What do i need to set up a very basic low budget recording “studio” for home demos?
You have your lap top, you’re 90% there. Download Reaper, this is about the best and most user friendly recording package you can get, it’s not too memory hungry and is very user friendly. Far more sensible than pro tools or cubase and the evaluation copy is free and very good. With this you will need some kind of pre amp. If you have a guitar amp with a DI or line out this will do, if you haven’t the cheapest mixer you can find will suffice for demo work – these can be picked up for less than £100 and sometimes much cheaper at places like cash generator or second hand shops, my first cost £15 and worked fine for two years. A good all round mic is your next buy – something like a Sure SM58 can be used on anything and is pretty much bomb proof and can be picked up for next to nothing on Ebay etc. A couple of jack and XLR leads and you’re away. All your EQ and effects are built into Reaper so you won’t need any extra stuff. Also advisable (but not 100% needed) are a good set of headphone
