# Tiny studio, is this a problem? Not for me actually



## Rachel (Mar 30, 2021)

I’ve noticed that people love to share pictures of their beautiful studio. I understand they are proud of their achievement and want to share it and I would love to do so. But my studio is tiny and quite minimalist. But currently, I have everything I need. I have iLouds monitors (they are tiny but good enough for me), Beyerdynamics DT 880 headphones, M-audio keyboard. I have Cubase 7.5, Kontakt 6 and most of all, a lot of beautiful orchestral and non-orchestral libraries. 

Except I cannot share beautiful pictures, this is not a problem for me. But it seems that for some people, it is not possible to make good music in those conditions. I don’t agree. And you ? What do you think ? Do you think that gear is more important than good sounds ? Of course I would love to have both, but if I have to make choices (and I have to), I prefer invest my money into sounds libraries.

(I speak French, so I apologize for my poor English)


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## doctoremmet (Mar 30, 2021)

I have had a larger studio. Now I don’t.
Some of the music I am happy with has been created on my 49 key little Arturia board and a six year old laptop, seated on an ironing board. It’s all about ideas, creativity, actually playing music and recording it in a half-decent fashion isn’t it? Studio eye candy is very cool and all, but ultimately... who cares. So yes, I totally hear you


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## Rachel (Mar 30, 2021)

Yes, I know that you don't have to own a huge studio to let your creativity flows, but sometimes I feel like people seems I am not legitimate to make good music just because I don't have the latest monitors or latest fashionable keaboard. What interests me, is the sounds I have in my computer, I think it is the most important to make music. For years now, I've bought many libraries and I am very happy with them to create the music I want to create


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## DANIELE (Mar 30, 2021)

I have a little studio too and I'm very happy with it, I feel I don't need a bigger one. Everything is where I need it to be.

Don't misunderstand me, I'd love to have space, just because I always know how to fill it, but I don't think you need so much to make great music.


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## doctoremmet (Mar 30, 2021)

Rachel said:


> Yes, I know that you don't have to own a huge studio to let your creativity flows, but sometimes I feel like people seems I am not legitimate to make good music just because I don't have the latest monitors or latest fashionable keaboard. What interests me, is the sounds I have in my computer, I think it is the most important to make music. For years now, I've bought many libraries and I am very happy with them to create the music I want to create


I have those same feelings from time to time. Sometimes I can be jealous of my best pal who has a huge studio with tons of hardware synths, including classic Oberheims, ARPs and racks full of old samplers and stuff. I really enjoyed watching all the Spitfire Creative Cribs episodes. And yes, it can instill a feeling of insecurity in me (“who am I to even pretend I am worthy of making music. I do not own a Juno 6, nor do I have custom made outboard compressors. Oh, and my Yamaha upright doesn’t even have felt attached to the hammers”). 

But I feel you are right. It is all about the sounds, originality, creativity. That spark. Luckily we are living in a day and age where we can basically all “own” a ton of incredibly inspiring “soundmakers”. Honestly, I feel all of us on here own way too much of those soundmakers. I know I do. With the stuff in my arsenal, I really should be focusing on “just” making music  - that’s why I feel most of us have two separate fields of interest: 1) music and composing/playing (whether that’s a day job or a hobby) and 2) instruments and plugins, studios, gear, any and all things that are inducing GAS. It is important to never confuse the two. Yes, there WILL be slightly better iterations of strings sample libraries. No, you do not need to worry about your ability to create amazing music if you don’t own those.

Addendum: of course, I do need Tracktion’s F ‘Em 8 operator FM synth, and 8dio’s Century Woodwinds. And I refuse to make any more music before those are installed on my 6 year old laptop.


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## LudovicVDP (Mar 30, 2021)

I hear you. And I also wish my studio was a bit bigger or improved in some way (shitty speakers against the wall for instance. That's killing me)

But I think there is also a difference between composing "better" music and making composing the same music easier.
Maybe having a big studio won't make you create better music... but if it helps you do it faster, in a more comfortable way, that's more than simple gear porn.

Of course, switching from a 22" + 24" setup to a 32" + 24" setup didn't change my music one bit... But damn it's so much better and more comfortable now. I would change the 24" as well if I could.
Having a tablet with Touch Portal and shortcuts etc... Music stays the same, but transposing a midi part or having only my brass showing is just 1 sec quicker... every time...

