Grebz - Home Studio

Home, sweet home studio

Welcome to my website dedicated to home studios!

For years, I’ve been composing, recording, and mixing my music. This site was born from the desire to share that experience with you.

Making computer-assisted music doesn’t necessarily require a big budget. Yes, a minimum of equipment is essential, but when it comes to software, there are plenty of free gems that rival professional solutions. Here, I present a selection of tools I’ve tested and approved.

On this site, you’ll find a complete tutorial on how to mix a track from start to finish, tips on choosing the right gear, an overview of the main DAWs (digital audio workstations), as well as a section dedicated to amp simulators (free or paid) for guitarists.

And if you feel like it, I also invite you to discover my own compositions, entirely produced in my home studio with the resources I have at hand.

Enjoy your visit, and above all, enjoy the music!

Grebz

TUTORIAL

Making a song from start to finish

You’ve got all your home studio gear, but how does recording and mixing actually work?

Here’s an introduction to home studio recording and mixing, based on my personal experience. It will help you take your first steps, and probably even go further.

The "mix in practice" section is a full example of mixing a song from start to finish, instrument by instrument, with all the tools used and the settings applied, from the raw recorded sound to the final mix, ending with mastering.

Finally, a glossary explains in a few words the terms commonly used in home studio music production.

AMP SIMULATORS

For guitar players!

Guitar players in home studios often face a few dilemmas: it’s hard to own all the amps you dream of (for obvious reasons of space and cost) and it’s just as hard to enjoy your amp at home without upsetting your family or neighbors due to the volume it requires to sound its best.

Fortunately, there’s a solution: amp and cabinet simulators. These tools virtually reproduce real or imaginary amps by modeling their electronic circuits and using IRs (Impulse Responses) to recreate the tone and feel of different speaker cabinets. And it’s easier than you might think.

HARDWARE

From computer to audio interface to studio monitors

To make serious music at home using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), you’ll need to invest in some essential gear.

A computer, an audio interface, studio monitors or a high-quality pair of headphones, one or more microphones, and of course your musical instruments.

It does come at a cost, of course, but even entry-level gear, when used properly, can deliver surprisingly good results.

D.A.W.

When it comes to computer-based music production, software is key. Your computer becomes your main instrument, allowing you to record, edit, shape, and mix your music until it reaches its final form.

At the heart of it all is the DAW, used in combination with various tools called “plugins”. While many essential plugins come bundled with most DAWs, countless others are available separately, both paid and free (effects, software synths, virtual drums, and more).

COMPOSITIONS

To be enjoyed without moderation

I wrote my first pieces of music on a Commodore Amiga computer back in 1988.

Today, I compose in a Pop-Rock style, with forays into other genres, including orchestral and electronic music. My main goal is to enjoy the process, and if others enjoy listening too, then I’ve succeeded.

I also compose music for theatre plays.

MESSAGES

Mike key
le 03/10/2015 à 19h47

Bonjour !

Ben voilà ! Mon mail et une explication plus détaillée ! De mon côté, je suis arrivé sur la page anglaise sans chercher la version française !

Comme vous le savez, il n'y a pas beaucoup de vst pour Mac, alors Garageband me donne la majorité des amplis mais si je veux explorer vos propositions, je dois utiliser des man&oelig;uvres de contournement dans le gratos ! Ce que j'ai fait avec "Psycle".

C'est un logiciel open source assez puissant et versatile.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNfVDlT7FBhDBeQdzFlR34g" target="_blank">Quelques exemples electro ici avec Psycle!</a>

En plus, j'ai découvert 2 autres amplis : Freeamp et Fa3full !

Pour une meilleure compréhension, je me dis que faire une capsule ne contenant que le but et rien d'autre serait un plus ! Soit l'objectif (reproduire le son d'un solo célèbre) et les moyens, soit l'illustration de la position des réglages (qui donne aussi le choix de l'ampli virtuel et où le télécharger) en évidence, puis le preset si nécessaire.

