Chapter 2. Choosing Your Tools

Finding a digital studio setup that fits the way you work is as personal as choosing a musical instrument. You need to identify your needs, figure out which tools meet those needs, make sure they're compatible with one another, and think about your budget. In this chapter we'll survey the available tools in the order in which audio makes its way from live sound to digital formfrom recording and playback to the computerso you'll be ready to shop for exactly what you need or desire .

Essentials

Choosing Your Tools

You'll need some or all of the following equipment for digital audio, depending on your needs:

• Microphones and cabling for recording, studio monitors and headphones for playback

• Computer audio interface to get high-quality audio to and from your computer (essential), mixer (optional but useful)

• Controller inputs for easy access to software parameters

• Capable computer, which can be either a general-purpose machine or specialized audio hardware (key specs : fast CPU, fast/large hard drive(s), RAM, generous I/O)

• Software/hardware specific to your production needs, for recording, songwriting , editing and arrangement, mastering, playing instruments, DJing, video scoring, and producing printed notation

Essential Terms

• DSP

• AD/DA conversion

• Digital audio workstation (DAW)/sequencer

• Hosts and plug-ins

Where to Start:

If you're overwhelmed by choices and costs, consider getting up and running quickly with an entry-level audio interface bundled with some basic software.