So... No, you don't need it to compose good music... But if it helps doing it better/faster... Why not?


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## doctoremmet (Mar 30, 2021)

Things to consider:

- FOMO, the fear of missing out
- how marketing gets to me / us
- GAS as a means to procrastinate
- buying stuff as a means to fill a huge insecurity gap in my soul?
- why did Junkie XL sell most of his stuff?
- do I need to downsize my ridiculous collection of plugins? (yes)
- the word “collection” speaks volumes; what do I feel when a plugin vendor releases part X in a series... (answer: FOMO and some weird hoarder gene starts nagging about “completing” the “collection”)
- how having too many choices can stifle your creativity
- upside: creating artificial limitations can be a fun game and inspire / boost your creativity


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## Rachel (Mar 30, 2021)

Yes, I got it, and I agree it should be easier of course. I don't pretend I won't like to have a huge studio, actually I would love to. But for the moment I cannot, so I prefer to choose to invest into good sounds libraries. Maybe one day...


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## el-bo (Mar 30, 2021)

There are people here who can score symphonies with nothing more than pencil and manuscript paper. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't have a studio full of gear, also.

My studio is not overly expansive in the amount of gear, and it's made up of relatively cheap pieces, with the exception being the Roli. All of it has its uses, but I could easily strip everything down to an iPad or iPhone, with some headphones and a little MIDI keyboard.

Minimal is great, but so is maximal. As long as the user is getting whatever they need from the setup


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## doctoremmet (Mar 30, 2021)

LudovicVDP said:


> I hear you.
> ...
> So... No, you don't need it to compose good music... But if it helps doing it better/faster... why not.


Of course... this is also true. I guess given the constraints (financially and space wise) we all need to optimize our workflow to facilitate our music making experiences.


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Mar 30, 2021)

There's this weird obsession with having to optimize everything and getting the latest and greatest shit before you can even start about thinking of doing stuff. In reality, it's never really been that way. You make do with what you have and try to get most out of it.

In reality, these plugins and libraries and software etc. don't mean shit. They're all OK and you can make good music with any selection of respectable products. Even monitoring IMO isn't that big of a deal as people would have you believe. Obviously you'll need something that's up to the task, but it doesn't have to be the same stuff Alan Meyerson or Bob Rock have mounted in their studios, and doesn't have to cost nearly as much.

For me, the biggest roadblock was always acoustics. Who has the luxury of being able to set up a studio under ideal conditions, after all? You're either working in some square room in your house or apartment, or the ceiling of your makeshift studio is too low, or you're stuck in a corner, you've made your garage your music space, etc. But that doesn't mean that you can't do anything about it. You can't make a bad room perfect, but you can still make it better than it was before. Some re-thinking and reorganizing, stuff like DYI bass traps etc. (everyone should make their own!!) - there's a lot that can be done.

I'll gonna be building my own little facility this year, but it's only because of making music under suboptimal conditions for many years that I even have a clear picture of what I'm even going for and what needs to be done and how it's done the proper way. One can always upgrade, but you can never let the fact that you don't have something get in the way of doing stuff.


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## Alex Fraser (Mar 30, 2021)

I wouldn't worry about it. A lot of it is for show - some of the rigs posted on the 'net look like no-one actually spends any significant time using them, ergonomics and all that.

FWIW, my rig is nothing more than a standard office desk, a laptop and a couple of cheap controllers. It won't win any beauty awards but I get work done/pay bills. I should probably get a monitor though.

Like others have already mentioned, I think workflow improvements and removing the "hard edges" to allow distraction free music making is the way forward.


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## Rachel (Mar 30, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> I wouldn't worry about it. A lot of it is for show - some of the rigs posted on the 'net look like no-one actually spends any significant time using them, ergonomics and all that.
> 
> FWIW, my rig is nothing more than a standard office desk, a laptop and a couple of cheap controllers. It won't win any beauty awards but I get work done/pay bills. I should probably get a monitor though...


ah happy to see I am not the only one


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## Alex Fraser (Mar 30, 2021)

Rachel said:


> ah happy to see I am not the only one


Maybe we should have a "show us your boring rig" thread!
Also, my wife is not beyond kicking me out the shared studio to finish a mix at the kitchen table.