Il manque juste une vidéo de prof qui nous montre comment le faire avec la guitare !

Pour le reste, cette idée d'association logiciels et solos, moi je trouve ça accrocheur au max ! :-)

Mike Key
le 03/10/2015 à 06h50

Very interesting!

First the presets association with a famous solo is a very good idea but it don't work for me because my software search only .fxb extentions.

Anf it is a ''little bit'' unclear on my point of view!

But this site, is great!

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Thanks Mike!
Yes, it is a good idea to associate a famous solo with a preset, although I must admit the purpose is more about demonstrating what an amp sim is capable of doing on its own, rather than reproduce the exact sound of the original sound. For instance, the complete sound chain for the Pink Floyd solo should include a fuzz stomp box, a treble booster and a reverb in order to make it faithful.

Concerning the fxb vs fxp, I don't know what software you use... I'm using Sonar, with Windows, and when saving, I actually can choose "save a bank" (fxb extension) or "save an instrument" (fxp extension). I have tried my presets with Sonar, Reaper, Studio One and Podium (a rather unknown DAW, with a not-so-limited free version, worth trying...), and it works with all of them.
I also include a screenshot of the presets for all simulators, so that you can manually reproduce the settings if the fxp file doesn't work for you.

Yet, I realize I did it for the French version, but not for the English version. Well, until I find the time to update the English version of my site, you may switch to the French version to see the screenshots. You don't have to speak French, the layout is identical between both versions, so you can navigate easily. I hope this helps!

PS: Too bad you did not enter your e-mail address, I could have answered to you directly, and maybe send you the screenshots. The e-mail address is not displayed on the site, I only, have access to it.

Grebz

oth2
le 24/09/2015 à 17h23

Bonjour,
Merci pour cette mine d'infos ;-)) c'est cool !
Petit problème, le preset Pink Floyd en fxp pour TH2 n'est pas reconnu. Tous les presets sont en xlm. Y a t-il une solution ?

Cordialement.

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Merci de votre visite !
J'ai rajouté le <a href="simulator_retailamp_overloud.php#th2_floyd">visuel du preset</a> dans le paragraphe avec la démo Pink Floyd de TH2, ce qui permettra à tout le monde de le reproduire manuellement.

Grebz

BodhGaia
le 05/06/2015 à 12h06

Bonjour,
Au risque de passer pour un crétin : j'ai voulu télécharger Hybrit, une icône apparaît bien dans la liste des téléchargements, mais quand je clique dessus un message me dit que ça a été chargé mais le point d'entrée du DIIRegisterServer est introuvable. Le fichier ne peut donc être enregistré. Ma question est : quand on télécharge un logiciel comme Hybrit, comment fait-on, après, pour faire de la musique ? J'enregistre (avec ma guitare en direct) des petites choses avec une vieille BOSS BR 600, que je copie ensuite (en wave) sur mon ordi (sous XP) et je mixe avec Audacity. A quel moment interviennent les logiciels téléchargés comme Hybrit ppour "colorer" le son de la guitare ? Où est-ce une autre technologie qui n'a rien à voir avec mon vieux matériel hardware ? Désolé, j'ai soixante ans et je suis complètement dépassé. C'est pourtant pas l'envie qui manque ! Cordialement.

Fishstix
le 01/06/2015 à 00h00

Hi,
I can't find your acoustic guitar modeller anywhere (AcmeBarGig Acoustic simulator).
Is it still available?

Cheers,
Leigh

Great website BTW

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Well, I think I've found it:
Please download <a href="/Downloads/tutorial_homestudio/AcmeBarGig - TribeIR.rar">this zip file</a> containing the DLL file.
(AcmeBarGig - TribeIR.rar - 1.51 MB)
This is a 32-bit plugin.

The plugin name is actually TribeIR.

Grebz