Blog
True love for great sound unites us.
We at LEWITT have teamed up with our users to showcase their home recording and project studios.
Many of you have participated and sent pics of their awesome studios!
It was a blast flipping through all the great submissions.
We reached out to the owners of the most impressive studios to ask a couple of questions.
Check out the fantastic studios below.
They show inspiring spaces that sparkle with love and dedication for all things recording, producing, and mixing!
How did you get into home recording?
Starting at age 15, I had a small recording setup in my room. I’m a guitar player, and I record and produce music on my own with VST’s and DAW’s, recording amps, vocals, acoustic guitars, and more. After a while, I thought it was magical and a lot of fun to create and produce music, so I also started to do it for others. Since then it only got bigger and bigger.
Would you rather see yourself as a musician or engineer?
I’m a musician. I’m a guitarist, and this will always be my first priority. Thinking about music theory and technical aspects, which instruments and how it can be used, also which musician, or how to get the most from the artist that I’m working with. Then I’ll think about microphones and preamps and stuff like that. After many years of experience, I can also put myself into the engineer’s position and see how I can make the best from what I’ve got, regarding the working condition, budget, skill level, and more. With the technology that we have these days, we can create something new and fresh, even when something doesn’t sound as good.
Any quick advice for people who are just starting?
Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Just learn from everyone, if it’s tips and tricks, techniques, or even a different way of thinking. Incorporate that into your own ways and workflow. Gear is nice, but knowledge is better. People with experience and high skills impress me more than some guy that has a huge Neve console and 30 pieces of fancy outboard gear. Make sure your workplace is easy to use and make the best out of that.
I highly recommend sticking to one DAW that you like rather than some other DAW that all your friends use. Also get the interface and monitors again that you prefer, after listening to it in your environment or in the store and install a microphone that’s always ready for action. That way, you can press record anytime you want, without spending time connecting gear and fixing possible issues. You’ll be amazed at how much more productive you can be, and how many more of your recordings you’re doing with that mic will still be in your project during the final mix.
What future plans do you have with your space?
I want to have a bigger live room. My control room is pretty cool, but my live room is small, even though I get amazing results with anything that I’m recording there. I’m using the microphones that I know will work, and sometimes I’ll try a different preamp or go straight into the audio interface. I want to do more live recording with a whole band inside the room, recording audio, and video at the same time. I think this has become much more popular and attractive, especially with YouTube and other live streaming services.
How did you get into home recording?
In the early ’90s, there was a nearby studio that me and my friends sometimes used to record demos. The owner was pretty busy, so he taught me some things and let me stay there to do the recordings by myself. It had a Fostex 16-track tape machine. Some years ago, I bought an audio interface and some microphones that I used with my band at our rehearsal place. About six years ago, I started to buy more studio equipment. Last year I got the chance to renew the attic in my house, and I took the chance to lift the roof and design a space in order to build my home studio in there.
Would you rather see yourself as a musician or engineer?
Both, as I do both things. The last 14 years, I’ve been working in a venue as a cultural programmer and sound technician. This has given me a lot of insight into many different types of music and the music business in itself, as I deal with labels, managers, and musicians all the time.
Tell us a little about your studio. How are you using it?
I mostly use it to record my own projects, but I’m also doing some jobs for others.
I recorded a couple of singles for local rock bands, and I’m producing a couple of singer-songwriters at the moment. Since I invested in a couple of UAD interfaces, I can record 18 tracks. Considering the size of the room, that’s more than enough for most things that I’ll record there. This allows me to do some experimenting, for example recording drums with three mics on the kick, three mics on the snare, ambience mics, and more.
Any quick advice for people who are just starting?
Do your research, read a lot, and inform yourself. All the information is out there. Some top-notch equipment will make a difference, but not all of them, and sometimes it’s not worth investing if you are not going to use it commercially on an everyday basis. I built all the insides of my studio myself — soundproofing, diffusers, absorbers, the desk, etc. There are tutorials and YouTube videos everywhere, and you can save yourself a lot of money.
What future plans do you have with your space?
To improve it little by little. I have a wish list with some more gear that I want to get, but I must save the money first. Also getting a decent couch would be great. My current one is a cheap Ikea model that’s not comfortable at all. Apart from that, I want to have fun producing and recording artists. My studio was not built to make money, above all it’s meant for myself and my projects, but as I wanted a place to do good quality, I’ll make it available for other people to use as well. But that’s not the main goal.
How did you get into home recording?
I started writing and recording my own songs when I was 18. Back then, in the late ’70s, I used a cassette tape machine. Then I upgraded to a Tascam cassette recorder that allowed me to record four tracks while using just one side of a cassette tape. This was high-tech back in the ’80s! Over the years, I've steadily upgraded my equipment. In 2008 I went digital with a Mac Pro and Logic 8. I've stayed with Logic and now use Logic X.
Would you rather see yourself as a musician or engineer?
I am both, for sure. I write, arrange, record, and then mix my own music. But I always send it to a professional mastering engineer before I release a CD. I have mastering software and have done it myself, but it's a very special skill. I prefer to let an expert do this last part before I release any music.
Tell us a little about your studio. How are you using it?
My studio is custom-built in the basement of my house, and I use it primarily for my own music but also have clients coming in to record their original material, either for family and friends or for submission to A&R managers and publishers. Besides local singer-songwriters, I've even recorded barbershop quartets and indigenous throat singers!
Any quick advice for people who are just starting?
Learn the technical side of recording and mixing so that you are knowledgeable and understand the what and why of recording and mixing. Too often, people are lazy and rely on presets and the infamous approach of "no problem; I'll fix it in the mix."
How did you get into home recording?
I started 5 or 6 years ago, as I am a guitarist and I wanted to know how to record by myself and blend all the elements in the mix. The first step was a couple of books; I remember being most impressed with “The Systematic Mixing Guide” by Ermin Hamidovic. After that, lots and lots of YouTube videos. Then I signed up to Nail the Mix, and those guys really opened my eyes, or shall I say ears?
Would you rather see yourself as a musician or engineer?
I see myself more as a musician, but I think I am at a decent level as an engineer, well past the stage of ruining a mix with too many moves and too many plugins.
Tell us a little about your studio. How are you using it?
Most of my mixing is still just training sessions using multi-tracks from Nail the Mix and other sources. I only occasionally mix for other people. For my day job, I work as a dispensing optician. This is what puts the bread on my table, but maybe it will change one day. Audio can be a tough business to get into. I’m preparing to record my band's EP in the near future - we are still working on arrangement changes. I hope something good will come out of it all.
Any quick advice for people who are just starting?
One piece of advice that I’ll give to someone who’s starting out is to read a book on acoustics before you set up your space, and learn how to do acoustic measurements.
Thank you for the submissions!
Many of you are running their own home studio, which is pretty cool. Keep up the excellent work!
It's also nice to know that our microphones are of great help with that.
If you're interested in home recording, check out these fine mics below, no matter if you're starting or looking to improve on your gear.