Finding a place to record on a budget is not always an easy thing to do. Good recording studios charge a high rate and you may not even be in an area that has a studio. If you are lucky, you have a family member or friend with a garage that can be emptied or worked in without the fear of noise complaints. All you need is the music and the equipment to record it, and you can record in your garage!
This guide is focused on the instrumental side of things especially since it is much easier to record vocals in other environments.
What Results Should You Expect?
It is important to remember that it takes time and learning to get a good recording sound. If you have a quality source and place the microphones in good positions you can get great recordings. The more you take notes, upgrade your equipment, and improve your methods the better the results you will get. The route I took worked for the type of recording I was doing as well as the style I was aiming for. If you watch this video, you will see the process I took to record a garage/grunge band sound. A garage is perfect because the sound aesthetic matches it perfectly. The final results can be seen in these 2 covers, We Are Sex Bob-omb and Garbage Truck, which are tracks from the Cult Classic “Scott Pilgrim VS the World.”
While I love how that recording turned out, it is not necessarily an example of a budget recording setup. I was using some microphones and equipment that you would see in a mid to high-range recording studio. There are ways to get a decent sound if only for a demo or EP. Buying something as simple as a Shure drum recording pack can cover most of your instruments leaving only your vocals.
What You Need
This is a list of equipment that you would need and that I have used to get a complete recording done in a garage.
Drum Microphone Pack
In a drum mic pack, you should get condenser microphones for overheads as well as dynamic microphones for the other parts of the drum kit. A great aspect of this pack is that you can use pieces from this kit to record other instruments. The dynamic microphone for the snare can be used on guitar amps and the condensers can be used for acoustic instruments.
Interface
An interface is what converts the analog signal of the microphones into digital audio that your computer can use. If you are wanting to record drums in your garage, an 8 channel interface like the Scarlett 18i20 is the minimum of what you will need.
Treatment
While you cannot soundproof a garage there are things that can be done to improve any unwanted reverb. I love to utilize the sound of a room in the recording but for basic recordings, getting a good close mic sound is best. One of the best ways to help tame the sounds in a room is with moving blankets that you can get cheap from U-Haul or other moving companies. These blankets have a thick sound absorbing quality to them that makes them a must-have.
If you have the time and money, insulating the garage can add a lot to the sound of the space. Rockwool is a dense material that can insulate for climate control as well as sound control. If your garage is insulated it can prevent outside noises from being picked up inside as well as keep any noises you are making from annoying your neighbors.
XLR’s and Stands
The biggest struggle is always having enough stands and xlrs. One benefit of most drum mic packages is that they include clips to attach the snare and tom microphones. This only leaves the kick and overheads that need stands. For this, you just need 2 tall boom stands for the overheads and one short boom stand that can be used for the kick. These stands will also be perfect for any acoustic instruments or amps.
Lastly, just make sure you have enough xlr cables and that they are long enough to reach from each mic to the interface. If you want to try your hand at making xlrs yourself to save some money, check out this walkthrough.
Headphones
One of the biggest issues with any recording is noise bleed. You cannot use any sort of floor wedge while recording so having a good set of closed-back headphones or in-ears will be the best way to prevent any bleed. To reach the headphones from the interface you may need to get a headphone extension cable to reach the correct distance. But if you keep the interface close enough, you should be able to work without it.
How to Turn a Garage Into a Recording Studio
Now that you have all that you need, here is how you can take your basic garage and use it as a recording studio.
Step 1: Clearing Space
Clearing space is important only in that you have enough space for all of your equipment. You do not want to have boxes full of small trinkets that could shift and make noise that gets picked up by the mics.
Step 2: Setup
Once you have the space cleared it’s a good idea to have an old or cheap rug that you can use to muffle any scrapes and noise from the floor. This is also a great way to designate the space the instrumentalist needs to stay in. It helps them focus on an area and make it their own. Be sure to have some sort of power available for anyone that needs it whether it be for an amp or pedalboard.
Step 3: Line Testing
Once every mic is set and xlr cables are run, test each and every mic. Initially, it is smart to simply tap on the mic or snap your finger next to it to make sure that the mic is sending a signal. After that, have your musician play along with the track or just play the part they are recording. This should give you an idea of how hard they are going to hit and help you to set the proper gain levels.
Step 4: Placement
Take the time after setting levels to record parts and listen to them carefully. You want the source recording to sound as good as possible. Be willing to try a couple of different placement methods and compare them. A safe bet for drums is to have the overheads at the same height where they are positioned to pick up the desired parts of the kit. Generally, overheads are focused on cymbals so have them positioned above the primary cymbals you are trying to record.
Find what works for your recording by moving the mics closer and farther away from their sources. In general, if you have a mic closer to the skin of a tom, or any other source, you will get more low-end resonance. This is the Proximity Effect. Try to aim the mic at different points on the source to get more or less attack or tones of the overall instrument.
Step 5: Recording
Once you have the instruments in place, the lines tested, and the mics positioned, you can start the recording. Recording and judging each take can feel more daunting than it really is. In music, there has been a lot of emotion lost in music to perfection. Sometimes the take that wasn’t played as well has more emotion and works better in the song than the perfectly played part. But be willing to admit when something could be better and try your best to obtain it.
Step 6: The Final Product
Even though it is not mixed and edited, finishing a recording can feel extremely rewarding. Finishing any steps in a project are supposed to feel satisfying. This love of what you do will carry you through the hard parts of music. But now that you have successfully recorded and compared your takes, you are ready to move on to creating the final mix.
FAQ’s
Is a Garage Good For Recording?
Every space offers a unique signature and characteristic. With the right work and applications, a garage can become a great space for you to record.
Can You Record Vocals in a Garage?
It is perfectly possible to record great vocals in a garage especially if you have a shield that can be mounted on your mic stand.
Can You Turn a Garage into a Recording Studio?
You can turn your entire garage into a studio although it will take a lot of work and treatment to have it be a professional space for you to work in. If you are just wanting to have a space to record and not work on mixing, a garage should be able to work with or without treatment.
Inexperienced Does not Mean Ill-Equipped
If you are recording in your garage, you are most likely an inexperienced engineer looking to create experience for yourself. By taking the time and dedicating the space to experimentation, you are giving yourself some of the best knowledge you could ever use. Not only will these sessions give you experience and insight into what does and does not work with your equipment, but they also can provide you with memories that you’ll always remember.
If you want to see and hear how I used a garage as a recording studio check out this video and subscribe to Topmop Productions on YouTube.