While trying to figure out what producers and engineers consider “must haves” when they go into the studio, I reached out to several engineers and producers and asked them what they wouldn’t want to go into the studio without.
Mitch Gallagher, Sweetwater’s Senior Director of Video Production, is a familiar face and voice to anyone who has watched Sweetwater’s YouTube channel in the past dozen years. He’s also a writer, producer, and recording artist in his own right with several albums under his belt. I asked Mitch what he considers his five “must-haves” when he goes into the studio. In true artist fashion, he answered the question and doubled it with incredibly valid answers: five for hardware and five for software.
Gallagher remarked: “I could do everything I need to do in my home studio with this gear. (I’m cheating by giving you separate hardware and software lists.)”
Hardware
- Neumann KH 310 studio monitors and KH 750 sub with MA 1 calibration mic — These are stellar monitors and easy to calibrate to your room.
- DPA 2011C pair — I got them for classical and steel-string guitars, but I find I love them on guitar amps, too.
- Royer R-122 — This ribbon mic is a must-have for guitar amps and provides the “foundation” of my sound.
- Apogee Symphony Desktop — This desktop unit not only has Apogee’s mastering-grade converters, but it has great-sounding preamps, too.
- Backup drive — Though not directly related to making music, data backup is a nonnegotiable “must-have” to make sure your recordings don’t disappear in case your main drive fails.
Software
- Avid Pro Tools or PreSonus Studio One — I use both of these DAWS equally, and I’m comfortable on either. This choice must include the bundled plug-ins and instruments!
- Avid Sibelius — As a composer and a member of two bands, Sibelius is a must-have for me when it’s time to create charts.
- Toontrack EZdrummer, EZbass, EZkeys — This may look like three answers, but I consider all three essential. So, for me, they count as one!
- SSL Native Bus Compressor and Channel Strip — This plug-in bundle definitely counts as one for me, preferably with the UC1 control surface!
- Relab LX480 — This super-accurate re-creation of the classic Lexicon 480L reverberator is an absolute necessity for me. I won’t mix without it.
- Anytune —This is a bonus track: Anytune is software that we don’t sell, but it’s incredibly valuable for transcribing songs and slowing things down for learning and practicing difficult passages. It’s available on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
What Are Your Studio Must-haves?
Sweetwater has everything you need to bring out the music inside you. Call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700, and they can help you choose speakers, microphones, musical instruments, pedals, software — anything you need for your studio.