Should You Build A Bedroom Studio?

Many musicians wonder if they should take the plunge and invest in turning their bedroom into a studio. After all, they’re playing music all the time, anyway.

So, why not?

Well, the answer to the aforementioned question really depends on your goals. If you’re a hobbyist who enjoys jamming alone or with a couple of friends, you may not actually need a studio. In fact, you could get away with playing virtually anywhere in your home (as long as nobody files a noise complaint with local law enforcement). 

But, you may have loftier ambitions. Rather than a bi-weekly meetup with fellow musicians, you might want to practice every day. Not only practice, but you may even want to record. For amateur musicians, recording can be a daunting thought, especially if they don’t have any knowledge of a digital audio workstation (DAW).

However, the issue isn’t with the process of recording itself. It’s what comes after. Anyone can record, but not everyone can handle the recording effectively.

Let’s imagine you’re a true Renaissance man who’s able to play the bass, drums, and shred solos on a lead guitar. You’ve got those three instruments recorded down onto separate tracks. So, what next? If all you’ve got in your bedroom is a computer, a microphone, and a few instruments, this may be where your journey ends.

But, if you know how to engineer recorded audio and fine-tune it until it sounds just right (or at least better than before), you can go much further. But, even with these skills, you may still be wondering you should convert your bedroom into a makeshift studio.

Some people jump the gun and go out and buy all of the necessary studio equipment before they even know what they’re going to do with it. Microphones, sound treatment foam, mixing boards — you name it, they’ll buy it. But, unless they’re planning on recording, engineering, and releasing their own music, they don’t really need it.

The same applies to you, as well. If all you plan on doing is recording your songs just to send them off, you’re better off paying a bit for studio time to record in a professional environment. Since you’ll be using an engineer for mixing/mastering anyway, you may as well do all of the work with a professional.

But, if you’re planning on engineering your own recordings, a bedroom studio suddenly becomes a viable option. Rather than put your trust (and cash) in the hands of someone else, you can treat your room to make recordings sound better. You can also buy monitor speakers so you can hear the same quality and frequencies that the pros do.

So, should you turn your bedroom into a studio?

If you are truly a musician, then yes. But, keep in mind that “bedroom” is interchangeable with any other vacant room in your home.

The only time “no” is an applicable answer is if you don’t have long-term goals for your music. With a studio (albeit a small one) at your disposal, you’ll quickly realize that the barriers preventing you from creating and releasing music no longer exist. While you don’t necessarily have to engineer your own songs, you’ll save money in the long run if you do. And, there’s no other way to learn other than by doing it yourself.

With sound treatment, a good pair of studio speakers, and enough floor space to physically record your songs, you’ll already be miles ahead of your peers who rely on saving up money to record their work. Plus, you’ll cultivate your audio engineering skills along the way.