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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

(leave a message)

Messages page # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

Gil
le 21/11/2010 à 12h44

Excellent site, merci pour toutes ces infos.

Marcus
le 20/11/2010 à 21h04

Super site, vraiment bravo, mais j'ai un problème, peut-être que je suis trop novice mais j'arrive pas à utiliser ce que je télécharge (fichier dll), pouvez-vous m'éclairer. Merci.

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<em>D'abord, je précise que tous les téléchargements que je propose sont pour PC sous Windows uniquement, pas pour Mac ou Linux.
Ensuite, les fichiers DLL doivent être placés dans un répertoire "VST". Soit un répertoire déjà existant qui a été créé lorsque vous avez installé votre séquenceur, soit un répertoire que vous créez vous-même où vous le souhaitez. Dans tous les cas, il faudra indiquer dans les options de votre séquenceur quel est le(s) répertoire(s) où se trouvent vos VST.
Pour cela, ça dépend des séquenceurs. Dans Sonar (le séquenceur que j'utilise), il faut aller dans "Options", "Global", puis l'onglet "Plug-ins VST" : c'est là qu'on peut ajouter le(s) répertoire(s) où l'on range ses plugins.
Ensuite, si le séquenceur ne le fait pas automatiquement au démarrage, il faut lui indiquer de scanner les VST présents sur votre disque dur afin qu'ils soient pris en compte et ajoutés à la liste des plugins que vous pouvez utiliser dans vos projets. Là encore, la façon de faire dépend du séquenceur utilisé, mais je suppose que le principe est toujours le même.

Grebz</em>

JPR33
le 16/11/2010 à 17h50

Ton site est une mine d'informations !
Bravo

JC
le 15/11/2010 à 11h55

Super site, très instructif.
Bravo,

JC

crisdalsace
le 21/10/2010 à 16h54

Bravo et encore BRAVO.

Salutations,
Crisdalsace