Has your teacher ever told you, “Hey, you should try to record yourself practicing” but you don’t know where to begin? The idea of putting together a home recording can be intimidating but technology has made it easier than ever to capture your sound right in your own home. Recording yourself can be a great way to hear with fresh ears how you truly sound!
Use An Iphone to Record Yourself Practicing
Cell phones as we know are not just for calling people anymore. We can use them for a vast variety of things, including simple home recordings. The iPhone has a built-in recording app called “voice memos”. You can just simply let that run and listen back to it later with ease. All it takes is the tap of one button!
If you do not have an iPhone but you do have a smartphone, there is a whole world of recording apps for you to choose from. Find the one that works best for you! If you would like to record multiple tracks, there is a variety of many great multi-track recording apps. Many of them are completely free of charge.
Mp3 Recorders
Let’s say you don’t have a smart phone at all! Even if you do, you can achieve a little better quality by purchasing a portable mp3 recorder such as the Zoom H2. This has a microphone attached and records hours of audio straight onto the device itself. When you want to transfer the audio onto your computer, you can do so simply through the attached SD card or USB cable.
Audio Interface
If you’re interested in a much more high-quality sounding recording, you can invest in a small home studio set up. You need both the right hardware and software to set this up.
Hardware
If you wish to record quality sounds into your computer, you are going to need some external hardware to do this. The fist thing you would need is an audio interface, such as an MBox. Audio interfaces contain inputs for both microphones and instruments. The larger the audio interface, the more inputs it will contain.
If you just want to plug in your guitar directly into the interface, then all you need is your guitar (possibly amp), and guitar cable. If you are recording vocals or other acoustic instruments, you are going to need the proper amount of microphones and cables to get the job done as well. The more microphones you wish to record, the more inputs you are going to need on your audio interface.
Music Recording Software
To control your audio interface, you also need a software program for your computer. Garage Band is a useful application that comes free with all Mac computers. Other, more powerful software programs include Logic Pro, Pro Tools, and Ableton. Any one of these programs with help you mix your own recordings and get them sounding great!
Why Not, Record Yourself Practicing
Recording yourself playing at home has really never been more easy or inexpensive as it is today. Recording yourself with your phone is great for listening to yourself practicing. However, if you want a better quality recording, you should invest in an audio interface. With only $500, you can really get a decent sound and create your own music right from the comfort of your home! Keep playing and keep recording!
