Little Bomb

After producing an album for a friend who owns this mic and loving its crystal clear quality and top-notch frequency response, I was convinced to buy this microphone myself and use it for my own music. It was the best decision I ever made as a recording artist. The frequency response of this microphone is just about as flat as it gets, which makes it absolutely perfect for just about every kind of vocal style and recording application, because it responds to EQ with outstanding precision. It also has very low self noise, (it has been dubbed the "world's quietest microphone"), and the kit it comes with provides a convenient small bag that can be used to protect the mic from dust. At only $270, this mic epitomizes the term "bang for your buck". I would emphatically recommend it to anyone looking to start a home studio like myself.

These may not be the highest quality mixing headphones on the market, and they may not come up in top recommended lists from audiophiles and producers, but they are an undeniably solid pair of headphones that will get the job done. I used these to mix 8 out of 10 songs on an album I made with a friend and the mixes turned out beautifully. If you have a home studio like me and you're looking for a good budget pair of mixing headphones, these workhorses will give you the mixes you want, even if they're not as esteemed as headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT 770s or the Sennheiser HD 600s.

This interface is the first I ever bought and the only one I have ever used in 3 years of owning a home studio. I've gotten nothing but high quality recordings with it every time I've used it, and it allows me to do so many convenient things that aid my recording process along tremendously. Most significant of all are the headphone jack and line outputs, which allow me to plug my headphones in and hook it up to a pair of monitors at the same time. This is extremely convenient for me because after I record something, I can turn up the headphone knob to listen to it through headphones and mix it, then turn up the output knob when I'm done mixing to share it with multiple other listeners. Nothing has to be disconnected or turned off in the process. Also, the fact that there are line inputs in the middle of the XLR inputs makes it super easy to plug in my guitar and record straight to my DAW, Logic Pro X. At $150, this solid workhorse of an interface will satisfy any home recording artist without ever needing a replacement.

I have been using this for about two months now and it is ideal as far as simple, compact, and highly useful MIDI controllers go. It fits perfectly on the desk in my college dorm and it always gets the job done.

This is the only DAW I've ever used in my home studio and I absolutely love it. It is incredibly easy to learn and use, and its stock plugins work like magic on any recording. The expansive collection of software instruments is also a huge plus and I produced an album for a friend that, aside from the vocals and three live instrument tracks, was made entirely with those software instruments. On top of that, it has a super cool, sleek design that makes it beautiful just to look at and admire. I could go on about all the different features I love about this software, but all you need to know is that this is an extremely comprehensive DAW that is easy to learn and is used by everyone from home recording artists like myself to big names like one of my personal idols, Mac Miller.

I bought this keyboard a few years ago when I started taking lessons so I could practice what I learned. Since then, I've cultivated a beloved home studio in which I record all of my music, and this keyboard has been used to record countless songs through Logic Pro X and its magnificent array of software instruments. This keyboard has a USB port that makes it as easy as possible to plug it into my computer and get to work making songs in Logic. I've never had any problems with it whatsoever and it is one of the most powerful tools a home recording artist can possess.

I got this drum set as a Christmas gift recently and I've greatly enjoyed practicing my drumming on it ever since. It has a plethora of sounds to choose from, making it very easy to create your own personalized kit or use one of the pre-made kits that comes with it. It's relatively easy to set up and plug into a computer via USB connection, and it's also super fun to plug an iPod or other MP3 device into the auxiliary jack and play along to your favorite songs. These drums can take a beating too, I've played along to many a Rage Against the Machine song in my time using them. This set is also designed to conserve as much space as possible, so you can fit it in small corners with ease, unlike other larger electronic drum sets. While there are other sets out there that have more pieces and more features, this set is great for beginners and professionals alike, and it comes at an unbeatable price.

I originally bought this speaker to use in live performances where I had to play pre-recorded beats on my laptop. After buying it, however, I also started using it just to sit back and listen to music. Its sound quality isn't perfect, but I love its rich bass and clarity across all frequencies. As it is often used for live sound, this speaker can get loud...like, dangerously loud. Anyone who wants a speaker that can handle massive volumes in a live sound setting while also being suitable for regular listening will love this.

I've used this pop filter when recording all of my vocals and I've never had a single issue with plosives getting through. Of course, the quality of a vocal recording depends far more on the mic and recording techniques used than on the pop filter, but for only $7 on Amazon, this little guy is a great (and necessary) addition to any home recording studio that only costs a bit of pocket change.