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## Instrugramm (Mar 30, 2021)

Rachel said:


> I’ve noticed that people love to share pictures of their beautiful studio. I understand they are proud of their achievement and want to share it and I would love to do so. But my studio is tiny and quite minimalist. But currently, I have everything I need. I have iLouds monitors (they are tiny but good enough for me), Beyerdynamics DT 880 headphones, M-audio keyboard. I have Cubase 7.5, Kontakt 6 and most of all, a lot of beautiful orchestral and non-orchestral libraries.
> 
> Except I cannot share beautiful pictures, this is not a problem for me. But it seems that for some people, it is not possible to make good music in those conditions. I don’t agree. And you ? What do you think ? Do you think that gear is more important than good sounds ? Of course I would love to have both, but if I have to make choices (and I have to), I prefer invest my money into sounds libraries.
> 
> (I speak French, so I apologize for my poor English)


My studio is tiny and I love it, as long as it creates a good atmosphere for you to work in, that's what matters.


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## MartinH. (Mar 30, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> I wouldn't worry about it. A lot of it is for show - some of the rigs posted on the 'net look like no-one actually spends any significant time using them, ergonomics and all that.


I saw this on 9gag the other day: 









Jimmy Hellfire said:


> There's this weird obsession with having to optimize everything and getting the latest and greatest shit before you can even start about thinking of doing stuff.


I would reply to this, but I need a hand-built, ergonomic, custom-layout, waterproof, RGB illuminated, wireless keyboard first .


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## easyrider (Mar 30, 2021)

Ideas, creativity and inspiration come before gear Imo.

Without these gear is just unused tools.


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## Voltaire (Mar 30, 2021)

This is such a beautiful post Rachel. 
Being a student and pretty hard up, for the past year I've tried to put together in my little space equipment that has been gifted to me mostly. My keyboard and monitors were broken but I repaired them. The few sample librarys I have I saved and saved and eventually bought them (all on sale). 

Then I realised one great thing. If I closed my eyes I didn't see the cheap equipment and lack of space, but the sounds I created transported me whereever I wanted, they moved me. I realised then that the crazy idea of 'not good enough to make good music' of course was just that, crazy. It was hard (partly because of all the hype manufacturers want us to believe) but I had to let this idea go and just make sounds, make music, be creative. To me it has been a revelation.


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## el-bo (Mar 30, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> I wouldn't worry about it. A lot of it is for show - some of the rigs posted on the 'net look like no-one actually spends any significant time using them, ergonomics and all that.


I know in my case, there's definitely not a lot of music getting done. Doesn't stop me sitting there for up to 10 hours-a-day, though :(


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## Nimrod7 (Mar 30, 2021)

Such a great post indeed!

I have a half decent studio, but I believe it limits my creativity in many ways.
I find myself thinking how to improve it, from cable management, to gear that for some reason stopped working and I have to troubleshoot, from updating tons of plugins.

I have started thinking to start getting towards a more minimalist approach.
I have written many of my best tracks using a Macbook Air and NanoKeys when traveling, using just Logic and stock plugins and sounds.

I absolutely believe that you can create amazing tracks using a minimal setup. The gear for me doesn't have to do anything with inspiration. Usually being in a different place than a studio inspires me more than having tons of gear around me.

Producers such as Skrillex and Avicii (RIP) using also minimal laptop setups.

Also you can still make a minimalist studio looks beautiful and inspirational. Mood lighting can help, a nice desk etc.


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## easyrider (Mar 30, 2021)

3DC said:


> I couldn't agree more but without any library its very hard to produce a decent sound.
> I made a wish couple of days ago to forum genie on Harley-Davidson but it didn't came trough.
> Fortunately I have my FL Studio synths and MiniGrand that came with keyboard.
> 
> Mind you I am so new to this music production stuff I wouldn't know where to start anyway.


Loads of free libraries out their and great tools....


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## Macrawn (Mar 30, 2021)

Just plain headphones in a small studio solves a lot of problems and a lot of money.


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## Alex Fraser (Mar 30, 2021)

Nimrod7 said:


> Such a great post indeed!
> 
> I have a half decent studio, but I believe it limits my creativity in many ways.
> I find myself thinking how to improve it, from cable management, to gear that for some reason stopped working and I have to troubleshoot, from updating tons of plugins.
> ...


Totally. 
I spent around a month playing with an iPad for articulation switching before realising that for *me personally* it was fast becoming a distraction to fiddle with.

That’s not to say that tablets, battleship style rigs etc can’t be creative and productive places to be - it’s more about the individual headspace I think. But I often wonder if some people are lost in the tools when they’d be better off simplifying. I reckon there’s a fair number.


