MusicRadar

Make sure your singer's headphone feed gives a good pitch reference.

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Turning your house into a recording studio doesn't have to be too difficult, but the same old problems always seem to pop up.

So, MusicRadar has collated 25 home recording tips from the pros. Take their advice, and the quality of your bedroom productions could improve dramatically.

If you want to know more about getting the best out of your project studio, check out Computer Music Specials (Volume 31): Recording Essentials which is on sale in selected UK newsagents now and can also be purchased online.

Oh, and when you've finished here, be sure to go and look at MusicRadar's 25 more pro tips for better home recordings.

1. Mic positioning
Optimum mic placement will depend on the sound of the instrument and the sound of the space it's in. As a general rule of thumb, start by listening to how and where the instrument makes its sound, and what the room contributes to that sound. Position your mic to achieve the right balance between the two.

2. Drum miking
Recording drums could easily involve ten or more mics, but this won't necessarily make them sound better – it just gives you more balancing flexibility later. A four-mic solution can be just as effective: put one in front of the kick drum, one on the snare and a stereo pair over the top.

3. Beats first
You've got to start somewhere, and most tracks are built on rhythmic foundations. So if you're recording a track bit by bit, get some proper beats down first. This gives the musicians something real to play to (rather than just a click) and will help shape the feel of the track.

4. Dry vs wet
For most instruments, you'll be looking to add and adjust effects levels (reverb, delay and so on) when you mix, so recording these with your original sound can be a mistake. However, there are exceptions – for example, electric guitar parts, where the effects are an integral part of the sound and performance.

5. Mic and DI
For guitars and bass, try recording separate DI and mic signals. This gives you a clean DI sound and a character-rich amp sound, and balancing them on playback gives you the best of both worlds. If you later decide the original amp sound isn't right, simply put an amp sim plug-in to work on your DI signal.

"Recording drums could easily involve ten or more mics, but this won't necessarily make them sound better."

6. Headphone mixes
Serving up a perfectly mixed headphone feed may make the performer feel good, but it can be deceptive. Keep it simple: concentrate on providing a solid pitch reference, a solid timing reference and foldback of what's being played (with added effects if required). This should give the musician all they need to deliver a good performance.

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