The vast majority of us enjoy listening to music. Upbeat tracks for the gym, chill songs to wind down, or the latest album from your favourite artist when getting work done.
For some though, simply listening isn't enough. They want to create it too. And if you’re an aspiring artist, there are many lessons to learn from other artists who create their tracks and upload them onto music apps and platforms. Some of the biggest names in music even started their music careers on platforms like TikTok and YouTube!
Self-Produced YouTubers Who Made It Big
A home music recording studio can be your stepping stone to fame. When you decide to use platforms like YouTube and TikTok to spread awareness of your art, you only need the right person to stumble upon your music to launch your music career and achieve superstardom.
Some of the biggest names in music today started out that way, too:
1. Justin Bieber
It was one of Justin Bieber’s homemade YouTube videos that caught Scooter Braun's attention in 2007. And Braun was working closely with singer Usher at the time. He was actually searching YouTube for another singer and clicked on Bieber’s video by accident. However, he was so impressed that he tracked Bieber down to record demo tapes. Thus, the biggest teen idol ever was born - from a single YouTube video.
2. The Weeknd
Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, is another household name whose beginnings can be traced back to YouTube. In 2009, The Weeknd anonymously uploaded his song ‘Do It’ to YouTube, and 2 years later he was meeting with music executives Amir Esmailian and Sal Slaiby. The rest, they say, is history.
3. Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes started posting videos of himself playing the guitar and doing covers of other singers on YouTube. While these videos were uploaded to his channel, it was not YouTube that launched his career. Instead, Shawn Mendes used then popular platform Vine to gain a decent following. One of his covers, of a Justin Bieber song, managed to garner over 10,000 likes in a day! Thus, his talents piqued the interest of managers Andrew Gertler and Ziggy Charlton from Island Records A&R and shortly thereafter he was signed to the label.
Fast forward a few years and Shawn Mendes has released 4 studio albums, won a heap of awards, including 2 American Music Awards (AMAs) and 10 MTV Europe Music Awards, and has seen several tracks reach the top 10 in different countries.
4. Charlie Puth
In September 2009, Charlie Puth established his YouTube channel ‘CharliesVlogs’ and began uploading videos including acoustic covers. It didn’t take long for his following to grow exponentially. Seeing Puth’s cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You”, Ellen DeGeneres immediately signed him to her music label eleveneleven. From there, he shot to fame, making contributions to the music industry.
Driven by his ambition to become a solo artist and produce his own songs, he moved over to Artist Partner Group and Atlantic Records. After the release of his first album, Charlie Puth even set up his own home recording studio. Instead of spending money on studio fees, he went ahead and experimented with a small crew of musicians.
5. Tori Kelly
Another singer, songwriter, and record producer who has seen worldwide success thanks to YouTube is Tori Kelly. In 2004, she appeared on America’s Most Talented Kid, but this didn’t lead to anything tangible. When in 2010 she auditioned for American Idol but didn't manage to reach the “Top 24”, she turned instead to self-producing, and created and released an EP in 2012 in her home recording studio. Uploading her tracks to YouTube, her follower count skyrocketed, quickly surpassing more than a million, grabbing even the attention of Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun.
4 full-length studio albums and a number of awards later, including 2 Grammys, Tori Kelly continues to shine in the music world.
Pros & Cons of Setting Up a Home Music Recording Studio
Now that you’ve got some real inspiration to produce your own music and share it on YouTube, it’s time to understand the other side of the coin when it comes to setting up your own music recording studio.
- Affordability
When you take into consideration how expensive recording studio rental is in Singapore, it becomes pretty clear that having your own can be beneficial financially. Instead of paying exorbitant recording studio rates that go by the hundreds per hour, it’s just a matter of initial capital investment to get everything set up.
- Convenience
Forget having to commute to your rental recording studio. Head over to your own home studio and get cracking on that new track when you want. It’s only a few steps away, after all!
- Upskilling
When you’re doing it all by yourself, the learning curve can be steep. However, you'll get the hang of it eventually. These skills you develop can then be used not just for your own music but for others’ too.
The Downside of Having Your Own Recording Studio
- High setup costs
Getting top-of-the-line gear and the best studio recording software can be pricey. It’s important to set a budget that you’re comfortable with and explore the different available options so you don’t break the bank.
- Equipment repair
When heading to a music recording studio that you’ve paid to rent, if any equipment requires repair, the studio will sort it out. In most cases, you’ll either have to rebook another session or book another venue. However, when it’s your own equipment and gear, it needs to be fixed or replaced at your own expense.
- Technically tricky
Using the best studio recording software, like Pro Tools, is always a good idea. However, it can be quite confusing if you’ve never used anything like it before. Be sure to find out how to use it by reading articles and watching the appropriate YouTube videos.
Factors to Consider When Setting Up Your Recording Studio
There are a few key details you'll need to think about when setting up a home recording studio so that everything runs as smoothly, efficiently, and effectively.
1. Choice of Room
The room that will become your eventual recording studio will play a huge part in how the final recordings sound. We recommend using a room that is quiet but spacious since smaller rooms tend to have issues with reflected sound. Additionally, because it’s a home recording studio, you’ll probably want everything in one single space due to constraints, so be sure you lay the room out the right way.
2. Room Layout
Set up a desk and comfortable chair at one end. The desk should sit at least 60cm off the wall and the chair at 38% into the room's length. Too technical? This ‘38 percent rule’ was created by Wes Lachot, a world-renowned studio designer, and is said to be the best listening position.
Your studio monitors should be placed at ear height from where you sit, angled towards you. This can be easily done with the proper monitor stands. From your mixing board and keyboards to sound monitor and guitars, it’s all about symmetry when it comes to maintaining the acoustics of your recording studio.
3. Quality Equipment
Conduct a substantial amount of research to determine which equipment is the best for you. This will include everything from the mixer, computer, sound monitors, headphones, mics, and software. You’ll learn a lot about what’s available by doing a simple Google search.
4. Reliable & Fast Internet Connection
Planning on live-streaming your recording sessions? Perhaps you’ve just recorded a new track and would like to upload it onto Spotify? Whatever the case may be, you’ll need a home Wi-Fi solution that delivers the highest quality connection. At M1, mesh Wi-Fi systems come in all shapes and sizes, and you can get a premium-quality mesh Wi-Fi system from leading brands including ASUS and Linksys from just $10 extra a month when you sign up for home broadband services.
Not only that, you can rest assured that our broadband internet services are outstandingly reliable while also delivering lightning-fast connection speeds. With a range of fibre broadband plans available, you’re sure to find the right one that suits your needs. Plus, we’ve got a selection of fantastic devices you can easily add onto your monthly bill for total convenience.
Kickstart Your Music Producing Adventures!
Now you’ve got a firm grasp of what’s involved in setting up a home recording studio, it’s time to start learning how to produce your next hit! There are a number of YouTube channels out there that will teach you step by step, such as Andrew Huang’s channel. He’s wonderful at explaining things simply in a way that’s easy to understand. So, check his YouTube channel out today and start creating!