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Home, sweet home studio

Welcome to my website dedicated to home studio recording!

For years, I’ve been composing, recording, and mixing my own music. This site was born from the desire to share that experience with you.

Creating computer-assisted music doesn’t necessarily require a big budget. Sure, a minimum amount of gear is essential, but when it comes to software, there’s something for every need and every price point (including free options), whether you're looking for recording software (DAWs), effects, or virtual instruments.

On this site, you’ll find a complete tutorial on mixing a track from start to finish, advice on choosing the right equipment, an overview of the main DAWs, and a section dedicated to amp simulators (both free and paid) for guitar players.

And if you're curious, I also invite you to discover my own compositions, entirely produced in a home studio with limited resources.

Enjoy your visit, and most importantly, enjoy making music!

Grebz

TUTORIAL

Making a song from start to finish

You’ve got all your home studio gear, but how does recording and mixing actually work?

Here’s an introduction to home studio recording and mixing, based on my personal experience. It will help you take your first steps, and probably even go further.

The "mix in practice" section is a full example of mixing a song from start to finish, instrument by instrument, with all the tools used and the settings applied, from the raw recorded sound to the final mix, ending with mastering.

Finally, a glossary explains in a few words the terms commonly used in home studio music production.

AMP SIMULATORS

For guitar players!

Guitar players in home studios often face a few dilemmas: it’s hard to own all the amps you dream of (for obvious reasons of space and cost) and it’s just as hard to enjoy your amp at home without upsetting your family or neighbors due to the volume it requires to sound its best.

Fortunately, there’s a solution: amp and cabinet simulators. These tools virtually reproduce real or imaginary amps by modeling their electronic circuits and using IRs (Impulse Responses) to recreate the tone and feel of different speaker cabinets. And it’s easier than you might think.

HARDWARE

From computer to audio interface to studio monitors

To make serious music at home using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), you’ll need to invest in some essential gear.

A computer, an audio interface, studio monitors or a high-quality pair of headphones, one or more microphones, and of course your musical instruments.

It does come at a cost, of course, but even entry-level gear, when used properly, can deliver surprisingly good results.

D.A.W.

When it comes to computer-based music production, software is key. Your computer becomes your main instrument, allowing you to record, edit, shape, and mix your music until it reaches its final form.

At the heart of it all is the DAW, used in combination with various tools called “plugins”. While many essential plugins come bundled with most DAWs, countless others are available separately, both paid and free (effects, software synths, virtual drums, and more).

COMPOSITIONS

To be enjoyed without moderation

I wrote my first pieces of music on a Commodore Amiga computer back in 1988.

Today, I compose in a Pop-Rock style, with forays into other genres, including orchestral and electronic music. My main goal is to enjoy the process, and if others enjoy listening too, then I’ve succeeded.

I also compose music for theatre plays.

MESSAGES

(leave a message)

Messages page # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

Stanman
le 16/04/2019 à 06h56

Just wanted to thank you for your time organizing this. It took me days to compile all of these in the past! I am switching to a new workstation. This will be very handy.

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You're welcome. I'm sorry to say that I don't have much time anymore to update my website, and some information are getting a bit old. Some day, I'll make new tutorials about mixing a song, with better techniques than currently available at the moment, but they're still valid to some extent. Thanks for your support!

alessandrolima
le 31/01/2019 à 23h24

Dude, thanks a lot for this tutorial. It really helped me a lot. God bless you!

slashburn
le 02/12/2018 à 19h53

Bonjour,
Sur le "jcm 800 mercurial", quelle différence entre la 12ax7eh et la 12ax7rsd ?
Je trouve la rsd plus "grasse" et plus disto, votre avis ?

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Bonjour,
Effectivement, comme ça simule 2 variantes d'une lampe 12ax7, le son change un peu entre les deux, ce qui permet d'étendre les possibilités du simulateur.
La RSD est un peu plus pêchue et un peu plus brillante, alors que la EH met plus les basses en avant.
À choisir en fonction de ce qu'on cherche comme type de son.
Grebz

Manouzot
le 07/08/2018 à 21h58

Salut !
Tout d'abord UN GRAND MERCI pour ton site et tes plugins. Sincèrement, c'est top !
Je suis sur Mac : j'ai téléchargé ignite_amps_nadir_1_0_2_mac et les amp Mac AU.
Bien mis dans le répertoire de mes plugins et components et aucun n'apparaît dans Logic Pro X ?
Quelqu'un sait pourquoi ?
Merci pour l'aide

patvan
le 27/06/2018 à 12h50

Hi, I just stumbled on your website. Very impressed I must say. I'm planning to buy TSE X50 also. I'm currently owning a squire Strat and was wondering how I would get a warm jazz tone out of the guitar. Any idea what settings on the TSE X50 could work ? A tone like here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkW8gKsZiVk

Cheers,
Patrick