#196: What Gear Do I Need to Produce Music at Home? Our Essential Home Studio Setup Tools

Music Production and Mixing Tips for Beginner Producers and Artists | Inside The Mix

Starting music production at home? This episode of Inside The Mix is your step-by-step guide to building the best home studio setup for beginner music producers. Marc Matthews and Tim Benson unpack exactly what gear you need to produce music at home, without breaking the bank.

They walk through a basic home studio equipment list for new producers, including affordable equipment for starting a home recording studio—from entry-level DAWs for home music production like Logic Pro and Cubase, to beginner audio interfaces for music production such as those from Focusrite and Behringer.

You’ll also hear about the best headphones for home studio recording, how to source quality gear secondhand, and whether or not you really need an audio interface for home recording. This episode covers the essential gear to start making music at home, while emphasising the importance of building skill over collecting expensive tools.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by gear options and just want to get started, this episode delivers the practical advice, gear recommendations, and mindset shift every beginner needs. It’s not about having everything—it’s about knowing how to use what you’ve got.

Links mentioned in this episode:

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Listen to Liquid Blue

Listen to Half-Life

Audio Technica ATH-M50x

Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Gen)

SSL 2+ MKII

NI Komplete Audio 1 / Audio 2

Apollo Interfaces

Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO

Behringer Audio Interfaces

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1. What Equipment Do I Need to Start Producing Music at Home? (00:00:00)

2. Mac vs. Windows: Which Is Best for Music Production? (00:08:24)

3. Which DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) Is Best for Beginners? (00:12:38)

4. How to Choose the Right Audio Interface for Beginners (00:21:54)

5. Headphones vs. Studio Monitors: What Should You Start With? (00:26:36)

6. Why Skill Development Matters More Than Gear Acquisition (00:37:23)