DIY Recording Setup
Everything you need to record real vocals at home, piece by piece.
The chain
- Mic option 1: Shure SM7B + Cloudlifter CL-1 ($439 + $129, bought together). The workhorse vocal mic, forgiving in untreated rooms. The SM7B is a quiet mic, so the Cloudlifter isn't optional; it provides the clean gain your interface can't deliver alone. They're a pair.
- Mic option 2: Shure SM58 ($99). The mic most artists know from live performance. Raw, gritty, natural sound. Keep phantom power off.
- Mic option 3: Rode NT1-A (around $270 as a kit). The mic I've used for a while. A condenser, so turn phantom power on for this one.
- Interface: Focusrite Scarlett ($159 or less), or any interface with a direct monitor option. Focusrite's lineup.
- 2x XLR to XLR cables ($13 to $50 each). One from mic to Cloudlifter, one from Cloudlifter to interface. Hosa Pro Balanced 5 foot runs about $13.
- Wired headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M20x ($59 or less). Closed back so the beat stays out of the mic. Wired, always; Bluetooth latency will wreck your takes.
- Software: GarageBand (free) or Logic Pro X ($200) when you outgrow it.
- Computer: MacBook Air (refurbished from $929). Refurb direct from Apple carries the same warranty as new.
Want help running it?
I run mobile sessions using the Muse app: I access your screen and help you record and mix from your own computer at home. Get in touch to set one up.
Recorded your vocals? Get them mixed.
This setup gets a clean take down. Making it compete with what's on playlists is the mix. Send me your session through EngineEars and I'll take it from there.