

Another thing to consider: will you take advantage of equalizers, faders, and onboard effects? If so, a mixer with a built-in USB or FireWire audio interface is worth a look. If you want to record a live session with your four-piece band on the other hand, you’ll likely need four or more input channels. For example, do you want to record with just one or two microphones (you on guitar and a friend on vocals)? Then all you’ll need is an interface with two inputs. Much like choosing a microphone, the best audio interface depends on the type of recording you want to do. This is a step up in volume from what the mic can produce on its own, and can be read by a computer.

They also have built-in microphone preamps, which amplify your mic’s signal to line level. Just because there is a little microphone icon next to the jack on your computer doesn’t mean it’s worth using for audio, and especially musical input. Think of it this way: If you’re going to spend a couple hundred dollars on a microphone, why sacrifice that sound quality by connecting it to your computer with subpar hardware?Īudio interfaces come in all shapes and sizes and commonly connect to your computer via USB or FireWire. Most computers have a built-in audio interface in the form of a 3.5mm microphone jack, but the audio quality you get from that generally won’t cut it when it comes to recording music. Simply put, an audio interface is a device that connects your computer to your microphone. While using a separate input method means shelling out money for hardware, the benefits of using a dedicated audio interface far outweigh the extra cost. While it’s safe to say that picking the right microphone is critical, it won’t do you any good in your home studio without a solid audio interface to plug it into.

Recording music digitally at home is easier than ever, but that doesn’t mean you can use just any hardware.
