Beginner friendly tips for recording audio in a DAW.

Recording audio on your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) can be a straightforward process once you understand the basics.

Here’s a guide with beginner friendly tips for recording audio in a DAW, and things I have learnt to get started with recording audio effectively.

1. Choose a DAW to record your audio in!

Popular Options: Some beginner-friendly DAWs include Ableton Live, Logic Pro X (for Mac users), and FL studio. Each has its unique features, so choose one that suits your workflow and budget. Click here to read a blog which seems to cover pros and cons of quite a few!

2. Set Up an Audio Interface

Choose an audio interface: An audio interface is crucial for recording quality audio. Its basically a box that you can plug your audio things into and then it inputs their sound into the computer much better than if you just record playing guitar through a microphone for example. I really like the Behringer UMC series! Click here for a more thorough blog than mine on audio interfaces

Tip: I sometimes use my Yamaha THR5 as an interface play my guitar and ukelele through, and its an amp! Maybe Ill do a review of it in another blog!

3. Configure Your DAW for audio

This is much more tricky in my opinion than MIDI, so Ive done my best to put some help here!

Select Audio Device: In your DAW’s audio settings/preferences, select your audio as the input and output device, as I have said in a previous blog, this can be confusing, but try not to have too many input/outputs going on because the sound will suffer if you do not have a super powerful computer. 

Sample Rate and Buffer Size: I know in Ableton Live you can do a test sound, but play around with these until you get a clear sound.  I think a sample rate of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz is quite standard and a buffer size of around 256 samples for low latency during recording. I have been known to go higher for sample size , so don’t be afraid to go a little higher if you really need. ASIO4ALL for me, is quite clear to move these sample numbers up and down and see. 

4. Set Up Your Microphone and Instruments

Connect Your Mic: Plug your microphone into the audio interface using an XLR cable. If using a condenser mic, ensure phantom power (48V) is turned on.

Check Levels: Adjust the gain on your audio interface so that the input levels are strong but not peaking (typically aim for levels around -12dB to -6dB). This is important- in my experience it is much easier to turn sound up than down when mixing, so ensure your audio is not too loud (DAWS will tell you in one way or another!) 

5. Create a New Track

Audio Track: In your DAW, create a new audio track. Select the correct input source (the input on your audio interface where your mic or instrument is connected).

6. Check you are not too loud, and check for feedback.

When recording audio, make sure you are putting audio IN to the computer and make sure you do not have feedback. It will probably be quite obvious!

7. If you want, use a metronome

I personally do not like using metronomes, I find them very distracting and I have an idea of time signatures and what I am looking for in the breakdown of the bars, but I know a lot of people do find them imperative! So: 

• Enable Click Track: Use a metronome or click track to stay in time. Most DAWs have a built-in metronome that can be toggled on or off.
• Set Tempo: Adjust the tempo to match the speed of the song you are recording (this i do use!)

8. Recording

Arm the Track: Arm the track for recording by clicking the record enable button, and press record!

If you are singing, try to be a consistent distance from the microphone and adjust your position based on the dynamics of your performance. You can also use a pop filter to reduce unwanted sounds. Record in the quietest room you can or use portable acoustic panels to reduce unwanted reflections and noise. If anyone has a tip for sound panels which are good and cheap let me know!

As well as piano lessons, I also offer singing lessons should you want more help with good technique!

9. Basic Editing (This does not even begin to start with what you should do for decent audio though!)

• Trim and Cut: Use basic editing tools to trim the start and end of your recordings, and cut out any unwanted sections.
• Fade In/Out: Apply fade-ins and fade-outs to smooth out the beginning and end of your audio clips.

Keep in mind these are beginner friendly tips for recording audio in a DAW. There is much much more to explore!

10. Save Your Work

Save Regularly to avoid disappointment. Maybe set up autosave features if your DAW supports it. Sometimes I make a copy of my track, and use that to be the one I experiment more with. I also keep backups of project files on an external drive or cloud storage.

Click here for an example of my work

I hope my blog on Beginner friendly tips for recording audio in a DAW has helped. By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to recording some audio in your DAW, a stepping stone in your music production journey. Thanks for reading!