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## AndyP (Mar 30, 2021)

My Studioequpiment gets reduced from year to year. 
I'm glad that the big analog mixer 28/8/4/2 is gone, that creates space and I do not need that today at all.
Most of the time I sit at my minimal set consisting of 2 minikeyboard - controllers and a MacBook. I listen to my music on a Sony Ghettoblaster (with minidisk recorder) which has a phenomenal sound and a 24 inch monitor because my eyes are getting worse.
For composing and finding ideas that is quite enough. 

The large setup is more for finalizing or when I write quite opulent works that require the use of several computers. Whereas I can also access the other machines with my minimal setup via VEPro.

To find ideas I have found for me that less can often be more.


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## jcrosby (Mar 30, 2021)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> There's this weird obsession with having to optimize everything and getting the latest and greatest shit before you can even start about thinking of doing stuff. In reality, it's never really been that way. You make do with what you have and try to get most out of it.
> 
> In reality, these plugins and libraries and software etc. don't mean shit. They're all OK and you can make good music with any selection of respectable products. Even monitoring IMO isn't that big of a deal as people would have you believe. Obviously you'll need something that's up to the task, but it doesn't have to be the same stuff Alan Meyerson or Bob Rock have mounted in their studios, and doesn't have to cost nearly as much.
> 
> ...


Amen to that.... My room treatment is the most expensive and most beloved piece of gear I have. I love my speakers but they're not super pricy and overly fancy... If given the choice I'll always budget more for the environment than anything else. Hearing an incredible image that has depth and detail I've found to be the best source of inspiration, and a source that never gets stale... 

Acoustics are luxury for most... There are tons of incredible musicians that make incredible music in less than ideal conditions... Entire genres and cultural movements grew out of making music with limited means... But if you do reach a place in your life where music is your bread and butter it's well worth treating yourself to a proper listening experience. 

Make music with whatever you have for sure though... You've got to start somewhere and some of the best creative come from imposed limitations...


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## Rachel (Mar 30, 2021)

3DC said:


> My bedroom/workshop/studio/office is only 1.8 x 4m. I have only entry level music production gear but before my 48 birthday I had absolutely nothing like that so I am happy like a little kid.


You have well sumarized, the best studio is where you feel happy. And also do feel happy in my little studio. When I close the doors, put my headphones on my ears and start to compose, the size of my studio don't matter anymore, I feel like if I was, well, I don't know where but I feel good.


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## Rachel (Mar 30, 2021)

Voltaire said:


> This is such a beautiful post Rachel.
> Being a student and pretty hard up, for the past year I've tried to put together in my little space equipment that has been gifted to me mostly. My keyboard and monitors were broken but I repaired them. The few sample librarys I have I saved and saved and eventually bought them (all on sale).
> 
> Then I realised one great thing. If I closed my eyes I didn't see the cheap equipment and lack of space, but the sounds I created transported me whereever I wanted, they moved me. I realised then that the crazy idea of 'not good enough to make good music' of course was just that, crazy. It was hard (partly because of all the hype manufacturers want us to believe) but I had to let this idea go and just make sounds, make music, be creative. To me it has been a revelation.


Yes, same here (except I am not a student anymore  ). But like you, when I close my eyes and start to make music, I know I am at the right place and I wouldn't change my studio as it is a place where I feel well


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## wst3 (Mar 30, 2021)

I too am working in what some might consider a sub-optimal studio. At times I find it sub-optimal, and there are certainly a couple things I'd like to do.

But, the studio configuration - hardware and software - is not the limiting factor. Two of my favorite recordings were made on a Fostex X-15 four-track cassette recorder, with a Korg MS-20, a pedal steel, an upright piano, and a couple guitars.

Limits can be inspiring!

They can also create obstacles.

It is a coin toss, on any given day that which you consider limiting might help or hurt.

For me? There are two things I am working to "fix" right now:
1) I need more physical space in which to play. Things are just too cramped for comfort, so I am re-arranging equipment to make more space.
2) I will need to revisit my monitor system - the physical layout now works quite well, and I am going to eliminate a couple of the things that make it so. I've got my work cut out for me.

Beyond that? I sometimes miss the console, tape decks, and racks of gear. I don't miss the maintenance. Sometimes!

