Seven Top Choices In Music Recording Equipment

Music recording equipment can be as interesting as the process of recording itself. Before getting into recording, you must of course have some knowledge of the important equipment needed. It can be the chicken or the egg question all over again but whichever one you prefer to have first, it is important to take a look at some of the most modern (and sometimes expensive) music recording equipment available in the market today.

1. A portable multi-track recorder is needed for audio recording as it can record several tracks and its built-in mixer can blend all these recordings to come up with a finished product. This is a starter’s equipment but may later be upgraded for professional recording.

2. Top-of-the-range digital multitrack recorder models are now preferred for better sound quality. This equipment can be considered a fully-featured studio which can handle 16 or 24 tracks and at the same time produce professional effects. Some of these are designed with built-in processors which allow you to plug in some instruments and immediately expect top-of-the-range professional amplification.

3. Mixing is an important part of the whole audio recording process. A monitor that can produce a more accurate sound mix is an important piece of music recording equipment. Monitors may be set up near the field or can be placed far-field. One must consider the type of room where the recording will be done before getting the right speakers for the system. Behringer TRUTH B2031A Active Monitors is a product that delivers neutral sound with a flat frequency response from 50Hz-21kHz. The set is sold at $339.99.

4. Digital signal processors are needed to produce wonderful vocal effects. EQ units and compressors offer high quality than all-in one hardware devices. One may choose the DigiTech Vx400 Vocal Modeling Floor Processor. This product is a full-featured vocal processor that has a microphone pre-amp, full-function compressor and 3-band EQ. This equipment costs $249.95.

5. Another must-have in recording is an audio mixer that has the ability to mix the sounds from multi-track recorders into a stereo track. An audio mixer usually has onboard effects processors used for reverb and equalization. One must consider many things before buying a mixer such as connectivity, number of inputs, and the kind of digital-analog conversion it can provide.

6. Another important equipment choice in recording is an external microphone which is needed for high-quality recordings. Here are the choices:

* The dynamic microphone - not as sensitive but durable and does not need additional power supply
* The condenser microphone - more sensitive but needs a power supply before it can be used
* The stereo microphone - another option for those who are into recording live music; this is more expensive but you can expect an excellent output

7. There are plenty of microphones available in the market. Electro-Voice 635A which is usually used in interviewing and other activities in broadcast journalism costs $100. AKG C-1000 is a top quality microphone for stereo recording. It normally costs $300 for the set. The Rode NT4 is getting positive reviews as it produces nice recordings and has the look of a medical device. Its price ranges from $350 to $450. A related, important tool used in recording is the microphone pre-amp. There are plenty of available single and high quality mic pre-amps you can use for track-laying.

8. The reverb box is also a necessary piece of equipment in audio recording as it can make the sound fuller and sweeter. The reverb box usually comes with another multi-effects unit that one can use to come up with creative audio recordings.

If you think you can come up with quality audio recording without the use of quality music recording equipment you’d better think again. Quality audio recording can be a bit expensive but look towards the end product and you will not regret the cost.

Audio Recording