How to Set Up a Home Studio

Everything you need to start recording your songs at home, a refreshingly simple guide. The truth is: real superstars look fly in H&M, so you don't need to buy Gucci until you got your bag. Take creative power into your own hands and build your fucking empire, one step at a time.

LAPTOP

I don't care what they told you, any old laptop should work. Will you eventually want something new and fancy? Yes, but wait til you get the hang of recording yourself. Then you'll know exactly what you want and feel much better about dropping those coins. For Mac, I recommend using Garageband because it's free and amazing. Watch free tutorials on YouTube to get the hang of tracking vocals.

INTERFACE

WTF is this?? The magic box that connects your mic to the computer. This is the basic bitch, get the job done interface. For $100 you can make presentable songs at home and (like the laptop) upgrade later on.

SPEAKERS

A studio engineer told me about this amazing little speaker/sub combo years ago and we're still using them in our studio today. All you want is speakers that sound GOOD and feed your inspiration while working. They plug right into the headphone jack on your laptop, so no fancy cables needed. Can't beat that for $150.

MICROPHONE

Every mic will sound different on your voice. Every mic can be plugged into fancy compressors or EQ'd to the gods. Michael Jackson recorded on a $99 mic...Drake's mic is $10,000. Don't stress too much about it. Try to test them out at the store or take note of mics you've loved in studio sessions. Buy whatever you can afford. This one is great because it's versatile, comes with the pop filter, and mount. Get a standard XLR cable (15 feet long) and whatever shitty mic stand you want. Tape some blankets up on the walls around your setup to dampen any echo.

KEYBOARD

Holy shit, this little guy gets it done. You wanna sequence some simple beats? Lay down basic chord changes to sing over? This 13 inch keyboard is only $49. Plug and play.

I hope this helps!! Stay inspired and push through because the initial learning curve is annoying AF. But lots of people have done it, and I have faith in you. If you already have a laptop, you can build this home studio for a few hundred dollars. Check out used options on Craigslist/Offer Up because there might be amazing deals. Lots of people buy gear and then give up, selling it for a fraction of the store price.

xo QVEEN

Book List

How to Win Friends & Influence People

by Dale Carnegie

What it's about: Fundamentals of being a likeable person.

Fun fact: Shit dropped in 1936 and the tea's still hot.

Summary: How to handle people, get people like you, win people to your way of thinking, and how to be a leader.

The Power of Now

by Eckhart Tolle

What it's about: So fucking simple, will blow your mind.

Fun fact: Man on the verge of suicide passes out and wakes up enlightened.

Summary: How to live in the present moment and eliminate anxiety/depression.

Many Lives, Many Masters

by Brian L. Weiss

What it's about: Reincarnation, bitch! Non-spiritual doctor stumbles upon past lives while hypnotizing a tricky patient.

Fun fact: Book was sent to my fan mail address, thanks Henry :)

Summary: Changed my perspective on life, death, and the eternal soul. Soulmates, phobias, and purpose on a higher level.

The Four Agreements

by Don Miguel Ruiz

What it's about: Four simple ideas that will make your life smooth as butter.

Fun fact: Every fuckin problem can be eliminated by following these agreements! I'm shook.

Summary: Quick easy read. Write em down, put em on ya fridge.