But I am also aware that some of my all time favorite recordings were tracked and mixed in environments that would make most of us cringe. One of the studios I enjoyed most was tiny, there was barely room to push your chair all the way back! Acoustically speaking it shouldn't have worked, and yet it did! Tracks mixed there translated well to other spaces.

I'm not suggesting you shouldn't build the best studio you can, in terms of acoustics, ergonomics, and of course capabilities. You should. You just need to be careful not to overdo it. Like many here I really need to thin my collection of plugins, and to a lesser degree libraries.

All of which is one of the things that makes music making so interesting.


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## Saxer (Mar 30, 2021)

The rooms we work in show mostly the way we live instead of the results we achieve. I'm happy do have a nice mid sized room just for making music and I'm proud that it looks good for my taste and I feel home there. I didn't have it when I was younger. One of the few benefits of age. But I wouldn't rate anybody for working in a small room. I mostly admire people working with minimal equipment somewhere and get great music out of it! 

Like Cliff Martinez did on Blockbuster movies:


https://images.equipboard.com/uploads/source/image/41750/j72UH6w.png?v=1476557307


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## NormkbPlayer (Mar 30, 2021)

I haven't read most of the posts

But it all comes down to what you need.
Like me I don't record live instruments

A small room with good ventilation ( Air Conducted even better)

More than enough.
(For people like me who use only Sample Libs XD )


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## proggermusic (Mar 30, 2021)

I personally love it when resourceful, creative artists make beautiful things with limited space. My wife and I are both creative types, so we took the larger of the bedrooms in our place and made it our studio... so I have the largest home studio space I've ever had, at the moment. But some of the best work I've done has been in tiny, non-ideal environments, and that's true for a lot of artists I know. I wrote the foundation of this track while I was waiting for my laundry to finish up at a laundromat in Brooklyn, on a white 2008 Macbook and headphones:



The one reason I'd like a larger space than I already have would be for recording woodwinds. (The room is treated to deaden early reflections, but it would be nice to have some better natural reverb.) But that's a luxury that can wait.


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## gzapper (Mar 30, 2021)

These days you don't need much more than a laptop and a controller and some drives.
A pretty studio is mostly for clients and maybe a touch for your own self esteem. 
My studio is always a mess as I've always got a few projects on the go with overlapping needs, but it works for me. 
Whatever lets you work well.


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## Rachel (Apr 5, 2021)

And actually here is mine. Minimalist perhaps, but beautiful for me. A place where I feel comfortable, happy and peaceful


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## mybadmemory (Apr 5, 2021)

I believe the shift that has happened over the last 20 or so years, is that back then you *needed* a lot of expensive hardware to actually produce what we do. Whereas now, while many still do want and make use of a well equipped studio, either for inspiration, convenience, or just attachment to physical stuff, you really only really *need* a laptop, a pair of headphones, and a small midi keyboard to produce pro quality orchestral works. The rest is all software. The DAW, the sample libraries, and the effects.

People like Christian Henson, Guy Michelmore, and even Alex Moukala clearly show how much can be done with minimal or mobile rigs these days. Being a minimalist myself I absolutely LOVE this development and today my own hobbyist setup consists of nothing but an iMac, a Keystation 49, the iLouds, and a pair of AKGK240s. Everything else is in the box, and I wouldn't want it any other way. The fact that I can expand inside of the digital realm, and keep the physical one tidy, is pure bliss!


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## Alex Fraser (Apr 5, 2021)

This is great thread, but I feel it'll get slapped into the Drama Zone shortly because it goes against everything that VIC stands for! 😉


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## mybadmemory (Apr 5, 2021)

The only thing I *don't* agree on is that you can't take beautiful pictures of minimal setups.


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## Loïc D (Apr 5, 2021)

Small studio here too, in a room that’s also my office and a bit of storage, around 8 sqm. Paris real estate price doesn’t allow much more.

I’ve designed a kind of gallows to hang my guitars high on the wall over my gear and desk.
The day it collapses, all my gear is ruined and I’m dead.
That’s rock’n’roll life !


