Beginner Home Studio Setup Ideas for Creating EDM
Hey guys,
So pretty much myself and some friends are putting together a “home studio package” for one of our good friend’s 21st birthday. He loves music and DJing but really wants to get into producing. I guess time, family commitments and financial strain have contributed to him not starting anything so far.
So, say you had $2-3k - what would you buy?
Software, hardware etc? Midi keyboard, Mics, preamps, blah blah?
Any help would be great! 
Ableton Live 8, Akai MPK49, a soundcard of your choice (not really sure what the general choice for production is, though i’ve heard wonderful things about the Apogee Duet) and a set of monitors, of your choice (go test as many as you can!) you should also look at room treatment for that kind of cash, and include that you’ll need to invest in VST’s!
Wish I had mates that spent 2-3k on my birthday! 
hmy:
It all depends on what instruments your mate plays and what sort of music he wants to produce.
For that price range it really depends on what he wants to do. There are many great DAW’s out there to choose from, and then choosing a midi keyboard depends on what DAW you have, as some keyboards work better with certain DAW’s (plug n play), from what I’ve read.
Also when it comes to sound cards I’ve heard that M-Audio and Focusrite make some good ones for production. Get some decent monitors e.g.. KRK’s etc, and a good pair of studio headphones.
KRK’s probably aren’t the best for producing tough.
KRKs are great for producing. Get him those, a scarlett 2i2 soundcard if you dont want to dish out the cash for the duet, m-audio or other 49 key keyboard, and spend the rest on software.
Only thing you’ll have trouble with is deciding which DAW to get him since it comes down to preference. I’d recommend logic or Ableton (prefer Ableton myself), and definitely a copy of Sylenth as an all around great softsynth.
KRK VXTs are considered good by many. But some peeps will always have an opinion otherwise
Here’s some pics from pro studios who have krks
Freemasons: In pictures: Freemasons' home studio | MusicRadar
Alex Metric In pictures: Alex Metric's London studio | MusicRadar
Avicii Studios of the pros: stars' recording setups in pictures | MusicRadar
But obviously it’d down to personal preference and learning your speakers. Using other songs as a reference and treating your room are more important IMO
Yamaha monitors get a lot of love.
I’d say
A macbook pro
logic pro/ableton live
focusrite soundcard
midi keyboard with pads faders and knobs - akai, m-audio, novation
Here are other pro set ups Studios of the pros: stars' recording setups in pictures | MusicRadar
A lot depends on what sort of music he wants to produce. Dubstep, House, techno, drum and bass, or breaks?
a good laptop / desktop with lots of horsepower, lots of ram, and lots of hard drive
yamaha hs50m speakers - these are the standards over here
DAW of your choice - Logic / Ableton / Cubase , if you can find a friend who can exploit the use of EDU discount, DO IT!!! Edu version are much much cheaper (except for logic, logic is only $200 so just buy it!!)
Native Instruments Komplete 8 - everything you need is here, drums (battery), synths (massive,fm8, absynth) , instruments and samples (kontakt) , crazy addictive puzzle game (lol not really but it feels like it) - Reaktor
A midi keyboard - 37 key would be better than 25 keys for chords , oh and if possible something with knobs/faders for doing those WUB WUB WUB ZZSSSH ZZZSH automation , suggestion : novation nocturn / impulse 49
A few books on the DAW of your choice, i recommend the Power! series (Cubase 6 power! / Logic 9 Power! / Ableton 8 Power!) - read these as it will be REALLY beneficial
and if you want to - a nice audio interface + microphones, if you play instruments it would be a good idea to have this
a nice desk and a nice comfy chair to sit on - THIS IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED!!! you will sit there 20 hours a day and please, get a comfy chair that supports your back, a nice roomy desk to put all your gear and sit nicely, dont worry about acoustics for now, just point the tweeters of the speakers to your ears
lastly… dedication, all these gear wont matter if you dont get into it, so yeah
just my 2 cents 
When people say KRKs are not great for producing they mean the Rokkits, and they’re right (I am an owner of RP8s and had two pairs at one point). Rokkits are pretty lacking for production, VXTs are decent.
I’m currently building a studio too… This is what im going for.
Ableton Live 8
Akai APC 40
Akai MPK25
Krk Rokit 8’s
Focusrite saffire 6 usb Soundcard
Awesome post
thanks, was in the same position as the op a few years ago
Wow thanks so much everyone! Great feedback and help I noticed that some said get a midi keyboard or a pad like controller like the apc… Would it be a good idea just to get a Mpk49?
He plays a range of instruments (bass and violin etc) as well as vocals so was defintiely thinking of a sound card and mic.
As for music style.. I’m guessing pretty ambient electro/house/dreampop/nudisco/chill wave kinda stuff.
Any recommendations for mics? And what type would be most versatile?
an sm57 is practically mandatory for every studio, professional or home.
I’d recommend ableton for a DAW (it’s what I use and I love it)
You’re asking 2 questions.
First…what would I buy if I had 2-3 k to spend and owned nothing? I’d buy an iMac, upgrade ram and SSD from stock at OWC, an academic discount of Pro Tools 10, a Maschine, a pair of Sony MDR-7506, and a Zoom H2n.
Second…what should you get your friend? A gift certificate to Guitar Center.
Production is a really personal thing. Just the choice of DAW might be wrong, and you would have wasted money. He might not want a new computer. He might. He might be a die-hard PC or Mac guy (which you’d probably know). He might want to go all software. He might not want a computer at all (which is doable on that budget…kinda…MDR-7506, MPC-1000, used Access Virus C or Nord Lead 2 or Korg Radias or something……but it might be even harder to buy for someone else). Without talking to him, no suggestions would make any sense.
and !!!
Also I would deffo not choose a DAW for someone, VST’s sure (e.g. massive).
I’d go for …
Studio Monitors
Studio Headphones (Sony 7506 or similar).
“Must have” VST’s e.g. Massive
Maschine for making beats maybe ..
BUT thats my personal preference .. I think if you are all serious about spending that kinda money would talk to him first of somehow find out what kinda stuff he has already or would like,
Its like trying to buy a DJ friend a new set of headphones, giving them HD25’s when they already have HDJ2000’s.
That’s the problem.
HD25s are just better than HDJ2ks…no comparison. And Massive is far from must-have. Wouldn’t make my top 20, and if I need 20 soft synths, I’m doing something wrong.
I realize a lot of people disagree with me on both of those points. But that’s my entire point. It’s really hard to buy this stuff for someone else.
I guess what I forgot to mention is that be is pretty intent on using Ableton… primarily due to him having a trial version on his current laptop.
I’m thinking this:
Akai MPK49 (Mainly due to the keyboard/pad combo)
Microphone (It’s going to be primarily for vocals/samples I believe so I was thinking a Rhode NT2-A or SM57 or Zoom H2N) Thoughts?
Soundcard
Monitors
Headphones
Software
Yeah yeah yeah?