A Guitar Teacher’s Studio - Buying Gear on a Budget

I was asked recently about my setup in my studio.  The student was curious as he wanted to set up something similar at home so that he could record what he’s learning. It got me thinking about how easy it is now to set up your own studio at home.

For those who want to know what I use and how you can keep costs reasonable please keep reading!  Hopefully it will help you create a studio that you can be proud of.

As a guitar teacher I wanted to provide a space where students could record what they learn within lesson times.   To do that I needed to buy the right gear at a reasonable price.  Through second-hand and brand new purchasing I was able to do just that.

1. Monitors

I use Yamaha recording monitors that I picked up for a few hundred quid.  They work really well and allow me to listen back to recordings easily.

2. Sound Card

I’ve tried a few sound cards in the past.  I currently use the Scarlett 1820i.  It’s a good sound card.   The downside is it can be a little problematic at times when using recording software and when working with windows.  I bought mine brand new for around £400.  For home recording you can buy the Scarlett 2i2 which is a smaller sound card with only a few inputs.  I bought the bigger one with more inputs to suit my needs.  Buy what works for you!

3. Mixer

I use a Soundcraft EPM6 Analogue mixer.  It’s an 8 channel mixer that I use for adjusting volume levels for recording etc.  For reference you don’t actually need this.  You can just use the digital mixer on whatever recording software you happen to be using.  I use it more because I have students who are essentially playing live when they’re in their lesson times.  It makes it easier for me to control their sound.   You can buy the same mixer for around £200 - 300.

4. Software

This may be a little controversial but I don’t actually use a Mac as my main machine for recording.  I’ve always been a windows guy and I find with a windows machine you get more flexibility.  For that reason I use Presonus Studio 5.  It’s easy to use software, even if you’re a beginner at it.  It comes with good quality plugins and it’s easy to install third party plugins to it too. I’ve always found it reliable.  You can buy the software for around £150.

5. Mics

I don’t do as much vocal recording as I do instrument recording.  For this reason I didn’t really feel the need to splash out on a mic costing thousands.  Instead I bought the Rode NT-1 for about £150.  It works really well and is great at cutting out background noise.

So despite a few other cables, a DI box and some extra plugins, what you see above is my basic set up.  

All in you could have the same for around £1000 or less.  As a guitar teacher I want to make sure that my students have the opportunity to record what they are learning as well as write and record their own music.  If you want a studio on a budget it can be done.  Keep rockin’ and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Fresh Music Aberdeen.