By: Ryzi Jeck
The global pandemic has forced many of us to stay at home in hopes of slowing down the spread of the virus. Yet, what’s become painfully clear is that staying at home for extended periods of time has many downsides. An article on peoples’ experiences in quarantine on qz.com highlights how this situation has had serious negative effects on their mental health, especially for individuals going through quarantine alone.
If you’ve read our femmeriot.com post on mental health, then you’ll understand how much a struggle it can be under “normal” circumstances. Things these days are far from normal, and people are just trying to keep their sanity intact until the world regains a sense of normalcy and stability. Because of this, people have resulted in a slew of different activities to help pass the time. One activity seems particularly interesting, which is why we’ve chosen to share it with you.
Making music can be quite cathartic. So much so that the bbc.com has even called it the most accessible stress reliever, as you won’t really need much to get started. However, if you want to take music-making a step further then we have just the thing for you. While recording music may look difficult, there are ways that you can do it from the comforts of your home. Follow this quick guide and you should have a quarantine album ready in no time.
Keep it Quiet
One of the most important things that you’ll have to consider when recording is the space that you record in. Unwanted noise and sounds will result in messy and poor recordings. So how do you go about doing this? Well, one thing to consider is where you choose to record.
Make sure to pick a room or a space that is far from major sources of noise. This means picking a spot that’s far from the main road or street. Another thing you can do is to keep the noise out. Soundproofing a room isn’t really an option, as it can be rather expensive. Luckily, there’s a way around this. Weather stripping, commonly used for keeping the cold out and the heat in, is a great way to minimise noise. Just place it around your windows and doors in order to keep the noise out.
Importance of Microphones
The next thing you’ll want to focus on is getting a decent microphone. One common mistake is using a phone or a computer’s built-in microphone.
Remember that these microphones were built for phone and video calls, and are in no way capable of capturing high-quality music recordings. When it comes to microphones, you’ll want something that’s both accessible and reliable. A list of the best vocal microphones on shout4music.com highlights how the Audio-Technica AT2020 is perfect for home recordings, as it’s a good combination of both accessibility and performance. Another great thing about this mic is that it’s a USB microphone that you can just plug in and start using. No frills microphones are better for people with little to no recording experience, as they allow you to focus on the music.
Hook it Up
Lastly, you’ll have to get yourself an audio interface in order to transfer your recordings to your computer. Think of the audio interface as the bridge that brings your instrumental and vocal recordings into the digital space.
Audio interfaces also come with features that let you monitor the levels of your recordings, to ensure that they aren’t too loud or too soft. A review on recordingmag.com recommends the Focusrite Scarlett as a good place to start, as it is budget-friendly and is compatible with common third-party music creation software. That last part is especially important if you already have a preferred music creation software.
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