| Possibly the most important question to ask yourself | | | | needed to interface the equipment. |
| when planning your home recording studio is "Do I | | | | Some people just prefer the sound of analog |
| want it to be a digital studio or an analog studio?". You | | | | equipment and tape. There is an undeniable warmth |
| must know the answer to this first because the rest | | | | and feel to analog compared to digital. While dance, hip |
| of your planning will be influenced by what format you | | | | hop, or other mostly electronic music sounds fine when |
| will be recording on. | | | | recorded digitally, music recordings of more acoustic |
| It has only been in the past decade that digital | | | | instrument-based genres such as jazz or country can |
| recording has become the norm. It used to be that if | | | | really benefit from the sound of analog equipment. |
| you wanted to record music at home, you used an | | | | Often times an analog recording of acoustic music can |
| analog 4-track that recorded on a cassette tape. And | | | | preserve the natural sounds of the voices and |
| very few people had the skills or knowledge to make | | | | instruments much more accurately than a digital format |
| that setup sound good enough to release as a record. | | | | can. |
| If you wanted to do a professional recording, you had | | | | Once you have decided to record either digital or |
| to rent a large studio that used very expensive analog | | | | analog, you must then pick exactly which format you |
| multitrack machines. These were typically 16 or 24 | | | | will use. For example, hard disk, flash, CD, DVD, these |
| track machines that used 1 inch or 2 inch wide analog | | | | are all digital formats. There is hardware and software |
| tape. | | | | for recording on these and other digital formats. Which |
| These days analog equipment is used more as an | | | | format you pick will determine exactly what equipment |
| effect or by a few select people who prefer the | | | | you will need for recording on that format. |
| sound of analog tape. Recording on a digital format | | | | The surge in popularity of digital recording has given |
| has become so simple and inexpensive that the | | | | consumers a great selection of recording equipment |
| number of large professional recording studios has | | | | and software at very reasonable prices. And the |
| diminished greatly in the past several years. Anyone | | | | speed at which the technologies change and improve |
| can now record music at home on a computer or a | | | | also result in good deals on slightly used digital |
| digital recorder. And although it still takes a certain level | | | | recording equipment. |
| of skill and knowledge to end up with a decent | | | | If you choose to build your home recording studio |
| sounding recording, the combination of the equipment | | | | around an analog format, your search for equipment |
| being easier to use and the public's acceptance of | | | | may be more difficult. Very few manufacturers still |
| compressed audio formats has resulted in it now being | | | | offer new analog recording equipment, but there are |
| easier than ever for anyone to set up a home | | | | some high quality pieces available. You can also find |
| recording studio and produce quality music recordings | | | | some great deals on older used analog as more and |
| at home. | | | | more studios upgrade or change over to a digital |
| When considering which format you will be recording | | | | format. |
| on, you should think about what kind of music you will | | | | One other issue to consider with analog equipment is |
| be recording. If you are going to be playing and | | | | service. With the classic warmth and feel of analog |
| recording mostly electronic instruments such as | | | | comes the need for regular maintenance of analog |
| keyboards, turntables, or samplers, then recording on a | | | | equipment. The cost and availability of new digital |
| digital format makes more sense. Converting signals | | | | recording equipment makes digital gear virtually |
| from digital to analog and back to digital etc. degrades | | | | disposable. Analog gear is not as easily replaced and |
| the sound quality of the signal with each conversion. | | | | the number of qualified service technicians seems to |
| By keeping most of the signal in the digital domain, you | | | | be dropping rapidly. Although this issue of maintenance |
| could preserve the original sound and end up with a | | | | with analog recording equipment should not be the sole |
| better sounding recording. A digital recording setup is | | | | factor in deciding which format to use, it should be |
| usually simpler as far as cables and connectors | | | | considered when making the decision...analog or digital? |