Many of my friends don’t know I have a thing for music that goes beyond just liking a song or an artist. That being said, I envy anyone reading this article on ‘how to make a cheap recording studio’ as it signifies taking a massive step towards a hobby or talent that could easily turn into a budding career, with the right exposure of course. 

Making a home studio shouldn’t cost much in all honesty, especially if you’ll be working alone. The only thing that might set you back a bit would be the quality of the sound equipment you’ll be needing and a good laptop. You may also want to invest quite a bit in soundproofing the space you hope to use so you can have a good sound. 

That being said, let me outline the basic steps you’ll be needing on how to make a cheap recording studio before I dive into it in greater detail.

• Choose a space or a room
• Pick the right furniture 
• Arrest sound reflection 
• Buy affordable acoustic equipment. 

You now get the idea right? Let’s break down these basic points into essential fragments for easy understanding. 

How to set up a home recording studio 

Step 1: Choose a suitable space or room 

The type of recording you want to do will determine the space that would be suitable for the recording. For instance, if you are a band, you would want to consider using a larger room or space to accommodate more persons, however, a comfortable closet might suffice if you are working alone. 

I’ll also want you to emphasize the ‘comfort’ of the room. You are more likely to produce good music when you are comfortable. 

For this reason, you’ll have to consider the temperature of the space available. Is it too hot? How long can you stay in it without being uncomfortable? Do you feel relaxed enough to cook something spectacular? 

This and many more questions will have to be answered in the affirmative if you want to get it right because there’s no point in going out to get quality air at intervals. That’s a total vibe killer. 

Air conditioning systems? Well, that’s an option you may consider, but since you are trying to save cost, you may want to look away. 

That’s not the only reason you may want to look away though. These machines tend to create certain sounds that could be detrimental when recording your music, especially if you choose to invest in a good recording mic. 

So except if you want to invest in a very good air conditioner that doesn’t emit a sound when functioning (this could cost a lot), you might want to send this idea to the bottom of your list for now. 

Have you gotten your space and are you comfortable with it? Then let’s go to the next step 

Step 2: Choosing the right room decor and furniture 

Music is art. Sometimes, you may want to express this by having lovely decorations hung on your proposed studio wall or in other forms possible like throw pillows. 

Whatever decision you make, ensure it has lots of cotton on it. Cotton materials are good absorbers of sound, which would greatly help in reducing the echo you have in your preferred recording space. 

If your space choice is large enough for a medium-sized sofa, then perfect! However, if it is too small for this and stools are the only option, you should consider padding them with foam. 

You will also need a recording table to place your pieces of equipment and this could be any spare table you have at home. If you don’t have a spare, set aside at least $50 to get a suitable one. 

Would you need to pad the table? Well, I wouldn’t suggest it since it could easily heat your pieces of equipment, especially your laptop. If you can take care of some of the soundproofing hacks I’ll be sharing shortly, this shouldn’t be a problem. 

Step 3: Counter sound reflection 

Now we are getting into the area of soundproofing properly. For soundproofing to become adequate, you have to note the point of entry, the point of reflection, as well as the source of the noise. 

Of course, you have to prevent any kind of unwanted noise from entering your recording space, which is why you should not just shut your windows, but seal them completely. 

Identifying a noise source will help you prevent it before it becomes a problem, and if it is beyond your control, at least it gives you an idea of how to effectively soundproof against it based on the frequency–that is if changing the recording location is not an option. 

The one you may not be so acquainted with is the sound reflection, which can easily become a pain in the butt if not nicked ahead of time. 

For reflective sound to be tackled, you have to identify the point of entry of a sound and place the solution just opposite it. For this reason, you will have to cover the entire ground with rugs, or simply place area rugs directly underneath your recording table and your chair. Also include areas you walk frequently on if you can’t afford the full room. 

Leaving your floor bare, especially when it’s made of wood or other hard surfaces will result in an echo that will disrupt your record quality. 

