Page 7 - RYAN'S GIG GUIDE MARCH 2014

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es (although it’s always good practice to save
things totally off site, something cloud based or
good old reliable data disc etc).
Now what about an interface? Choose carefully,
as there are thousands out there so do your
research. Try to get something with a couple
more inputs than you think you will need if
budget allows. Although, unless you are plan-
ning on tracking drums or multi tracking a band
(recording more than one instrument at the
same time) then you probably don’t require
something with 8-10 inputs or more. Most audio
interfaces now have USB 2 or Firewire connec-
tions with USB 3 and Thunderbolt becoming
more and more available. A good starting point
is Steinberg’s UR22 which is affordable, portable
and good quality. Again, depending on budget,
the Focusrite Saffire range offers a good selec-
tion as do M-Audio with the higher end being
RME, Prism Sound and Universal Audio, to name
but a few. A good thing to be sure about before
getting bogged down in the specifics as dis-
cussed in my first article, is the type of music you
want to make. You can always upgrade later and
sometimes starting small is the best thing.
But what about which DAW to use? The key
thing to remember is that a lot of
DAWs/sequencers all do the same things, but it’s
about finding the one that suits not just your
budget, but your music making needs and work-
flow. If something takes your fancy, a lot of
companies offer demos to download and try out.
You can get some excellent objective reviews
online from Sound on Sound, Computer Music
and Music Tech magazines.
So there you have it, over the last three articles
we have delved (albeit briefly) into the key ele-
ments of a decent home studio set up. Iwish you
all the best of luck with your musical endeavours
and hope that the information I’ve given has
been of some help.
Mr Nick J Townsend will be back next month
with his fantastically disturbed take on all things
music and I would like to take this opportunity
to thank Nick and Ryan’s Gig Guide for letting
me fill in over the last 3 months. It has been an
honour and a privilege. Peace out.