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## Rachel (Apr 5, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> This is great thread, but I feel it'll get slapped into the Drama Zone shortly because it goes against everything that VIC stands for! 😉


I think many people have minimalist equipments, either by choice, or just because they cannot afford the must up-to-date gear. I would love to have more room, more equipment, but sometimes I just wonder why I would need more gear. Just to post beautiful pictures of my studio? Currently I love my little home studio, I have everything I need to express my creativity. I have been making music for many years now, and I have upgraded my setup very very slowly, but I am happy with what I have now. I have the sounds I love. I have bought them through the years, at Christmas, at my birthday, when there were on sales. Everytime people asked me what I wanted for my birthday, instead of asking for shoes or bags or I don't know what, I was asking for sounds libraries. Maybe that sounds weird to non-musicians, but actually it's what makes me happy. I know when I have bought - or received - each of my libraries. I know from where I started, I know where I want to go. And I am slowly going there.


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## Rachel (Apr 5, 2021)

Loïc D said:


> Small studio here too, in a room that’s also my office and a bit of storage, around 8 sqm. Paris real estate price doesn’t allow much more.
> 
> I’ve designed a kind of gallows to hang my guitars high on the wall over my gear and desk.
> The day it collapses, all my gear is ruined and I’m dead.
> That’s rock’n’roll life !


Geneva's prices are not better too :(


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## nolotrippen (Apr 5, 2021)

Rachel said:


> I’ve noticed that people love to share pictures of their beautiful studio. I understand they are proud of their achievement and want to share it and I would love to do so. But my studio is tiny and quite minimalist. But currently, I have everything I need. I have iLouds monitors (they are tiny but good enough for me), Beyerdynamics DT 880 headphones, M-audio keyboard. I have Cubase 7.5, Kontakt 6 and most of all, a lot of beautiful orchestral and non-orchestral libraries.
> 
> Except I cannot share beautiful pictures, this is not a problem for me. But it seems that for some people, it is not possible to make good music in those conditions. I don’t agree. And you ? What do you think ? Do you think that gear is more important than good sounds ? Of course I would love to have both, but if I have to make choices (and I have to), I prefer invest my money into sounds libraries.
> 
> (I speak French, so I apologize for my poor English)


Mine has been tiny since I stopped using hardware synths. The table? Just a card table and a cheap wood shelf I made.


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## Rachel (Apr 6, 2021)

nolotrippen said:


> Mine has been tiny since I stopped using hardware synths. The table? Just a card table and a cheap wood shelf I made.


perfect for making great music!


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## easyrider (Apr 6, 2021)

it’s all about what works for you.

here is mine....😀


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## Leo (Apr 6, 2021)

Rachel, I started exactly like you, with one (old) computer and one small keyboard with EMU soundcard.
But after years and many jobs I have built the studio that suits me best. I'm full time composer,
and I literally spend all of my time - day and night in the studio.
That's why my demands are probably a bit higher, but I'm holding on to the ground. Right now, the whole house is undergoing a complete reconstruction not only the studio, but the whole house.
So after years, I'm an abbot in a minimalist space and smaller room in the house (with constant dust).
In something it's nice, such a change, but when I want to practice the cello, I have to describe everything because I won't fit there ...





and my new studio in progress...


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## Ryan (Apr 6, 2021)

I've been using small rooms all my life when composing & producing music. My room now is 8/9 m2 and I love it. Its intimate and I have enough space for my piano, outboard etc. I do have a lot of gear, but all that gear is giving me new "inspiration" when composing / writing. Everything that makes me creative is worth it for me. Be it a compressor, microphone, console, tape-machine etc. At the end of the day what really matters for all of us is the music made on that particular day in that studio/room/closet/bedroom etc.


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## Lurker (Apr 6, 2021)

I have to compose on the move more often than not.Mobile rigs must be the smallest studios in existence.The economy class air ticket studio is painfully small.


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## Reid Rosefelt (Apr 6, 2021)

I don't have a studio, at least a private one. I live in a loft space and there are no rooms with doors, aside from the bathroom. So all my equipment is a few feet away from the bed. I can't work while my wife is sleeping. 

Anybody who has any studio is ahead of me.  But I feel very lucky to be able to have a place to play music.


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## MartinH. (Apr 6, 2021)

The real challenge of tiny spaces isn't the lack of storage room for gear imho, it's the lack of spatial separation of the different parts of your life. 

I'm currently rethinking the layout of my room and remembered this video. Maybe it's helpful for some of you:


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## easyrider (Apr 6, 2021)

3DC said:


> @easyrider - what is that thingy near your Audient iD22 audio interface?


Softube Console One


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## easyrider (Apr 6, 2021)

@3DC The green thingy is a joe meek preamp which I’ve now sold.


