Advanced musicians, producers and audio engineers who work professionally in music production prefer high-quality studio equipment.

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Computers & Laptops for PRODUCERS

For demanding music productions with technically complex plugins and many tracks, we recommend a system with the following technical data:

● Intel i7/ i9 or current AMD processor
Choose a processor that has as many GHz per core.
● 16 or 32 GB RAM memory (or more)
● 1 TB hard disk space (or more)

Since samples and plugins can quickly take up a lot of storage space, it is worth investing in a large one Hard drive or an external HDD, like the LaCie Rugged,. With more hard drive space, you're well prepared for the new software and future projects!

Audio interfaces for PRODUCERS

Beginners and bedroom producers who produce beats, record their own songs or instruments usually need a simple audio interface with a few inputs and outputs, which is completely sufficient for such applications.

However, as soon as you have several singers like For example, if you are recording a choir, bands or drums, you cannot avoid an audio interface with multiple channels. Around 13 microphones are needed just for the professional recording of a drum set!

An expensive interface usually contains high-quality components and special A/D converters, which convert recordings from an analogue to a digital signal particularly reliably. In addition, it is often possible to use multiple outputs to use different monitors.

Here you will find the best audio interfaces for advanced musicians and producers:

Studio loudspeakers (monitor monitors)

An acoustically properly optimized room and the right monitoring monitors are very important for a good mixing session!

Pay attention to your room characteristics, such as so-called room modes, because these are positions in your room at which certain frequencies come to a standstill, so that they can negatively influence auditory perception. Use a few acoustic elements, curtains or carpets if you want to optimize your room acoustically and minimize reflections.

Very expensive studio loudspeakers do not necessarily have a wider frequency range (this usually ranges from 20 Hz - 20 kHz), but they have it often higher quality individual parts installed! More expensive near-field monitors are usually made of solid aluminum castings or they contain special woofers and tweeters.

MIDI and DAW controllers for PRODUCERS

You probably already have a MIDI keyboard and have noticed that haptic control over MIDI signals has many advantages.

To get even better control over your DAW and your synthesizer, there are a number of devices that come with it which you can also control other parts of the production! for example the AKAI Midi Mix with which you can control individual knobs and channel levels.

If you use Ableton as your DAW, then the Ableton Push controller is definitely worth a look! Real beatmakers, hip hoppers and finger drummers also use special drum machines (also called drum machines or pad controllers) from AKAI, Roland or Native Instruments. Here you will find the best MIDI controllers for advanced music producers and home recording studios:

synthesizer

To take your sound design to the next level, it makes sense to switch from digital synths to analog synths. Compared to digital synthesizers, analog synths have a much more distinctive timbre and therefore usually need less EQ and effect processing.

Inexpensive synthesizers for beginners and advanced users can be found for less than €450! Create unique sounds with envelope generators, arpeggiators, LFOs and more!

Studio headphones for PRODUCERS

A good headphone should not be missing in the studio for mixing, especially if you want to record artists or bands.

Singers and rappers need closed headphones so that the instrumental does not leak out and cannot be heard on the vocal recording is. A clean vocal track is an important prerequisite for post production!

One more tip: Cable routing is relevant for some musicians and producers. Right-handers usually prefer a cable routed to the left. Take a close look at the scope of delivery if you prefer a flat, long cable instead of a coiled cable and pay attention to the construction.

Microphones for vocals and instruments

When choosing a microphone, you should pay attention to the polar pattern, because it should be suitable for the intended purpose.

Cardioid microphones are particularly suitable for vocal recordings and guitars, while omnidirectional microphones are good for field recordings Recordings and Atmos are suitable. Microphones with a figure-of-eight pattern are often used for interviews and microphones with a lobe pattern are used from a greater distance.

Note: Phantom power (+48V) only needs to be switched on for condenser microphones and active ribbon microphones. Passive ribbon mics, dynamic moving coil mics, and specialty types such as digital or USB mics do not require phantom power.

acoustic elements

A few acoustic elements for a better recording room should not be missing and can often be the solution for bad vocal recordings! Try out a few acoustic modules to optimally insulate and acoustically optimize your room or home recording studio.

Audio Plugin & Software Recommendations

Software effects, mastering plugins and virtual instruments are used almost exclusively in music production these days. Digital emulations can produce amazing results and can be a cost-effective alternative to expensive outboard gear.

If you want to take your mix to a whole new level, try out some of my personal favorites and the best software makers in the industry found here:

Studio accessories for PRODUCERS

A few accessories are part of a home recording studio. Here you will find the right tripod and decent sound absorbers for your microphone as well as USB adapters and cables. Also, set up your monitors (studio speakers) on tripods so they don't transfer vibrations to your table.