun!
8. If you have trouble with any of the above, pick up a Mixing / Studio Book. It’ll help you understand the underlying concepts needed to keep you going for a lifetime.
9. Once you’ve learned the basics, start breaking it down. Lay a bunch of tracks together. Experiment with processed effects. Experiment with VSTs, loops, new hardware and anything else you can get your hands on.

Tips

• It’s also helpful to have a raw sound-file editor programs. The best ones, such as Sound Forge or Cool Edit, are expensive, but Audacity has most of the features you’d be looking for and it’s free.
• Good quality equipment, while expensive, will help the overall quality of the sound. Do your homework, and buy the best quality that you can afford.


One Type Of DI Box

• Use DI boxes where applicable to cut down on noise and interference.
• If you’re using instruments like electric guitar with your DI box or plugging it straight into the sound card but really want the sound of your amp, see if you can get your hands on a microphone. Put the mic in front of the amp and plug the mic into the computer instead. If noise is an issue, most amps will also let you run a direct line from the amp into the computer.
• The first few recordings will not sound very professional. No matter what recording software you choose, you’ll have to play with the quality settings to achieve the sound you want.
• Get an extra hard drive, either internal or external, and don’t use it for anything except sound recordings. Quality, uncompressed digital sound files take up a lot of space.
• If you don’t have the money to throw at all of this right away, start with the basics. That way, you’ll be completely familiar and comfortable with the setup by the time you have all the equipment you need.
• Remember, your system is only as strong as the weakest link. When looking to upgrade equipment, work out what the most important piece of equipment is for your system. Is it the sound card, the mic, the software or the computer itself?
• Get advice from your local music shop specialist. They usually have studio professionals who know what they’re doing for the most part. If not, contact a local recording studio and ask what they have and then try to reduce down the costs to what you need.

Warnings

• As with all electrical equipment, exercise caution with live cables, wires and speakers. Discharge static electricity when necessary.
• Make sure the mixer’s main line isn’t too hot! You’ll blow your eardrums out if you’re not careful.
• Make sure you turn on the monitor speakers after you turn on everything else. This is to avoid the sudden occurrence of transient noise caused by significant variations in the signal path (like turning on the mixer). Such noise is potentially harmful to your speakers as well as your ears.

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