BUILDING THE MODERN MUSIC AND BROADCASTING STUDIO
Breaking down the components into what makes up a PC might feel redundant. But as mentioned earlier, when it comes to the PC as a music studio, cutting just one c orner or scaling back in one area can have devastating results. Of the ‘oh well, it doesn’t
CPU
It’s only recently with advances in processor technology by both Intel and AMD that CPUs have seen an improvement over the previous generation. Prior to that it was the introduction of the multi-core processor and 64-bit multithreading capabilities that affected the realm of music and digital broadcasting. Being able to handle live manipulation of uncompressed and high-quality digital audio just wasn’t possible until that became a reality. Well, not at a level that one would consider on par with a professional studio. And the more processing power the better, because each channel of audio you add – be it bass, synth, guitar, percussion, or effects, the more the CPU takes a hit. RECOMMENDED: Intel Core i7 7700K, AMD Ryzen 7 1800X
MEMORY
Processing and manipulating high quality audio in real-time, and live, is the realm of the CPU. Being able to access and store large bits of data and access them on the fly is the realm of PC memory. Simple really, and for music production both size and speed play an important role, ensuring even the most complicated production won’t buckle due to insufficient hardware.
RECOMMENDED: Crucial Ballistix Elite 32GB 3200MHz DDR 4, G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16GB 3200MHz DDR4
STORAGE
You may have heard the musical production term ‘sampling’ before. Which ranges from picking the right drum kick through using high-quality recordings of a Steinberg Grand to record a melody. Which means outside of pure software, storing samples, instruments, and other elements requires many gigabytes of free space. To give you an example, the Native Instruments Komplete Library of software synthesisers and sampled instruments sits in the realm of 400GB of data. Although access speed is a factor, size matters too. And like with any creative endeavour, cloud storage is essential for backing up project files.
RECOMMENDED: Samsung 850 EVO 1TB Solid State Drive (for key software and libraries), Seagate 4TB Barracuda 3.5” Internal Hard Drive (additional recordings and libraries), Cloud Storage (for project files).
SOUND CARD
In the realm of music production, a sound card means something very different to what PC users might be used to. A high-quality DAC (digital to analog converter) is essential, with support of up to a 192kHz audio-sampling rate. Add in a need for additional inputs and controls for microphones, MIDI devices, and instruments like guitars and analog synthesisers, it makes perfect sense that they take the form of an external USB powered device.
RECOMMENDED: Yamaha AG03 USB Mixer and Interface, Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Audio Interface.
STUDIO MONITORS SPEAKERS AND HEADPHONES
Alongside the difference in sound output, when it comes to music production or broadcasting, both speakers and headphones are referred to as monitors. A simple term used to describe their purpose, the act of monitoring live music or listening to a playback of a recent recording. So, what makes a set of speakers of pair of headphones monitor grade? That would be balanced audio reproduction, via connections designed to minimise interference. For headphones specifically, it means the absence of artificial frequency enhancements that could potentially ruin one’s perception to a recording.
RECOMMENDED: Yamaha HS5 5” Active Studio Monitors, KRK ROKIT RP8G3 8” Studio Monitors, Audio Technica ATH M50x Studio Headphones
HARDWARE CONTROLLERS
Outside of increased hardware power, one of the main godsends in the age of digital music production has been USB. To the point where it’s worth spending extra money on a motherboard with a bigger pool of USB ports – somewhere in the region of 68. And in the age of the modern PC as a music studio, USB acts as the bridge between the old and the new, letting the PC do all the work whilst USB controllers give you handson and direct control over software, fingerdrumming, and playing a few chords.
