IN THIS HOW TO I WILL DESCRIBE WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO START AND SET UP A HOME STUDIO.  BELOW IS A LIST OF EQUIPMENT YOU WILL NEED AND SOME DESCRIPTION ON HOW TO SET UP SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT.

1. YOU WILL NEED A FAIRLY DECENT P4 OR BETTER PC.

2. YOU WILL NEED AT LEAST A 5.1 SURROUND SOUND AUDIO CARD INSTALLED INTO YOUR PC.

3. YOU WILL NEED A PROGRAM SUCH AS COOL EDIT INSTALLED ON YOUR PC TO RECORD YOUR VOCALS AND INSTURMENTAL ONTO.

4. YOU WILL NEED A STUDIO CONDENSER MICROPHONE TO GET TOP QUALITY SOUND WHEN RECORDING.  (WITH ONE OF THE MICS YOU CAN HEAR SOMEONE WHISPER IN THE NEXT ROOM WITH THE DOOR CLOSED).

5. YOU NEED A MINIMUM 2 CHANNEL MIXER WITH PHANTOM POWER SUPPLY TO POWER THE CONDENSER MICROPHONE.

6. A PAIR OF STUDIO HEADPHONES

NOW WE WILL DISCUSS HOW TO SET UP THE STUDIO

• CONNECT THE LINE IN FROM THE 5.1 AUDIO CARD ON THE PC TO THE LINE OUT FROM THE MIXER.  (THIS WILL ALLOW ANYTHING LINED IN FROM THE MIXER TO BE RECORDED  THRU THE PC)
  
• CONNECT THE LINE OUT FROM THE 5.1 AUDIO CARD ON THE PC TO THE LINE IN FROM THE MIXER. (THIS WILL ALLOW ANY INSTRUMENTALS FROM THE PC TO BE PLAYED THRU HEADPHONES CONNECTED TO THE MIXER)
• NEXT CONNECT THE MICROPHONE CORD TO THE MIC AND THEN TO THE PHANTOM POWER SUPPLY ON THE MIXER.
• CONNECT THE HEADPHONES TO THE HEADPHONE JACK ON THE MIXER.
  
• TURN THE MIXER POWER ON AND RUN THE RECORDING PROGRAM SUCH AS COOL EDIT.
• PLACE THE HEADPHONES ON YOUR HEAD AND POSITION YOURSELF A FEW INCHES FROM THE MIC.
  
• TALK INTO THE MICROPHONE AND YOU SHOULD HEAR YOUR VOICE IN THE HEADPHONES AND YOU SHOULD ALSO SEE THE METER LIGHTS ON THE MIXER AND ON THE RECORDING PROGRAM PULSATE AS YOU TALK.  THIS IS AN INDICATION THAT YOU ARE READY TO BEGIN RECORDING.

YOU ARE NOW READY TO START RECORDING.  THE RECORDING PROCESS WILL BE DISCUSSED IN A LATER HOW-TO.  THANKS AND LEAVE COMMENTS.