The Coronavirus Home Recording Guide
Part 2—Software
Here we are. Everyone stuck at home trying to figure out what is going on. For many music producers, being at home social distancing is a normal fact of life. But for our artist and song writing friends, this is a new reality. With recording studios closed, people need to find a new way to get work done at home.
In this series, I will be providing tips and recommendations on how to best setup a home recording setup.
Part 1 — Gear
Part 2 — Software
Hopefully I can be a small step in helping you create from home!
Computer
Before we can start talking about software, we must talk about computers first. The computer is the hub of your studio setup. The strength and speed of your computer will make or break your setup. For ease of explanation, I will assume that people have Apple laptops rather than PC. PC’s can be used for recording as well, but the standard is a Mac.
Any type of newer Mac will work. By newer, I mean anything since 2015. I currently use a 2015 Mac Book Pro 15 inch and have no problems with it in my studio. If you are looking for a new computer, I recommend a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro depending on your budget. The Pro will be better in the long run based on the processing power and speed. Always try to buy the most expensive computer you can afford with the highest specs. Both of these computers will be perfect for home recording. When in doubt, always by used/certified pre-owned in order to save some $$!
Software
Let’s talk about software! In the audio recording world, we call the main software a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). There is a great debate over which DAW is the best to use. For the beginner, I will be making 3 recommendations. In addition to your DAW, the other type of software in the audio world is plugins. Think about plugins like the Sims Expansion Packs. Sometimes you wanted your Sims to go to college, sometimes to the beach. While the base game was more than enough to play, the expansions added more features to make the games more fun. There are plugins that can make your voice sound like it is in a hallway (Reverb) plugins to make you louder/softer (Compression) and plugins to make your voice sound weird (Modulation). All of the software’s I will recommend come with plugins built in, but there is a wide market of 3rd party plugins to explore later.
Here are my 3 DAW Recommendations:
- Apple’s GarageBand
- Apple’s Logic Pro X
- Avid Pro Tools (First or Standard)
Apple’s GarageBand
Now I can hear people in the comments already. Ben! GarageBand? Really? Yes. GarageBand is the perfect place for the home recording singer or songwriter to start. GarageBand comes built in on every Mac and can be a great place to start to learn how to get comfortable with recording yourself. GarageBand is extremely user friendly and can help you get a good sound quickly. In addition, GarageBand files can be opened in Logic Pro X with no problem so that the next person working on your music can pick up where you left off.
GarageBand Pros:
- Easy to use
- Free
- Simple
GarageBand Cons:
- Lack of features
- Can be clunky at times
- No Support for 3rd party plugins
GarageBand Tutorials:
Apple Logic Pro X — $200
The best way to describe Logic Pro X is like GarageBand on steroids. Like super Barry Bonds early 2000s steroids. Logic Pro X is usually most peoples first DAW. It is every accessible and easy to use. Logic will give you the ability to not only record your own music, but to also start making your own beats. Logic also has a full feature set with a great library of included plugins. Logic can be found within your Mac’s App store, and currently, Apple is providing a FREE 90 DAY TRIAL of logic during the social distancing.
Logic Pro X Pros:
- Easy to use
- Cheap
- Lots of people have it
Logic Pro X Cons:
- Only Available for Mac Users
- Can be hard to collaborate with non Logic Users
Logic Pro X Tutorials:
Avid Pro Tools — First = $0, Regular $30/month
Pro tools is the industry standard in terms of DAW. Almost every major studio in the world has Pro Tools. Almost every song you hear on the radio was either recorded, mixed, or mastered in Pro Tools. With this being said, Pro Tools can be a steep learning curve for the beginner. It also lacks some of the same plugins and effects that can be found in Logic Pro. I would recommend Pro Tools to someone that is collaborating with other Pro Tools users, or someone who is a little more advanced with their recording. Pro Tools comes in two different types. There is Pro Tools First, the free version with an extremely limited feature set, or Pro Tools, the full version that you pay monthly for.
Pro Tools Pros:
- Industry standard
- Great for large vocal sessions with a lot of background vocals
- Ubiquitous across the music industry
Pro Tools Cons:
- Expensive — $30/month adds up
- Hard to use
- First version is very limited
Pro Tools Tutorials:
Now you have your Software!
Now that you have made it to the end, you should have a good idea of how to properly equip your computer for home recording! While this is by no means the only way, these are just some options about how you can keep working during this time. Most importantly, whether you get Logic, Pro Tools, or stick with GarageBand, it is never about the gear, it is always about you. The gear is just here to help you get your ideas out.
Ben Thomas is a Philadelphia based recording and mixing engineer. With over 4 years of professional experience, he has worked with some of the industries top stars including: Lil Uzi Vert, Post Malone, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil’ Dicky, Meek Mill, Jazmine Sullivan, NLE Choppa, Chika, Lil Yatchy, Donn T, Chill Moody, Bilal, Jorja Smith, and many others.
Check out his work at: benthomasproductions.com