Create An Amazing Studio On A Budget

Want to create a recording studio? Have limited funds – or even unlimited funds? In this special feature, we reveal studio options at different budget levels for several different types of producer…

It is probably the question we get asked the most: I have £XX amount of cash, and I want to make XX type of music, so what do I need to buy? The answer, of course, can vary, but we think we have narrowed down some pretty good ideas of studio setups for various types of producers, with varying amounts of funds to spend.

Over the following pages, we’ll look at these different musicians – dance-music producers, singer/songwriters, soundtrack composers, band recordists, mobile musicians and more – and reveal the best current setup for producers within those areas. A couple of caveats, of course. Our recommendations only include products that we have actually reviewed here at MusicTech and, of course, these are not set in stone.

Where we recommend one DAW, for example, many more will do the job – this is just general advice based on a wealth of experience from our team of writers, so don’t go throwing your music tech out of the pram because your favourite gear is not here (but by all means, write in and vent if you wish!).

Secondly, we are assuming you have a computer – or, at the cheaper end of the scale, some kind of mobile/iOS device. We’re therefore concentrating on the key extras that you’ll need: an interface, a microphone, something to make sound, and some speakers to hear it back.

So, without further ado, we present our guide to creating an amazing studio on a budget.