Music Studio Essentials

MPVHub Expert Guides Music & Project Studio Setup: Monitors, DAW, Audio Interfaces, Mixers, Microphones, Mic Recording Techniques for Vocals, Guitars & Drums


Assembling the appropriate equipment, and setting it up right, is of paramount importance when it comes to recording and mixing in a project studio. In this MPVHub Expert Guide, industry pro musician, writer and producer, Mike Watkinson, walks us through the essentials every studio musician needs to know. You’ll acquire the skills needed to help you get the optimum results from your studio gear, focusing on best practice for monitoring and microphone capture. There’s a healthy mix of theory and practical techniques split into 5 chapters. Also included are 14 really superb videos (over 40 minutes in total) that we’ve selected from the macProVideo.com library to further illustrate the concepts and how-to’s in this book.


The first chapter is an excellent primer on choosing the gear (DAW, audio interface, MIDI controller, and mixer) every project studio requires. In Chapters 2 and 3 you’ll discover all about monitoring, understanding which types of headphones and monitors to use, and crucially, how to set up an ideal listening position and calibrate your speakers. The concluding two chapters explore the recording process in depth. Mike presents the science and practical uses of the different microphone types, so you’ll know exactly which mic to choose for the recording job, and why. You’ll also learn hands-on mic recording techniques for vocals, guitars and drums, supported by detailed diagrams, photographs and videos.


The videos, diagrams, illustrative photos and pro tips make this a truly essential, immediate and accessible guide on setting up a project studio for experienced and novice musicians alike.