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## Rachel (Apr 6, 2021)

Leo said:


> Rachel, I started exactly like you, with one (old) computer and one small keyboard with EMU soundcard.
> But after years and many jobs I have built the studio that suits me best. I'm full time composer,
> and I literally spend all of my time - day and night in the studio.
> That's why my demands are probably a bit higher, but I'm holding on to the ground. Right now, the whole house is undergoing a complete reconstruction not only the studio, but the whole house.
> ...


oh woow, I am sure it will be amazing!


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## Rachel (Apr 6, 2021)

TigerTheFrog said:


> I don't have a studio, at least a private one. I live in a loft space and there are no rooms with doors, aside from the bathroom. So all my equipment is a few feet away from the bed. I can't work while my wife is sleeping.
> 
> Anybody who has any studio is ahead of me.  But I feel very lucky to be able to have a place to play music.


As long as you can make music, it is fine. You can put headphones when your wife is sleeping or you can play her a lullaby to make her sleep


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## rgames (Apr 6, 2021)

If you think your studio is small, try working on a commercial airliner! I write a fair amount of music crammed in with all the other cargo on one of those. The good thing about doing that is that my 11' x 13' studio feels cavernous when I get back to it.

While you can write music in a tiny space, a larger space is very beneficial for recording with live musicians. I record solo instruments in my 11' x 13' room but I use other rooms to record larger ensembles. That's the only real reason to have a large space.

rgames


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## PaulieDC (Apr 6, 2021)

easyrider said:


> it’s all about what works for you.
> 
> here is mine....😀


There it is again! The desk you can't actually see! Love it.


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## PaulieDC (Apr 6, 2021)

Rachel said:


> I’ve noticed that people love to share pictures of their beautiful studio. I understand they are proud of their achievement and want to share it and I would love to do so. But my studio is tiny and quite minimalist. But currently, I have everything I need. I have iLouds monitors (they are tiny but good enough for me), Beyerdynamics DT 880 headphones, M-audio keyboard. I have Cubase 7.5, Kontakt 6 and most of all, a lot of beautiful orchestral and non-orchestral libraries.
> 
> Except I cannot share beautiful pictures, this is not a problem for me. But it seems that for some people, it is not possible to make good music in those conditions. I don’t agree. And you ? What do you think ? Do you think that gear is more important than good sounds ? Of course I would love to have both, but if I have to make choices (and I have to), I prefer invest my money into sounds libraries.
> 
> (I speak French, so I apologize for my poor English)


Rachel, you have a perfect setup. Those monitors are arguably the best small format out there, you have _great_ headphones, excellent DAW, a keyboard you like and most of all, you actually sound HAPPY with your libraries! There's a great achievement right there. You don't need to worry about making it "nicer" at all. Here's my question: if you compose a piece you really like and others also like it, and in fact someone wants to use it for a film or anything else, does the size of your studio even get talked about at that point? Not even for a moment. What you have sounds perfect. And your English is better than many Americans I talk with, lol!


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## Rachel (Apr 6, 2021)

PaulieDC said:


> Rachel, you have a perfect setup. Those monitors are arguably the best small format out there, you have _great_ headphones, excellent DAW, a keyboard you like and most of all, you actually sound HAPPY with your libraries! There's a great achievement right there. You don't need to worry about making it "nicer" at all. Here's my question: if you compose a piece you really like and others also like it, and in fact someone wants to use it for a film or anything else, does the size of your studio even get talked about at that point? Not even for a moment. What you have sounds perfect. And your English is better than many Americans I talk with, lol!


oh thank you so much! Yes, I love my studio, and most of all, I love making music. Either in a big studio, or in my small room, I don't really care as long as I compose. But sometimes I think I would be more legitimate if I have a big studio. For example, I wouldn't invite a producer or a filmmaker in my little studio. I know that sounds silly but I am afraid they will think "oh she is making music in a small room, with a very little equipment, that is not very serious and professional". I cannot really change my mind about that, I am afraid to be seen as not as professional as someone who has a big studio.
(And thank you about my English, you made my day  )


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## Ryan (Apr 6, 2021)

Rachel said:


> oh thank you so much! Yes, I love my studio, and most of all, I love making music. Either in a big studio, or in my small room, I don't really care as long as I compose. But sometimes I think I would be more legitimate if I have a big studio. For example, I wouldn't invite a producer or a filmmaker in my little studio. I know that sounds silly but I am afraid they will think "oh she is making music in a small room, with a very little equipment, that is not very serious and professional". I cannot really change my mind about that, I am afraid to be seen as not as professional as someone who has a big studio.
> (And thank you about my English, you made my day  )


Nhaa.. Don't overthink it. I had my first producer/director sitting next to me in my and my wife's bedroom where I had my studio in a corner next to two baby cribs for our newborn twins :D It all went pretty good. What I've learned is that they don't give a shit about equipment, gear etc. All they care about is that you are capable of writing music to their story!


