What equipment and software are essential in your home studio setup?

Let's be clear from the beginning. You need a well treated SPACE before you even THINK of trying to perform voice over at a professional level. like, for money.   No noises, reverberations, bounces...a pro space.  this is professional booth (3-10K) or a self made, but professionally designed "pvc/packing blanket booth"...or a closet that has been treated properly with sound panels.  NO FOAM. foam is useless. if i see foam, you are an amateur. as george whittam always says " if it sounds good, it is good"....the trick, and talent, is knowing what sounds good... if your sound floor is not -60db or lower ( preferably -65db or better...)  then you have an amateur space. add sound treatments. that NT1 that you are so proud of? it will sound like crap and pick up everything in a badly treated space. learn what is good. you have to be your own sound person now. learn what is correct and what is crap.

As a voiceover artist, I'm recording using a RODE NT1A Condenser Microphone.  If you're just getting started in the industry, Amazon sells a kit complete with the mic, cord, pop filter and mic stabilizer.  I also use a Focusrite Scarlett interface.  For software, I'm using Audacity, which is free software.  One thing I like about Audacity is the number of guides and videos to help achieve the sound you're looking for.  Although there are a number of tricks to reduce the need for soundproofing (some mastering techniques for example to eliminate background noise), I still feel you should make some effort to soundproof your studio, as a poor setup may not qualify you for some live session recordings.

If you’re a music producer or looking to start producing, here’s what you’ll need:

• A computer or laptop
   
• A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) such as Cubase, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Ableton etc.
   
• An audio interface – There are many beginner-friendly and advanced options, like the Focusrite Scarlett, RME Babyface, and Universal Audio interfaces. An audio interface is essential for getting high-quality output from your tracks and is crucial for recording instruments and vocals.
   
• A MIDI keyboard – Great for playing around with virtual instruments.
   
• A condenser microphone – Ideal if you’re a singer or voice-over artist. Rode has some excellent quality condenser mics that work well in a home environment.

Above all, it’s essential to understand that our minds have been conditioned to believe we need costly tools and gadgets just to start our professional voice recording journey—but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Start by understanding how sound travels; once you grasp this, you’ve already mastered a significant part of professional sound recording. Next, focus on room treatment, and finally, professional recording equipment can come in as the last step. Wondering why? Follow these steps, record using your phone, and compare it to your earlier recordings. You’ll thank me later!

As an audio engineer, I think that every detail of recording, editing and production in general is important, from the area where you are recording, the microphone, the audio interface you are using, the software, to the smallest audio cable you have, influences your sound and you always have to be careful with all the details... and of course, one of the great things outside of material things is knowledge. Knowledge is important to be able to take advantage of each tool.

Knowledge is power

The essential equipment that will definetely make the difference between you and another artists would be the best Audio Interface you can get, as well as monitors. I own a MOTU Ultralite Mk4 and Genelec 8030w along with my Kurzweil K2700 which gives me the best and exclusive library out there. Studio acoustic is something that you don't have to forget, because you can have the best equipment but it you don't give them the proper place it would be a waste of money. But I guess the most important thing is definetely your own knowledge of music and audio theory because it can make you take the right desicions to get your studio sound profesional!

1. YOUR SPACE - By far, the most important thing to consider in a home studio set up is the space you are recording in. You need to be in a smaller space (not your wide open living room or open floor plan living space), with something on the walls to minimize outside sound and to deaden the sound inside to reduce echo and reverb. Moving blankets are relatively cheap on Amazon and make the perfect sound deadening material for the ceiling and walls of your space if you're just starting out. A bedroom closet that's full of clothes works well too. If you need help with this, it's worth the money to consult with an audio technician who can listen to a sample of your sound and provide you with guidance on how to set up the room.
2. YOUR INTERFACE - This is what connects your microphone to your computer. USB microphones have only gotten better, but you'll find most professional voice actors still rely on an XLR cable and microphone for better quality audio. The Focusrite Scarlett series of interfaces are relatively cheap and work fine for someone just starting out. Currently, I use a Steinberg UR22mkII, which wasn't super expensive either.
3. YOUR COMPUTER - Needless to say, you need a reliable computer to do voice over these days. Personally, I'm a Mac guy, but whatever you choose, make sure it's current and has enough memory to run your audio recording software plus your web browser with multiple tabs open. You don't want your computer freezing up or crashing on you right in the middle of recording. Start with what you have, but put aside some money for a good computer when you can afford it. Currently, I use a Macbook Air with a larger second monitor so I can have two screens going at once.
4. YOUR DAW - DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. It's the software you use to record your audio. Audacity is a free one that's good for newcomers. I used it for the first year or so of my voice over career. There are definitely others to explore when you're ready, and every voice actor stands by their choice of DAW. There's Twisted Wave, Adobe Audition (which requires a monthly subscription fee - which is why I don't use it), and Reaper, to name a few. Reaper is a one-time fee to purchase, and it's what I use. It does way more than what you need for voice over, but it's also super flexible and also edits video, which I find helpful for making social media videos.
5. YOUR MICROPHONE - Ok, notice that this is last. For a reason. Most folks think this is THE most important piece of equipment for your home studio set up. And yes, it is super important. However, I think most beginners place too much emphasis on their microphone. A good condenser microphone in the $200-$400 range should be good enough to get started. Once you get some work and put some money aside, you can upgrade when you can afford it. I started with the microphone that came with a Focusrite Scarlett starter package, then upgraded to a Sennheiser 416 (just shy of $1000) once I could afford it. I particularly like the Sennheiser 416 because it's a shotgun microphone, meaning it mainly records from the very end of the microphone, and doesn't pick up as much sound from the surrounding area. Since my studio isn't perfectly soundproof, this helps keep my recordings clean of extraneous noise.

As a longtime advertising creative guy writing and producing TV and radio spots, I added voice-over to my creative repertoire during the great recession. Bought a Blue Snowball USB mic, sound blankets, plugged into my Macbook and recorded with the free Audacity software. Booked a lot with that rinky-dink set-up. Doesn't make sense to do much more at the beginning. Fortunately, I had already recorded numerous spots in pro studios, so had a demo and a local agent.

After lots of training with a top NYC coach and consulting with some studio owner buddies, I built an almost soundproof booth. Then did a mic shootout at a pro audio equipment seller and purchased the modest but awesome R0DE NT1-A large condenser mic. I also SPLURGED on a Grace Designs M101 preamp. Added a Tascam interface, and began recording with Twisted Wave and/or Adobe Audition software. High-quality monitor headphones are also a good investment.

Since then, I've upgraded my mic twice and interface once, but still have the Grace. So when it makes sense, invest in top notch audio equipment as well as in your recording space. For mics, find a pro audio equipment seller and schedule a mic shootout. You may learn your particular voice sounds as good through a $300 mic as it does on the $1100 mic. Just sayin'.

Bottom line, keep training, keep improving your craft and studio equipment/space... it's the only way to even have a chance at being competitive.