How can you set up a basic home recording studio in four steps?

You can set up a basic home recording studio if you have a computer and a digital audio workstation, or DAW. The DAW contains tracks, effects, samples and sound libraries for creating your music or helping add flair to podcasts. Other basic studio items include headphones, speakers, cables and microphones.

1. Make sure you have room

   Find a space at home for your studio. If you have a spare bedroom, consider adding foam board or blankets to the walls to dampen the sound. If you have limited space, find a corner for a computer desk, speakers and a microphone stand.

2. Invest in the equipment

   Use an open-source DAW, or purchase a DAW that professionals and hobbyists use, such as Reason, Ableton or Pro Tools. Add a microphone to your list as well as external speakers to listen to your music aloud. Invest in high-end headphones for a rich listening experience when mixing your tracks. You may also need an audio interface for connecting keyboards and guitars to your computer.

3. Plug in all the cables

   Plug in the audio interface to the computer via USB. Next, connect the headphones, microphone cables and other equipment to the interface.

4. Turn on the equipment

   With everything plugged in, turn on the computer and open the DAW. Create a track, and start recording.