DAW (Audio Software)
Mac: Logic Pro (https://www.apple.com/logic-pro/)
Mac (Free/Starter): Garageband (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/garageband/id408709785) or Audacity (https://www.audacityteam.org/)
PC: Ableton Live (https://www.ableton.com/en/)
PC (Free/Starter): Audacity (https://www.audacityteam.org/)
Melodyne (Pitch-Editing Software – Musicians Only)
https://shop.celemony.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CelemonyShop
*At least “Assistant ($250)” level for vocals, as the “Essential ($99)” is pretty limited. You can always upgrade later if you want more power to edit multiple notes at once in chords
Video Tutorials here: https://helpcenter.celemony.com/M5/doc/melodyneStudio5Training/en/M5tour_Videoseite
Microphone
$50-$100 Beginner, easy to mess around with, plug and play:
Blue Snowball (https://amzn.to/3XizfaO)
$250ish Professional, the one I’d recommend, the one I use for most gigs
Rode NT1 (https://amzn.to/3XpnuQ0)
*Kit comes with a pop filter for softening consonants and a shock mount for preventing vibration noise from desks/etc.
$500 Shure SM7B (https://amzn.to/3Xiehsk)
if you’ve got the money this is worth it, the one I use for high-paying pro gigs. You can go higher certainly but unless you’re getting paid thousands it’s not really worth it.
Pop Filter/Shock Mount
See Above Rode NI Kit, or just pick up any on Amazon
Boom Arm
$100 Rode PSA 1 (https://amzn.to/3x9GMy4)
*There are plenty of cheaper knockoffs available which are fine, but if you’re gonna spend money for a nice Mic, you shouldn’t attach it to a piece of junk that might break and damage it.
Open Back Studio Headphones
$75 Philips SHP9500 (https://amzn.to/3YkNbT4)
*Open Back headphones let you hear yourself while you sing, while also hearing the track from your computer. Essential for recording vocals.
Audio Interface
$120 Focusrite Scarlett Solo (https://amzn.to/3lqt4Es)
*Necessary for your microphone to ‘speak’ to your computer without lag and problems.
XLR Cable
$10 Amazon Basics XLR (https://amzn.to/3Yfj7I9)
*to attach your mic to your audio interface, you can spend a lot on better quality cables, but it only really matters if you’re noticing fuzzy feedback in your recordings, a cheap cable can be the cause, but usually, it makes no difference
Studio Monitors (Speakers)
$100 PreSonus Eris E3.5 (https://amzn.to/3x9Cneq)
*Again, as you progress, you can increase the quality of your speakers, get a subwoofer, you can go really “gearhead” here and spend thousands on good speakers, but you don’t need to, this’ll get the job done as you get started. They’re the ones I use for most of my audio production. They have an option to include a subwoofer for a few hundred more which really brings out the Bass in the sound
Midi Keyboard Piano
$200ish Alesis Q88 MKII – 88 Key USB MIDI Keyboard (https://amzn.to/3lfDne9)
I hope you found this helpful. If you’d like to work with me, reach out to book a private lesson to improve your skills: