I started producing band driven artists back in 2003 with what was out at that time. I had what most project studios had...a Digi 002 running PT native, a power mac, an 8 channel ADAT connected preamp unit for extra inputs, Mackie 8 inch monitors, a large diaphragm condenser for vocals and drum mic package. I think I spent 7,000 on that first set up with some extra Waves plug-ins. I ended up engineering tracks that made it on the radio with that set-up. I think what Steve is saying here is that for a basic but effective set-up this is what he is recommending from what is available and what is the best value at its price point. I agree on the sm7b...that mic is incredibly versatile, from screaming to whisper light females. You just have to have enough preamp gain to run it. I've owned the 8 inch Yamahas with a sub and the 5 inch versions before...in my opinion they are very harsh and will punish your ears on long sessions. At their price point not much else is better, as they are somewhat true in the low end due to a closed cabinet design with no ports, but I would recommend spending a little more for something that's more listenable yet still flat. The Apollo I want to try, as I'm planning a set-up for electronic pop production that is separate from my current PT rig. If I don't love the UA daw platform they include, I can always go into PT. The Komplete 12 package is a lot of dough, but I think his point is that it's the most bang for your buck if you are doing all electronic production with a vocal, and it will be something I will look at. In reality, I do believe there are many pros who are using the set-up he describing even with some of the components switched for others around the same price point. And yes, if it's for bigger artists, they are probably not doing final mixes and masters on it, but for the rest of the world releasing indie music on youtube, it's more than a competent solution.

You don’t have to have $3400 to make platinum hits.

I've just swapped my Neve desk for an apollo interface.... can't wait for the Grammy's to come rolling in. ;)

Can't buy the talent to use it....

Don’t hate on this guy, he is doing his job, he is getting paid to do this. Don’t throw away your interface.

Micheal Jackson used a Shure SM7 on Thriller, not the Shure SM7B. Just clarifying🙏

Let's be real, none of those artists songs were mixed or mastered in 3,400 dollar studio

My band (no names will be dropped) had a $200k budget for our last record. We used millions in analog gear and every penny plus some of our budget. Nearly every album review mag stated that the sounds and samples we used were dated and sounded cheap, haha. It was all actually played real gear!! Everything we did with plugins only on a quarter of the budget had much more commercial success, comparatively. Ill never make that mistake again. Ever.

Hey after I bought the *one* Yamaha HS8 for $400, my mixes have been sounding worse. Plz help

That is misleading.

Clickbait apollo commercial

This is 16 min commercial

I’ve used the Apollo and I didn’t like it compared to my SSL 2.

Failed to mention Billie and Finneas pay $1000+ per mix to have someone mix it in a professional studio

Back in the day, I used to have friends who made the most incredible music out of their closet with an ASR-10 and a bunch of Radio Shack mixer and cheap mic. I would be blown away asking what they used until i actually went to their house and saw the closet for myself. This 3400.00 studio would be an upgrade for them and can just imagine what they would produce with it.

What "tons" of instruments does luna come with? You have to buy them separately and they're freakishly expensive..... I also, i doubt VERY much, that anyone watching this video would own focals or barefoot. I will also argue that most people don't have rooms that justify having 8" monitors.

As soon as I used the Arrow, I was all in on the UA ecosystem. Then I got the x8 for my main studio, and then got the Twin X for my testing rig, and it is pretty much my perfect interface. Two great preamps. Processing. And expansion if you want.

its not about what u have and how much you spend its how you use what you have u dont need all this to make hits if you know what and how you use what u have then be good with that if one believes in his or herself u will make it no matter if u spend 300.00 or millions of dollars keep this in mind for all the young producers coming up

plot twist: You can get all this for $2000,99 on Ebay😉

This video leads to a misunderstanding of what is really necessary to make a hit.

To those who don't have 3400$, here's a 1000$ alternative. Audient iD4 200$, Kali Audio LP6 300$, Audio Technica AT4040 mic 200$, Audio Technica M50x Headphones 100$, Native Instruments A49 keyboard 220$ (comes with essential Komplete software which you can upgrade at a discount later when you have more money). You can buy most of them used - especially monitors, mics and keyboard. They depreciate quick and don't be cheap on the interface - which is already budget - there could be sth wrong with it and you wouldn't know. Buy used if you can always. And get the highest CPU you can afford.

this is a UAD commercial lol

Don’t get me wrong. This is all fantastic equipment and as someone who has been doing audio engineering and music production for almost 20 years and music merchandise in retail I’d say you’re spot on with your choices and reason for picking them. But, there are still a lot of things missing. First off cables and stands. Anyone can tell you even just decent cables cost a fair amount and none of that equipment comes with the necessary audio cabling to hook everything up. You’ll also need something to put those monitors on to isolate them. Otherwise you’re going to get inaccurate mixes. A decent set of headphones are needed for vocal takes as well. Lastly room treatment. It doesn’t matter how good the equipment is if your room is lying to you. It doesn’t take much but it’ll go a long way to helping you get accurate mixes and better sounding vocal takes. All in all still a great video and a great choice of gear. Honestly it’s a lot of the same gear I recommend to my customers who wanted to build a high end home studio, and I’ve definitely sold my fair share of SM7B’s with the “It’s the mic Michael Jackson used on Thriller” mention.

so helpful thank you!

You Don't need $3,400, you need Talent, Good Songs, Connections and Patience.

EARS beat GEAR. I can still play, program plug-ins and mix in my very first PC (p4, XP, internal card) to this day whether its 32/24 or 16 bit. Every popular DAW, PIECE of GEAR, COMPUTER, MICROPHONE has a HIT record in history. We all need to engineer our own systems, gear, working strategies and sound.

I don't understand all the hate. I don't see anything wrong with anything he is saying. There's so many records being recorded and produced in hotel rooms and air bnb's now a days. A lot of people are using mobile rigs or bedroom studio equipment. Granted expensive and high end gear can make things easier and sound better but it really comes down to the engineer. A good engineer that knows what he is doing can make anything sound good with the tools he has.

In case you forgot it’s $3,400

Great video, but you obviously don’t need all of this. I will say, this is the ideal set up for all-in-one solo jobs for sure. I have an Apollo twin x duo, but I also have an MTrack 2x2 which is MUCH cheaper. I track with both because the Apollo Twin is great for Mac but won’t work correctly on my PC. You don’t need an Apollo. You can just use selection based processing in Logic, or “apply fx to item” in any other DAW. There are ways around using the exact items listed, if you don’t have the money. So don’t get discouraged my friends. I think I’ll make a $100 set up to compare against this set up and see who does it better! Trust me, this $3400 set up will NOT run circles around a $100 set up. Stay tuned 🙂

$ 3400 is a lot man I make my shit with $500 setup You'll see me getting great

Appreciate the tips. Aren't you forgetting the DAW? Headphones? Mic stands/screens? Mixer? I've heard good things already about the Twin X duo, but never about the Complete Ultimate 12. I've been looking to upgrade from my MOXF, so will definitely check this out!

Just a note in 2022 - Most current gen computers and especially M1 macs will blow the apollo twin out of the water as far as processing power goes. You need to spend 1000's on UAD to have a decent amount of dsp. You're better off looking at something like an Audient for example, and leave the heavy lifting to your computer. Then Spend what you save on the Room treatment that Steve left out of the budget.

Apollo? That’s when I switched off.

I used the focusrite interface and then switched to the apollo twin soon after I love it the loudest and clearness made me fall in love I feel like the focusrite doesn’t compare to apollo as far as the loudness and pre amps

The Presonus eris xt8 and Yamaha NS speakers are so similar, what the difference....The Crossover points...that's it. An interpretation! Go listen and choose...If your local store doesn't have Presonus line of monitors set up ask why, then demand it!

The level of sincerity on your face when you deliver the line "I don't consider people who drag & drop samples as real producers, that's called computer programming." If only those uncultured drones ever found the substance within themselves to do some REAL skilled and CREATIVE work, they'd be in the illustrious profession of making pretty ear noises sound vaguely similar to preexisting and commercially popular versions of pretty ear noises, exclusively using a workflow created and maintained entirely by computer programmers. It's time to draw a line between those who drag and drop all mousey like, and REAL pro-FESSIONAL-ducers, who utilise their superior breeding to delicately drag and drop their vintage knobs into our unworthy ear-holes. Thank ye most generous lord.

The Yamaha 8” monitors are $400 EACH.

I think it’s worth mentioning, if you send your tracks out for mixing and mastering , you can cut back significantly on all this. No need for tons of plug ins or super great monitors . A clean signal with proper gain staging and real talent, and u can make excellent records. That being said, this is thorough content so thank u. And if u can afford this set up it’s professional grade quality for sure.

I would like to recommend one overlooked factor of saving even more money while achieving a professional sound, Microphone Modification.

Yamaha hs8 pair for $400 or for one ? because I've been looking for these for every cheap and cant find them for a pair less that 700

I will bet on an RME Fireface first. They used or offered 192khz 15 years ago. Hans Zimmer gave us oscar-winning soundtracks with those.

I have the X4, but I wouldn’t recommend UAD for someone starting out. Other interfaces give you more freedom.

Right now I picture Billie Eilish high af with her eyes half closed staring at her Grammys.

My guy ain’t playing

After years of hardheadedness I finally sold all the junk I bought over the years and bought many of the things you just promoted except the sure mic thanks for that one.

New to having a home studio, i have the apollo twin quad core, a nuemann tlm 103, logic pro x, the yamaha 8". Still need to treat my studio tho. What panels/brands do u recommend. Studio is about 12'×14' and 10' ceiling.

This is a UA Commercial lol My Mbox pro works fine with Slate Digital and Waves plungins running

I know this is an old video but BOY!!!! I’m so glad I watched it… I’m a new producer starting out and learning but I’m already a DJ and very musically minded apart from that… I was recently starting to think, am I crazy for thinking I want to create my own music from scratch while everyone else is dragging and dropping loops… thank you for pushing aside my fears!

I went with the Presonus 32S, and bought the upgrade to Studio One Pro, which because they just came out with version 5, I got the upgrade for free, as well as I spend 14 bucks a month on their Sphere package which it comes with tons of loops, synths, plugins, cloud storage and the ability to backup everything to the cloud as well as collaborate. Though my setup was a bit more than $3,500 because I wanted to have a control interface instead of making adjustments with a mouse. I am incredibly happy, and after upgrading to the Adam A7x's I am pretty set for a while. I did build a ridiculous PC for my studio so I would never worry about the machine being taxed.

Hey bro! Great video! I have some of this gear but also have acquired some others. Keep up the great work bro!

I thought i wouldn't be bombarded with commercials once i pay for youtube premium. xD

Tell all the producers who are getting paid placements to stop using Splice... why would they? I have all this that you’ve recommended and I use splice too, sometimes you just want a riser that you don’t feel like programming.

This is extremely useful! although I'd also add a powerful computer, which I think is crucial in terms of not ruining your workflow.The Apollo interface can help you with the processing of UAD plugins but what about the rest of the plugins?. Totally agreed on omnisphere, you can get absolutely any synth sound you can imagine. Extremely powerful (and CPU hungry)

You forgot to mention yet another big advantage of the SM7b. Being a dynamic mic you need MUCH less room treatment to get a nice clean and dry signal on the way in. Acutally you might not need any at all!

Love your list but you need to make a correction. The Yamaha HS8 monitors are $400 dollars each. So that's $800 dollars for the pair of monitors, so $3,800 Grammy winning studio. Then of course the XLR to 1/4" cables are about a hundred bucks for the pair (at least for Morgami Gold which I think is a good investment since they are easy to repair if needed). So $4,000 (roughly) Grammy winning studio. Still good though. You pretty much listed everything I'm looking into investing in for my home studio upgrade. The SM7B is spot on, I have a Rode NT1A which I have no complaints and a couple SM57s and an SM58 but my next mic is definitely an SM7B. I currently use the old PreSonus Audiobox 44VSL 4 channel interface. Again love it no complaints, but the Apollo would help with latency issues due to its internal processing and the plugins are clutch, preamps are great UA is awesome in general. Good upgrade from the 44VSL and if I need more channels in the future I still have the PreSonus. Too bad I run PC so no LUNA for me, I already use Cubase which is what I need for my niche anyway. I'm getting the S88 controller due to the instrument libraries I have. The full range will be easier to use key switches etc. not to mention the hammer weighted keys are great! (been using the Axiom Air 32 Mini for a few years, ouch!) But yeah good list, maybe a cheaper alternative to the Yamaha monitors are the KRK Rokit G4 8s they are like $300 each so you'll save $200 on the pair and they have the digital EQ meter on the back now. IDK I'm torn between the Yamahas and the KRKs. I use AKG k240 and k92 headphones which are great. Yeah I know you can do every thing with headphones. But monitors are a nice break from wearing headphones for several hours. Which is why I'm deciding to add monitors to my studio. I'm interested in the Komplete 13 Ultimate coming out next month (October 2020), the new choir library is pretty cool! The Stradivari strings sound pretty nice too. Two words when it comes to virtual instruments if you don't have extra cash, Spitfire LABS (just google it). Oh also Spitfire BBCO Discovery (just google it too). But anyways I've droned on long enough. Good video!

Me: *has 80’s analog equipment* Steve Freeman: “If you’re not using this $300 plug-in, get rid of your stuff and buy it” Me: “Ok”

Couldn’t agree more about the sm7b mic... that’s my favourite mic ever!!!! And I own a u87 and a Sony c800g

Thanks for the advice! I've been slowly buying gear. its been my dream to produce for a long time. I did a lot of research before I settled on the apollo twin X. I'm glad its the one you recommended. I also got a Neumann U87 and a native instruments keyboard, I didn't buy the Komplete 12 though because I didn't think I needed it. the next thing I need to get is a sound booth which I will get next. Thanks again!

I highly recommend the Apogee Element. It uses DSP and thunderbolt. They have native plugins on the Control App. Super low latency.

perfect video man my home studio Universal Audio Apollo , Monitors: Focal Alpha 80 Evo, Mic AKG P220,Headphones AKG K712 PRO,Midi Keyboards Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2 & maschine MK3,DAW FL STUDIO & Cubase 12

First piece of gear I bought for my studio was a mic, and it was a Shure SM7B. It’s the mic I recorded my vocals with on my albums before I knew I needed my own studio.

What's wrong with focusrite? I've had massive projects running with no cpu/memory issues. Got an old computer too.

This is one of the best, most informative videos I have seen and have taken to heart, regarding studio set up. REAL TALK!! You Rock!! Thank you!!

great suggestions. Ive got two apollos (blackface 8 and Apollo x16). HOWEVER this gear isn't necessary.

I'm still recording through a Reason Balance interface. Old school , I know. Would my recordings really improve with the Apollo twin? Not sure if it makes that much a difference

Gee I wonder if there's a conflict of interest buried deep in this infomercial?

Thank you so much for making this video 🙏🙏

All that is great but when you buy this Grammy winning setup and write what you think to be some great songs, and you but them out there amongst the billion other folks with there Grammy winning recording setup... when do I win my Grammy!

Infomercial 3.0

lol DONT THROW AWAY YOUR SOUNDCARD !!!

HS8’s are $400 per monitor. Plus you need cables to connect everything. Also with no acoustic treatment, none of this really matters all that much

I have a MPC X, Kronos X ,went with Presonus Studio One V 5. My S88 on order, I have Keyscape and Omnisphere 2.6. getting into Trailer music. Just bought a few Spitfire VST's. Will get that Shure mic. Checking out that UA interface... thanks

Crazy cuz you just described my exact home studio ! Couldn’t agree more with all of your recommendations. Apollo into the shure with the HS8’s can accomplish just about anything! I will say my only gripe with the video is the whole bit about sample / loop users aren’t producers etc, I’m a multi instrumentalist but still use loops from time to time. It’s about what you do with the sounds, not how you got them! Great video nonetheless. Cheers

I think that mentioning room treatment would be important. It isn’t glamorous, but if you are dropping 3400 dollars and can’t hear an accurate image of the music would be very disheartening.

and if the producer does not want to come near any VST? Things get a bit complicated...

Excellent information and price point. You are right, Most of what we have now is way over kill. And I’m still learning how to use this hardware. So I’m definitely enjoy how you talking- keep it up.

Prince recorded his vocal for Purple Rain on a 100 usd mic Shure SM57

He is absolutely right point blank!!!

Recommending Shure SM7B over SM58 as starting studio mic without propper chain is like recommending to use BMW M3 over a tractor on a field. The whole video is like this.

