The Challenges of a Poor Person Attempting to Put Together an Audio Recording Studio

Face it. Audio recording is expensive. Anybody who has attempted to get into the recording field has realized this immediately. And most people probably stopped dead in their tracks, turned around, and ran as far in the opposite direction as they could. I probably should have, but I am stubborn. I have bands and we need recordings of our music. And I cannot stand the recording studios that are open for business in my area. So I decided to do all my recordings myself. Occasionally I regret this decision, but for the most part I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish in my audio recording studio.

I am not trying to knock rich people. However, the local recording engineer was born into wealth, so opening a top-notch recording facility was not a difficult task for him. He opened his studio with all the recording equipment he could ever need. This may make me sound a bit bitter. But that is definitely not the case. In fact, that could not be any further from the truth. I would not change a thing about the path I have taken to build my audio recording studio. I have learned so much about the basics of sound and the fundamentals of audio recording, and I take a great amount of pride it what I have been able to achieve as a result of all my research and study.

But there are many challenges that a poor person encounters when attempting the process of building a home recording studio. Let us take a look at these.

1. Size of The Room - I am poor, so I do not have a large spot for live tracking. I also do not have enough room for a dedicated control booth. So, I had to strategically create my space to be appropriate for tracking and mixing.

2. Acoustic Treatment - Professional products can be rather costly, so I had to build my own bass traps to clean up the rumble of low-end buildup in the corners. I also picked up couch cushions from the roadside to use as broadband absorbers for controlling reflections.

 3. Equipment Quality - This is obvious. I cannot afford high-end gear, so I have had to do extensive research to get the right equipment for each task of the recording process. It is okay though. The thought of a $2000 microphone does not register well with me anyway.

4. Knowledge - This challenge is also a blessing. To get the most out of my studio setup and recording equipment, I have had to do excessive studying and experimenting. This may not have been necessitated had I been given the luxury of better equipment. But of course, there is nothing wrong with learning, and now I have some amazing techniques under my belt.

5. Appearance - Because my recording studio is mostly DIY, it does not have the conventional look of a recording studio. And to a certain extent I like this. I am not really a fan of the super professional looking studio anyway. But I also do not want the studio to look especially amateurish either. So there-in lies the challenge. It has taken a good bit of strategy to get my studio appearance to just the right balance of professional and ghetto.

So there you have a few of the challenges I have encountered along my path to construct my little slice of heaven.

Ronnie Pistons is a punk musician of nearly twenty-five years. In this time he has participated in many recording sessions. With a DIY approach, he has learned to get great home recordings without breaking the bank. Now he wants to share his insight with anyone who is willing to listen.

For more on recording studio design, check out:
DIY Audio Recording Alternatives and Solutions
Home Recording Tips – The Basic Fundamentals
Mass Loaded Vinyl Home Depot Alternative - DIY Recording Studio
Moving Blankets - Acoustic Treatment in the Home Studio

Short Scale, Shallow Body - Guitars For Tiny Folks

Short Scale, Shallow Body – Guitars For Tiny Folks Small Hands – Children are not the only fans of small guitars.

As an adult male standing at only 5’4″, I have always found it difficult to play a regular-size dreadnought acoustic guitar. I’ve always found it equally as uncomfortable to play a full-size bass. But back when I was first starting out, I didn’t know the existence of short scale instruments. I assumed that all guitars that were created small were only meant for kids. Until I walked into a vintage guitar store in 1994 and discovered a Fender MusicMaster bass for sale. With a 30″ scale, this bass was the ultimate in comfort for my small stature. I purchased it immediately. And today I love it as much as ever. It remains a force in my arsenal of axes.

The scale of a guitar is the measurement from the nut to the saddle. Here are some common full-length scales.

Fender Electric Guitars: 25.5 inches
Gibson Les Paul: 24.75 inches
Classical Guitar: 26 inches
Acoustic Guitars: 24.6 inches to 25.4 inches
Fender Precision Bass: 34 inches

And here are the short-scale lengths of my guitars.
Short-Scale Acoustics: 24.25 inches
Fender MusicMaster Bass: 30 inches

I have no problems with the full-length scale on electric guitars. It is only the bass and acoustic guitars that cause me problems. Another issue to consider when it comes to a small person trying to play a regular-size dreadnought acoustic guitar is the depth of the body. This is actually more of an issue for me than the scale length. If the body is too deep, my arm rests on the edge of the body at an uncomfortable angle. It feels as if the edge is digging into my arm… not preferred. There are many companies that make quality shallow-body acoustics guitar. One is Applause by Ovation. They have a large number of rounded, shallow-body models to choose from. Another is Fender. They make the Stratacoustic and Telecoustic. And while the tone of these Fenders is a bit thin for some players, the playability makes them great choices for an electric guitarist who only seldomly needs an acoustic. And some equalization can help to fatten out the tone. Read the entire article: Short Scale, Shallow Body - Guitars For Tiny Folks.


Get more info on DIY audio recording solutions and recording equipment.

Moving Blankets as Acoustic Treatment

Heavy Moving Blankets as an Alternative to Professional Acoustic Blankets

Soundproofing and acoustic sound treatment in a home recording studio can be very daunting. Most people want no part of either. And while the professional solutions can be very expensive, there are always alternatives that will not break the bank. Aside from Db3 acoustical barrier, couch cushions, and some diy broadband absorbers that I made from compressed fiberglass insulation, I also use moving blankets. Now, I’ve done a lot of research on these things.

I kept seeing them pop up in recording discussions. But the general consensus is that they don’t do much for sound treatment other than stop some flutter echo. However, there are companies that produce professional acoustic blankets supposedly ideal for deadening sound…and guess what? They sure do look quite similar to moving blankets, but with a much steeper price tag. So I had to dig deeper. Just like any kind of soundproofing material, the more dense product will block more sound. Standard moving blankets are not very heavy at all, and are often extremely thin. The professional acoustic blankets made by Audimute and Producer’s Choice are heavy and quilted. This makes them more effective than standard moving blankets. Check out my article on moving blankets as acoustic treatment.

Price Efficient Musical Solutions and DIY Resources

Overview

Many people out there think that digital home recording is a daunting task...and for the most part, they are correct. It can be extremely complicated, frustrating, and most importantly, expensive. But like anything else, there are tricks of the trade. There are also fundamentals that never change, such as microphone placement and sound treatment. A little bit of knowledge goes a long way in this field, and with the right resources, the once scary thought of recording will no longer seem so frightening...or expensive.
 
I'm hoping to get much more content on here in the very near future. I have several recording projects in the works, so I'm sure I'll be presented with a number of new challenges that I can learn more from. But I'm also presently in college, so I hope to keep the struggles to a minimum. School or recording alone is enough of a headache. I hope that together they don't cause my brain to explode. So if I still exist at the end of the summer, I should have a bunch of new knowledge to share. And hopefully I'll be at a point where I can get back to focusing on the most important thing to me, which is actually playing music!

Home Audio Recording Solutions and DIY Alternatives