Are you an avid guitar player who likes to shred your electric guitar in your spare time? If you took up playing metal guitar as a hobby but want to dive into the world of recording your jam sessions, we’re here to guide you through the process.
In this article, we will outline exactly how to record metal guitars from a home studio, including:
● Buying hardware
● Studio setup
● Digital Audio Workstation
● Preparing to record
Choosing Your Equipment
Recording at a home studio means investing in high-quality equipment. You will need the following to record metal guitars at home.
Amps
There are tons of great powerhouse metal amps with plenty of high-end attack available on the market. Sure, there are different pedals that can be added to the signal chain to boost drive and gain. However, some of the most incredible metal tones simply boil down to the dialed in settings of the chosen guitar amp.
Here are some great metal amps to consider for your home recording studio setup:
● The PRS MT 15 Mark Tremonti is known for having strong value, aesthetic lights that make you feel like a rock star, and fantastic high gain notes.
● The Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 for its impressive features and ease of transport.
● The Peavy Invective .120 Amp Head lets you control your tones precisely as you want and includes tons of features.
You will want to do your research to find the amp that best meets your needs. Keep in mind your budget and must-have list when you narrow down which amp you select for your home studio.
Digital Audio Workstation
Your digital audio workstation (DAW) is software used for music production. You can use a DAW right from your personal MAC or PC, so investing in your DAW is essential when recording your music from home.
You can use DAW software to record and edit your audio, mix it, play virtual instruments, add audio effects, and more.
The following DAW software are preferred when it comes to recording metal music:
● Avid Pro Tools
● Ableton Live 11
● PreSonus Studio One
● Steinberg Cubase
● Cockos Reaper
Again, you’ll want to examine your wants and needs as you shop around for DAW software, but these five are a great place to start for someone who is getting started with home recording.
Audio Interface
Perhaps not the most exciting piece equipment in the world of guitar-related tech. Still, an audio interface is an essential device that works in tandem with your computer to connect audio signals from your metal guitar. Using an audio interface ensures that you achieve the best tone possible while jamming out on your guitar during your recording.
There are some great home-studio friendly guitar audio interfaces on the market and make sure to check out the IK Multimedia Axe I/O, Focusrite Scarlette 2i2, and Presonus Audiobox USB 96.
Microphone
You’ll probably want to purchase a dynamic microphone instead of a condenser mic because it’s better suited to the aggressive metal sound. The following dynamic mics are great options for your home metal studio:
● Shure SM57
● Sennheiser MD421
● Sennheiser e609
● AKG C414
● Neumann U87
Prepping Your Guitar
Before starting your recording session, you’ll want to make sure your guitar is correctly set up for an at-home studio environment. Prepping your guitar will help you avoid annoying issues in your recordings, such as poor tone or tuning issues.
If you are inexperienced in basic guitar maintenance, I’d recommend bringing it to a shop or tech you trust to prep it for you or show you how to do it for future reference.
Setting up Your Home Studio
Now that you know what equipment you’ll need, let’s dive into setting up your recording space.
Step 1: Pick the Ideal Room In Your Home
While you may only have a couple of options in your living space to set up a recording studio, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Firstly, you’ll want to select the largest room you can. A bigger space not only provides better acoustics but will give you more room to set up your equipment.
Of course, you’ll also want to select the quietest room in your house. If the largest room is not the quietest, you can take steps to soundproof the room. These include applying wall padding and acoustical glue, creating air gaps, and using a door sweep.
Step 2: Set Up Your Room
Once you’ve selected and soundproofed your room, it’s time to completely clear it out of furniture and decor so you can start setting up your equipment.
Generally, you’ll want to focus on two separate areas of the room: a mixing area with your computer and digital equipment and a recording area for the musical equipment.
There are many different ways to arrange your recording space, and while experts can provide recommendations, you’ll have to ultimately decide what setup works best for you.
Step 3: Connect Your Equipment
Your recording studio should connect in a way that allows your audio signal to flow seamlessly from your guitar to your digital setup. If you are a beginner to the home recording game, you most likely won’t have a ton of equipment to connect.
Step 4: Start Shredding!
Now that your recording studio is set up, you’re ready to rock. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your equipment, and don’t get discouraged if it takes some trial and error.
To Sum It Up
Setting up a home studio is no easy feat, and you should be proud of yourself for taking that step and pursuing your passion for music, whether you’re doing it as a hobby or career.
Now that you have the basic background information, you’re ready to start shopping to fill your recording studio with equipment. We recommend using the suggestions on this list as a great way to begin and explore some of the most highly recommended pieces of equipment in the business.
Each musician is different, so everyone’s studio and equipment will look different. This article serves as a general guideline to get started. Make your space your own and have fun!