An Endorsement From Our EIC: Making Stuff in Order to Stay Sane

Everything you need to outfit your home recording studio

January 24, 2025 4:50 pm EST
Guitar Gear
Sweetwater

Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Like many of you, I presume, I have spent the past few months feeling overwhelmed. By the news, by social media — and by the precise ways in which I fear it’s all rotting my brain and leading me down a path toward despair. In trying to figure out how to combat these fears, I have found myself compelled to partake in small, seemingly insignificant acts of creativity — to turn inward and make something that didn’t exist in the world until I decided it had to.

Have I written the next Great American Novel? Finished an epic screenplay or become a world-class sculptor? No, of course not, and I’m fine with it. I’ve forced myself to adjust my standards for what kind of creative acts “matter” in the grand scheme of things, and it’s been immensely gratifying.

Do you like to cook? I think that counts. Take a recipe you’ve made a hundred times before and tweak it in some way. Do you like the idea of writing or of sharing your thoughts but you lack any real “professional” skills or outlets for doing so? Start a Substack and make your friends and family subscribe. Start a podcast and do the same. It all qualifies, and while I sincerely hope you get to be as “good” at these things as you no doubt strive to be, and that your creative acts have a real, measurable impact on the world, I think you’ll find those acts satisfying enough on their own that they allow you to make your way through the world with a little more ease, which I would suggest probably makes the world a little more bearable for the people around you, too.

I’ve played guitar for much of my life. I’ve never taken lessons and I’m not particularly good at it, but I’m competent enough to play a handful of chords and put simple melodies together in a way that is pleasing to me. I’ve compiled countless little snippets that could be songs some day, and I’ve taken to documenting them with a small collection of home recording equipment I’ve accumulated over the past few years. On the off chance you’ve been considering getting into this sort of thing, I’ll include links to some key pieces of gear below. Do you need any of it? No, of course not. You might be able to get the same satisfaction out of recording a voice memo on your phone. But assuming you subscribe to this email because you’re really into buying stuff, well, please allow me to help.

An Audio Interface

Universal Audio Volt 276 USB Recording Studio
Universal Audio Volt 276 USB Recording Studio

Ok, so this is how you get all that beautiful music you’re making into your computer, which is where it really comes to life, via your DAW (digital audio workstation) of choice. If you’re an Apple user, GarageBand, which is included for free on your computer, is more than sufficient. Your interface is how you connect your guitars and microphones to your computer so that the sounds can be processed — there are options for as little as $100 out there, but I always steer people toward this one, which allows you to record two sources at once (say, a guitar and your voice) and looks a lot cooler than some of its competitors. I’ve had mine for three years, and I’ve never had a problem.

A Portable Recorder

Zoom H4essential Portable Recorder
Zoom H4essential Portable Recorder

But if you’d rather keep all of your creative endeavors as separate from your computer as possible, there are plenty of great options out there. The Zoom H4 can be tossed in a bag for easy recording on the go. It features surprisingly high-quality on-board mics, but also allows you to hook up external mics if you so choose. Speaking of which…

A Microphone

Rode NT1 5th Generation Condenser Microphone
Rode NT1 5th Generation Condenser Microphone

There’s an absurd number of microphones on the market, ranging in price from $20 all the way up to north of $10,000. This middle-of-the-road condenser mic from Rode will perform exceedingly well on pretty much anything you put in front of it, whether it’s a loud guitar amp, an acoustic, your voice, a drum set…

Headphones

Sony MDR-7506 Closed-Back Headphones
Sony MDR-7506 Closed-Back Headphones

Assuming you’re not looking to invest in proper studio monitors (which can also be very fun and don’t have to cost an arm and a leg), you’re going to need a good pair of headphones to listen back to what you’ve recorded. As with all these products, you could spend a whole lot more, but the Sony MDR-7506 is a legendary pair that you’ll find in recording studios all over the world. They’re great for everyday use, too, if you’re looking to set yourself apart from the AirPod-using masses.

An Acoustic Guitar

Martin CEO-7 Acoustic Guitar
Martin CEO-7 Acoustic Guitar

I realize I’m sort of assuming you’re all into and thus looking to make the same kind of sad dad folk-rock-leaning bullshit as me, but whatever. You’ll probably need an acoustic guitar, and though I am also a fan of big dreadnoughts like the Martin D-18 and the Gibson J-45, I am somewhat partial to smaller-body options like the CEO-7, which features a delightful V-shaped neck and a very pleasant old-timey sound. For something similar that won’t set you back $3,200, consider the Eastman E1OOSS.

An Electric Guitar

Fender Custom Shop 1963 Telecaster Relic Electric Guitar
Fender Custom Shop 1963 Telecaster Relic Electric Guitar

If you are anything like me, you will convince yourself that you need somewhere around a dozen electric guitars if you’re ever going to be able to express yourself creatively. If, on the other hand, you’re not an asshole, you will acknowledge that you really only need one or two. And if you’re just gonna have one, it’s gotta be a Fender Telecaster. From country and blues to indie rock and more ambient styles, there’s nothing it can’t do. This Custom Shop version is an absolute looker, but you’d be more than happy with the Vintera II.

Some Kind of Keyboard or MIDI Thing

Akai Professional MPK Mini MK III Limited Edition
Akai Professional MPK Mini MK III Limited Edition

I have one of these, which I use exclusively for the extremely silly sounding act of “finger drumming,” but it’s capable of so much more. Traditional keyboard sounds, of course, but also as a way to control all the incredibly lifelike MIDI instruments you have access to via GarageBand or whatever plugins you have.

dd

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.