Go Platinum, Not Broke

Platinum records don’t have to require platinum budgets. “In the past 10 years, recording software has become so flexible, and computers so powerful, that you can do everything on a $1,000 laptop now,” says Peter Kirn, creator of createdigitalmusic.com and author of Real World Digital Audio. We asked Kirn and Noah Lennox (a.k.a. Panda Bear), a member of the acclaimed indie-rock band Animal Collective, to help us construct a top-notch home recording studio on the cheap. All you’ll need to supply is the guitar—and the talent, of course.

 1    THE COMMAND CENTER

Apple iMac 20-inch computer. The more complicated the task, the quicker the learning curve ought to be. That’s why we’re laying down our face-melting riffs on an iMac. Apple has long supported the DIY recording community by including drivers and sound cards that play well with music production. Even better: All new iMacs come bundled with GarageBand 8, a music-production program that takes about, oh, 3 minutes to learn. $1,200 and up. apple.com

 2  THE BRAINS

Apple Logic Express Recording Software. This digital audio workstation (or DAW, see glossary at right) is a barebones version of what many pro musicians use in the studio. There are dozens of similar software programs, but we chose Logic because it won’t seem like a major departure for anyone weaned on GarageBand, the best beginner’s DAW we’ve found. Logic is more advanced, adding several professional features that allow you to create separate tracks for each instrument, record several takes, and mix together the final song. You can even make drum tracks by dragging and dropping them from a library of prerecorded loops. Just find your groove, plop it into the song, and drag to extend the loop. $200. apple.com (Rocking out on a PC? We like Ableton Live LE. $150. ableton.com)

 3   THE DIGITAL KEYBOARD

Novation Remote SL 25-key MIDI stationThis keyboard features lush, weighted keys that mimic the ivories on an actual Steinway. But it’s not just a melody maker.The keys also provide MIDI input (see glossary) to the computer, while buttons, knobs, and faders on the body allow you to tweak track settings without having to use the mouse. That beats fumbling with your DAW’s on-screen buttons any day. $400. novationmusic.com

 4   THE MIDDLEMAN

M-Audio JamLab. Your computer doesn’t come with a quarter-inch jack, the size of the output used by most guitars and keyboards. That’s why this little device comes in very handy—one side accepts your guitar plug, and the other side features a USB output that attaches directly into the back of your computer. Your audio input goes in one side, and a digital signal comes out the other. The JamLab won’t accept the three-pin XLR attachments used on most professional microphones, but the next piece of gear solves that worry. $80. m-audio.com.

 5   THE DESKTOP DRUMMER

Korg PadKontrol Logic and Garage-Band already include a bunch of sampled drum loops—recorded from live drummers—that you can use to create backing tracks for your music. But what if you want to make your own drumbeat? This pad and its bundled software can function as a desktop drummer, allowing you to assign different sounds to each of the 16 velocity-sensitive pads. Then you can perform in real time, laying down and recording patterns as a studio drummer would. The Pad-Kontrol tells the computer how hard and how long you’re contacting the pads, adjusting the sound accordingly to mimic real-world acoustics. $200. korg.com

 6   THE VOICEBOX

Blue Snowball, USB microphone. Granted, plug-and-play USB microphones like this one won’t give you the best sound. But they’re convenient, and won’t blow your budget like high-end condenser microphones. This one features three modes—two for vocals and one  more for laying down ambient sounds or jam sessions. $100. bluemic.com

Become an expert

THE INSTANT EXPERT >
DIGITAL AUDIO Know your MIDI from your DAW

LOOP
A loop is a snippet of music, usually just a few seconds long, that can be assembled using drum sounds and samples. A loop can be replicated or combined with other loops to create a song. Loops (sometimes referred to as “beats”) are often the building blocks of hip-hop and electronic music.

DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION (DAW)
A digital audio workstation, also called a sequencer, is a software program that acts as the hub of a digital studio. Each program allows you to record and arrange audio—from a guitar, mike, or other analog instrument—as well as performances from software instruments controlled by MIDI keys or drum pads.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DIGITAL INTERFACE (MIDI)
MIDI is a standardized type of musical input that allows you to “perform” on a digital instrument and then “map” different sounds onto the performance. The keyboard (or drum pad or any other MIDI-enabled instrument) tells the computer which keys you’re pressing and how hard and how long you’re pressing them. The computer adds sound—so there’s no limit to the instruments you can add.

SAMPLER
A sampler allows you to record and then trigger sounds as part of a performance. Artists often use samplers and sequencers together to create loops or to sprinkle recorded sounds throughout a recording. Artists sample everything from prior recordings—James Brown screaming “Work it,” say, or a Jimi Hendrix solo—to found sounds, such as a subway train or a rainstorm.

STEP SEQUENCER
Step sequencers, from the classic Roland TR-808 to today’s software versions, let you visually create drum rhythms. Each has a strip of buttons representing potential drum hits (usually 16 in all). A blinking light loops from left to right, button to button. Press a button and the selected drum sound will play at that point in the loop.