making beats

Out of context: Reply #1010

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  • mg330

    Here's a question for some of you. We're shopping around for a house in the suburbs, and with that is going to come the opportunity to have a dedicated office / music room that's all mine, either in an existing first floor office, an existing basement room, or in a new basement room in an unfinished basement. The latter is most optimal; would have the ability to build walls, have good soundproofing, new electrical work, etc. I don't need anything too sophisticated, but want a room that is comfortable, conducive to recording and playing at any time, and can be a mess if it needs to be.

    I'll have 4-5 guitar amps, 4-5 guitars, existing MIDI controller, Thunderbolt monitor, all my guitar effects, some mic stands and mics. Will still be using Logic, some Arturia plugins and synths, and my Apogee Duet interface. Obviously I could go apeshit if I had the money to buy a bunch of new stuff, but thought I'd share the list of things I'm really hoping to get to make the space what I want, and see if anyone had thoughts, tips, recommendations, etc.

    1. MacPro (refurb) - dedicated solely to recording so I can upgrade from my Macbook Pro.
    2. An analog synth - still considering the Korg Minilogue
    3. A couple of the smaller Korg Volca units. Been meaning to get the Volca Keys but haven't gotten around to it.
    4. Acoustical treatments - would want to go a DIY route and make some out of foam padding and fabric. Could be a nice project. Any suggestions?
    5. Lighting - considering Phillips Hue LED lights, especially if this is in a basement space without a window.
    6. Desk / work area - will probably get a simple desk from Ikea, something wide. Also want to build a couple shelves that are one sliders (like drawers) that hold controllers and keyboards beneath my monitor. Really hoping to figure out a way to do this, maybe a good Ikea hack project. Basically want two wide shelves that can be slid towards me, and locked into place,with everything hooked up and ready to go, including MIDI controller, mixer, other synths.

    Anything significant I'm overlooking? Anything you'd love to have in your perfect studio / recording / office setup?

    mg33 0Permalink
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    • Acoustic treatment and design of the space are the biggest things if you're really building a dedicated room. Go over to Gearslutz.com and search around.sublocked
    • You can get some of the way there with pre-built bass traps (google that phrase), but if you have a room, building out walls would be the optimal solutionsublocked
    • http://artsites.ucsc…sublocked
    • i would say go with the 27 inch imacs.. a macpro is going to be using a sledge hammer to crack a nutautoflavour
    • ...forgot to mention all of this matters if you want a good "room" sound to record those amps, and be able to mix/master wellsublocked
    • Thanks!mg33
    • This should be helpful too:
      https://www.pinteres…      mg33
    • First and foremost is a comfortable workspace - good desk and chair that you want to sit at and can sit at for hours at a time.microkorg
    • You can spend a shitload on basstraps and foam panels designed for real professional studios or you can save and go to local foam shop for panels and offcuts.microkorg
    • If you buy the Minilogue or any Volcas then consider some IKEA BRÄDA laptop stands. Under £3 and tilt gear to right angle.microkorg
    • Had Korg Bass and Sample but sold them. Good fun but have restrictions.Why not stay in software and get a nice controller like beatstep pro thats quite hands-onmicrokorg
    • Maybe check out IKEA too for mood lighting LED strips instead of paying Philips prices. Less spent on room means more on toys!microkorg
    • Beer fridge? If you're down in the basement the last thing you want to do when thirsty in middle of a creative session is to have to trek upstairs ;)microkorg
    • i was thinking of soundproofing a space last year, asked a friend who built his own studio, his was about 1k per sq meter to properly soundproof...kingsteven
    • ^yup to do it properly is crazy money. Just get good headphones for late night/early morning sessions. Just do basic acoustics for normal sessions. Dont go daftmicrokorg
    • i may pinch that synth drawer idea btw... i have a big space for making noise in a semi derelict church where i keep my amps and a small home studio...kingsteven
    • i acoustically treat my place by packing it full of guitars and vinyl, sounds great!kingsteven
    • also, coats...bass baffles you can wear in winter!kingsteven
    • everyone round to kingsteven's for a jam!microkorg
    • Thanks again everyone. Will definitely keep this as an ongoing discussion. Gonna be fun to build something out and have a space that is ready to go.mg33
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