Placing absorption panels on the wall is another way to go, that’s if you can afford them. If you can’t, a sofa, end-to-end rug or center rug, and a couple of throw pillows should do the trick. 

Step 4: Get acoustic treatment kits 

This is where you begin to actually go into your budget. If you hope for at least a good sound output when recording then it’s almost imperative you get an acoustic treatment kit. 

This kit should include bass traps, isolation pads, and absorption panels. These are not too expensive, and they give your homemade studio a real feel of what an actual studio feels like when installed correctly. 

These pieces of equipment will greatly reduce any sound that emanates from either your laptop or computer. 

Bass traps are one of the best when it comes to absorbing low-frequency sounds, to make you enjoy the quality of bass in your recording. As earlier stated, absorption panels are ideal to checkmate sound reflecting from your wall. 

As for diffusion panels, it helps in the redirection of sound waves so it doesn’t cause a disturbance. However, you can choose to ignore this completely if you can’t afford it. 

Also Read: How much does it cost to soundproof a room?

What do I need to make a small studio? 

Get a good computer 

A good computer will eat a large chunk of your budget, but whatever you do, don’t succumb to poor quality over cost.

There’s a way around reducing cost though. You can choose to buy a fairly used laptop or desktop that’s capable of handling the sound software you will need for your recording journey from legal outlets since newer models are quite expensive. 

Those who have gone ahead of you on this journey are still torn between using a Mac or a Windows OS, but generally speaking, any of them would do as long as it has a good processor speed of at least 2.2 GHz and at least 8 gigs of RAM. 

The Hard Disk being used on the computer should also be of concern to you. SSD should be preferred to HDD when it comes to the internal drive of your computer because it’s a lot more stable and faster compared to HDD. However, you should get the HDD to be used externally. 

Lastly, on this subject, you should choose a laptop over a desktop, especially if you are pressed for space. Laptops are also very mobile which makes them ideal, especially if you have a friend you want to share your song with. 

Get the right sound recording software 

There are lots of sound recording software options out there you could try for free for a limited period. I wouldn’t want to recommend one to you as you might have a preferred option. 

Nonetheless, ensure it is very compatible with the equipment you have on the ground. 

Other items you will or may need to include are the following:

• Pop filter 
• Microphone stand 
• A microphone (that’s if you’ll be working alone, but you may need to get two in case you want to do a feature or a duet) 
• Adequate studio monitors 
• Long-lasting cables 
• A Microphone Stand
• A good interface combination 
• Headphones 
• Ear training software

Getting these items will give your home studio the best feeling possible. If you don’t know the one to go for, don’t worry, I’ll be reviewing the best of all these items in a separate article. I’ll drop a link here when it is ready, so watch out for it. 

How much does a cheap recording studio cost? 

In terms of setup, you’ll need at least $1500 including the cost of the laptop. But if you already have a good laptop, a budget of somewhere between $250-$500 would be ideal. 

However, if you want to lease out yours, then you may want to charge around $25 per hour, but this figure could be higher depending on the equipment you have available, not to mention the quality of the music. 

Aside from mastering the required software for production, the key to a successfully built studio would be to block out unwanted sound from your recording space. Do this and you would have solved a major problem. 

FAQs 

How much is a song in Studio? 

The price of a studio song depends on the following;

• The quality of the equipment available. 
• The type of song to be produced (Songs involving a live band are usually more expensive) 
• The producer of your song

However, all these factors aren’t a problem if you are signed to a record label. They take care of the cost for you. 

What is the most important thing in a studio? 

Without even thinking about it, it’s obviously the computer. There’s literally very little you can do without it, especially in this present time. 

How much does mixing cost per song? 

You’ll be needing at least $100 for a good job. 

Conclusion– How to make a cheap recording studio

With adequate determination and resilience, making your home studio on a budget shouldn’t be a problem at all. I have provided you with the basic information needed to keep your choice space music worthy, and if you feel I missed something, kindly let me know in the comment section. Have fun recording. Cheers!