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## Weyenberg Creative (Apr 6, 2021)

My "studio" is an 8x10 closet with no windows and minimal airflow. 

But it's mine, and I make music in it. It's glorious.


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## Rachel (Apr 6, 2021)

Ryan said:


> Nhaa.. Don't overthink it. I had my first producer/director sitting next to me in my and my wife's bedroom where I had my studio in a corner next to two baby cribs for our newborn twins :D It all went pretty good. What I've learned is that they don't give a shit about equipment, gear etc. All they care about is that you are capable of writing music to their story!


You're perfectly right


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## vitocorleone123 (Apr 6, 2021)

I don't make money from music and never expect to (whether that makes me fortunate or not is in the ear of the beholder!). My "studio" - aka home office I'm using even now for my day job - used to consist of a MIDI controller, an interface, and headphones. The computer is a given. Over the last 3 years I've added hardware 3 synths and 3 effects, and upgraded my interface and headphones.

I'm actually finishing few songs now, as I feel obligated through investment (and, yes, love of the hardware) to learn what I've purchased really, really well. "Otherwise, why not just use software??!". So I'm having a LOT of fun right now, but am not getting anything more than that done. That's important to me - probably the most important, given this is a hobby not a career - but more and more I'm wondering whether I can once again finish something while integrating the hardware as part of it. Perhaps I had more money than sense for the first time in my life  

Don't rush into more gear. If anything, maybe upgrade the gear you have and know very well.


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## YuyaoSG (Apr 6, 2021)

Hello Rachel,

You don't have to apologize for your English skill. I have poor English too. But I believe this will not affect the expression of my thoughts in the forum.

I like Anne-Kathrin Dern mentioned about the equipment and studio in her youtube channel. She said that her studio is very simple. She likes to use what she already has to create music. If she has to buy new equipment, she will make sure that this equipment must be upgraded.

For me, I agree with that. Your studio fits your way of working. 

This is my home(bedroom)studio. I composing and mixing. So, I chose the better speakers and interface. I think that is enough for me. Right now， I am more inclined to spend my money on instrument libraries and plugins. About the hardware effector. I don't think it is necessary for a home studio.(for me)


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## CT (Apr 6, 2021)

I don't mind having a small space to work with, but it does mean running into more silly problems than are likely if you have more room to utilize. If I'm ever able to build my ideal studio from the ground up, it won't be too large. Just enough to comfortably fit a grand piano alongside the other usual stuff. 

I don't have any real need for walls of hardware gear and synths either, but that has as much to do with my musical approach as it does being another minimalist to chime into the thread.


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## Rachel (Apr 7, 2021)

YuyaoSG said:


> Hello Rachel,
> 
> You don't have to apologize for your English skill. I have poor English too. But I believe this will not affect the expression of my thoughts in the forum.
> 
> ...


This is not so tiny, seems perfect


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## Alex Fraser (Apr 7, 2021)

rgames said:


> If you think your studio is small, try working on a commercial airliner! I write a fair amount of music crammed in with all the other cargo on one of those. The good thing about doing that is that my 11' x 13' studio feels cavernous when I get back to it.


I've gotta ask - what's your airplane setup and where do you put it all? Thanks!


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## rgames (Apr 7, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> I've gotta ask - what's your airplane setup and where do you put it all? Thanks!


15 in laptop and a tray table!

This is why I need a private jet...


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## iwritemusic (Apr 7, 2021)

Hello. I started with a computer on the kitchen table, an old M-Audio KeyStation 49, and a pair of headphones. Now the computer and kitchen table are in their own room with some Alesis Monitor Ones on stands (and amp), a Casio Privia, and a lot more software. I can say without hesitation that the improvements didn't make any difference at all, because I worked 70+ hours a week then, and I still work 70+ hours a week now. What little improvement there has been has come through practice.

Time is the most valuable thing we have to spend.

Nathan


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