Perhaps the most essential item would be the traditional USB MIDI keyboard controller, a device that looks and acts like a synthesiser but is essentially a trojan horse that sends MIDI signals to the PC, which handles all the real ‘creating the sound’ work. Outside of the keyboard controller the other main unit in a music studio and relevant to many people is the USB version of the MPC. Previously a complete production device, nowadays the dials, sliders, buttons, and pads, are mostly used for tactile control over a DAW and digital beat production. RECOMMENDED GEAR ENTRY LEVEL : Novation Launchkey Mini, Novation Launchpad RECOMMENDED GEAR HIGH-END : Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S49, Native Instruments Maschine
THE DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION DAW
Looking to the past is only part of the picture, and the versatile nature of the PC has led to innovation that has forever changed the way people look at music production. Some of the problems and accessibility issues of music production software, the digital audio workstation, have been in the way they were content to simply replicate existing analog and digital hardware. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this approach per se but it left innovation to the likes of Apple with its Garage Band software, to bring easy-to-use music production to the masses. And, a Berlin-based company called Ableton to shake up the very concept of utilising the computer to create music.
Ableton Live made its debut in 2001, but it wasn’t until the release of version 6 in 2006 that showcased its true potential. Originally created as a way for live musicians to perform and improvise alongside pre-recorded loops, synth lines and samples, Ableton Live’s approach to music production was revelatory - a testament to the impact and power of the computer. Instead of looking at ports, dials, and sequencers, you simply work with clips and scenes. Where each clip can be any instrument or sound or variation to that effect.
The result is being able to not only create and keep layering in new sounds, but improvise and jam without stopping the music. Not feeling the bass line? Stop it. Change it. Switch the sound. And all without affecting the groove. It’s the DAWs like Ableton Live that has led to the rise of a new type of hybrid interface – the DAW controller. With the Novation Launchpad being a great example of a full-RGB controller that can not only control Ableton Live, but also provide an affordable solution for live performances, drum programming, and just about anything else that could use a few pads laid out in a grid. RECOMMENDED: Ableton Live DAWS WORTH CHECKING OUT: FL Studio, PreSonus Studio One 3
SOFTWARE SYNTHESISER AND SAMPLERS
Another German-based company that has made a name for itself as an exceptional creator of powerful industry-leading software, this time in the realm of synths and samplers, is Native Instruments (NI). Odds are the album you’re currently listening to or film you last saw features music created with NI software. And in more recent years NI hardware controllers. The Komplete Kontrol not only interfaces with any DAW or software synth, but thanks to an LCD display can access the huge Native Instruments Komplete 11 library of instruments, drum kits, samplers, and synthesisers without having to look at your computer screen.
Shopping for software synths and digital drum kits can quickly become overwhelming, mainly because the choices are almost limitless. Thankfully most DAWs out there come with enough samples, drums, and instruments to get you started. And from there, where you go will depend on taste, genre, and budget. RECOMMENDED: Native Instruments Komplete 11, for its allencompassing library
BROADCASTING, PODCASTING, AND VOCALS
One of the great things about the PC as a music studio is that it’s already built for recording audio. Multiple USB ports? Check. Dedicated sound card with studio-grade mic input for clean vocals? Check. So, adding a microphone is a simple matter of plug-and-play. In the realm of podcasting, depending on requirements multiple microphone inputs can be a plus, which means going from something like the Yamaha AG03 USB Mixer and Interface to the AG06. Or, an external USB sound card solution that features the right number of inputs to suit.
Also, recording and then editing audio in a DAW like Ableton Live can provide more control and possibility than a standard audio editor. Ableton also supports video, and thanks to it never destroying or altering source material, no matter what changes you make – the process is usually stress free. RECOMMENDED ENTRY LEVEL : Blue Snowball RECOMMENDED HIGH-END : Blue Yeti
Thanks to the power of the modern PC, creating a music and broadcast studio has never been easier. Also, never more powerful. With all the hardware mentioned in this piece it’s not only possible to create any style or sound you can imagine but at a level that would rival a traditional music studio. And with the limitation now shifted away from hardware and back to musicians, producers, and artists, it’s no wonder we’re living in a golden age of creativity.