And you also need billion dollars of talent along with the 3,400$

i never thought about getting the sm7b cause it seems too warm, i like my vocals to have some pleasing high end on it and not too much of the low mids, the frequency response on the sm7b shows a dip in the highs, which i think will ruin my mixes, cause i dont know techniques to bring out the high ends without making it too airy / harsh

The only time a KZfaq ad brought me to a great channel

Appreciate videos like this for individuals as my self to consider and helps way out my options as a beginner

Headphones, you forgot about headphones.

Cool, I've got the same Yamaha HS8, but I have a focusrite interface because the UA stuff is out of range for me. I got the NEAT King Bee mic because Podcastage recommended it and I love mine. It's so cheap, cant complain. Also, one of my dad's friends had a bunch of music gear and I looked though his stuff and he offered me one of his electric keyboards. Turned out to be a Roland FP-50 and worth 1,700, so that was crazy.

You forgot to mention sound treatment Steve! That's a very important element in any studio. You can have crap monitors and make them sound great with the right room treatment.

where are these Yamaha 8inch monitors for 400 a pair? The HS8 are about 400 each. Is he talking about another powered monitor by Yamaha?

OH WoW all i need is this specific equipment and i can win grammys.... cool!! lol Hey GUYS THIS IS TOTAL BS!! First you need talent and SKILLS, Then you def dont need a 3400 dollar Setup to make platinum records you can do it with a Cheaper setup!! Also get some room acoustics or the music isnt gonna sound that great quality wise!! THERE ARE SO MANY COST EFFICIENT WAYS TO MAKE MUSIC IN YOUR HOME! Start with what you can afford then upgrade equipment if you feel necessary! THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE INTERNET! DECIETFUL PPL SAYING ANYTHING FOR VIEWS!!! I encourage you all to do your own research there are honest channels out there that will give you better info on home studio equipment for your specific budget! Platinum records have been made on way cheaper home studio setups!!! Steve you shouldnt be so decietful it just isn't right buddy, you talk about $3400 like thats not a lot of money to the average teen or younger adult getting into making music! lol I DONT UNDERSTAND PPL LIKE YOU! You think since you have all this money that the average person does too lol DISAPPOINTING!

I like the clarity of Antelope Audio personally. Just my preference. But UAD is good as well. But the yammies are more than $400.00 for the pair bro!!!

Great video! The only thing that confused me was the pricing on the Yamaha 8 inch monitors did they drop the price? I thought it was 400 for the 5 inch monitors?

Get an api preamp a Neumann and an apogee duet and use the last $600 to treat your room 😂

Thanks for the tips. I guess best bang for the buck is a good approach.

Shure SM7b is really good for those with compromised recording environments.

this really helped me, the pre amp and mic were both the setup i was looking at, way you worded all this has really strengthened my decision to buy em when i can, thank you. let’s say i skipped on the instruments though, what plugins would you recommend for quality music?

Thanks brother I already have a few mics Neumann, akg & and a few shares & krk monitors Sony cans guess need the apolo & the midi board. 👌

I agree with like 90 percent of this video. It is real solid advice, but for the monitors you should go for the Kali lp6 v2. Those are also 300 a pair, and they outdo the yamaha's by a mile. The low end is phenomenal for 6.5 inch speakers, and they are super flat. At the time this video was made the lp6 v1 was out, and I can understand why you chose for the yamaha's, but the lp6 v2 are just on another level. Keep up the great work man, love the vids.

I guess nobody records real drums anymore…

Let me get this straight. There is no formula to getting a great sound, or the gear that was used. Your video appears to be more biased towards a certain brand and opinionated. You shouldn't tell people to throw their stuff away because you think its inferior. There are people that has gone platinum using cheaper interfaces and a mic that still gotten a great professional results. Millions and millions of people in this world uses tools from different brands or companies. Talent is invaluable, the gear used is not so important. Bella Kelly a fairly new Artist that is blowing up on KZfaq wasn't recorded on an Apollo. It was recorded through a Motu interface.

Awesome! Thanks for the direction...really cuts to the main point for me of having a home studio.

If I were to pair a sm7b with the Apollo twin would I need a cloud lifter? I didn't love the sound of the sm7b previously- but I am willing to give it another go with a different set up.