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Music Production Equipment: 11 Tools Every Serious Producer Needs

*This article may contain links to affiliate products & services. We have reviewed these services to try and ensure the highest quality recommendations*

Written by Ramsey Brown.

Thanks to emerging advancements in technology, it is now easier than ever to produce great music. Software and tools can be accessed from your home or home studio, some even available on your smartphone for when you are on the go. If you are an aspiring or established music producer, one thing's for certain — you must invest in the proper equipment, software, or tools in order to actually begin producing music.

We have listed some amazing and necessary tools for music production that we are going to share with you in this article. Music producing equipment is now available to everyone and it is often just a matter of knowing where to look and find it. So, if you are interested in becoming a serious music producer, you’ll want to check out this list below. Take note!

11 Tools That Every Music Producer Needs:

Even if you are the best music producer in the world, your talent will never be able to shine through without the proper studio equipment. Yes, your talent and your marketing efforts will take you a long way, but top-notch gear is the very basic key to success. By having the proper recording set up to produce music and beats, you will be able to take your music production career to the next level. Here are the 11 best tools and equipment that any great producer will need:

1. Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

This is a basic requirement for electronic music production, and there are plenty of these available to choose from. What you will need in your system are multitrack recording, pitch/tempo modifications, and filtering, once you have all these elements you will be ready to start.

If you are new to digital recording, Ableton is a quicker way to make simple compositions and has matching tempos between audio clips, and this way you can make live performances with just a controller. If you can keep things simple to start with, you will learn faster. Check out our article below on the 11 best DAW’s on the market today:

2. MIDI Controller

Another basic requirement is the MIDI controller, which is a Musical Instrument Digital Interface allowing communication to occur between physical hardware and the digital workstation. The MIDI controller triggers sounds and controls boundaries of electronic performance, it can even trigger lighting and other effects.

With such a wide variety of keyboard & MIDI options at your disposal, it's important to find the equipment that best suits your needs as an artist. Check out our list of best MIDI Keyboard Controllers below:

3. Studio Headphones

Another studio essential is a great pair of headphones. Some people think that "headphones are headphones", but the truth is that not all headphones are created equal. Whether you're just listening to your favorite tunes or getting busy in the studio mixing your own, headphones are worth the investment to make sure you hear every detail and nuance in your music. 

Remember when shopping for studio headphones, they might have ‘DJ’ in the name, but you don't actually have to be a DJ to use them. DJ headphones will vary in price, but this is a piece of equipment you do not want to cheap out on. You will need to purchase a good set of headphones so that you can accurately listen to your music when you play it back. Check out our list of the best DJ headphones below:

4. Audio Interface 

An audio interface is what bridges the gap between analog sounds and digital sounds. It is a sort of translator for your music. Some interfaces work better than others. Komplete Audio 2 has two audio input channels and is readily portable, fitting into a small bag to transport to venues or from studio to studio. If you want to check out more portable audio interface options, take a look at our article below:

5. Studio Recording Microphone

If you're looking for studio-quality sound while you record, a good microphone should be at the top of your list of gear to grab. Try to purchase a three-dimensional one that captures most of the audio, or a heart-shaped recording mic to capture vocals and speech clearly. To better capture your skills and translate them to your digital compositions, a proper studio mic is essential. There are two types of microphone that may suit your needs and they are:

  • Condenser microphones using vibrations to create audio signals.

  • Dynamic microphones that work via electromagnetic induction.

Microphone options at all prices are available, and you will be able to get more specific advice when you make your purchase at your local music equipment store. One thing to take note of though is that these microphones always require an additional source of power to make them work properly, so make sure you investigate what's needed before purchasing. Check out our list of 9 Best Condenser & Dynamic Microphones for Studio Recording (Under $500) below:

6. Sample Packs/Subscription to Sample Service

A sample pack is a collection of sounds intended for producers to use to produce music. These sounds come in a variety of forms. Many musicians use sample packs as the basis for their tracks or to find that one extra sound that takes their track to the next level.

The samples are a small part of the existing sound recording, spliced into audio clips. For a monthly price, you can sample multiple sounds. You can even find some sample packs or services online for completely free use. Check out our article below for finding some of the best free sample packs based on your genre and sound design:

7. Laptop or PC

Having the proper laptop or PC is an extremely important part of your music making process. All of the equipment and tools mentioned above cannot operate without a computer connection. This is also something that you do not want to cheap out on, however it is not necessary to have the most expensive computer on the market in order to achieve great sounding music. 

You can read our article below containing the 5 Best Laptops for Music Producing and Recording along with some reviews about each product.

8. External Hard Drive

External hard drives may not seem like that big of a deal but in actuality, the kind of external hard drive you use can impact the speed and efficiency of your workflow. Any serious music producer will want to get an external hard drive with the largest amount of storage possible. Normally around 10 TB should be enough to meet your backup needs as a budding musician.

Your connectivity is also important, as you want a fast-speed one to work with USB3. Your external hard drive is where you will be the safe place for all of your music you worked so hard on, this is why it’s so important to invest in a high-quality hard drive, and also more than one to be on the safe side. 

If you are a serious music producer, you’ll want to have at least three different hard drives. First, the “operating drive”, which is where your computer OS lives. If you have a computer, you already have one. Second, the “music drive”, which is where your project sessions and files should go. Third, your “backup drive”, which is for making sure you have a copy of your work in case of drive failures or other disasters. For more information about external hard drives and which one is the best for you, check out MusicTech's list of the 10 best external hard drives for music producers:

9. Cables and Adapters

Cables and adapters are often an afterthought when it comes to building a home studio. With so much newer and more attractive studio gear on the market today, it can be easy to forget about purchasing. However it’s an important aspect to remember, because most of that new and shiny studio equipment mentioned above will not run without the proper cables, cords, and adapters. 

You will need to invest in some cables and adapters so that you are not wasting time when the time comes when you require them. Check out this article below explaining the different types of studio cables and when a producer might need one:

10. Acoustic Wall Treatments/Panels

In order to record good sound, you need good acoustic treatment in whichever room you are choosing to record in. If you are a guitarist working from the garage, a cheap and easy acoustic treatment would be to line the walls with foam panels to prevent the neighbors from complaining about the noise. If you are in an actual room or want your studio to appear more professional visually, there are many other acoustic treatment options available. 

Acoustic paneling can take some time to set up on your own but it will definitely prove to be worth it once you hear the difference in the outcome of your sound quality. Take a look at this article below discussing everything you need to know about acoustic paneling for home recording. It will walk you through what type of panels you need, how you can purchase them, and how exactly you will want to set them up.

11. Studio Monitors

When is a speaker not just a speaker? When it's a studio monitor. To the average person, there might not seem to be much difference, but music professionals know better. When you're working in the studio, you need to be able to hear your sound with complete clarity to make sure the recording will sound great even on high-fi audio systems. Studio monitors are designed for that purpose — when every note is crucial and every vocal has to be just right, you need a playback system that reproduces every nuance of the sound.

Check out the article below on 20 best studio monitors for music producers in 2021. Here you will find not only the best monitors for your personal producing needs, but information on how to choose them and the cost for each.

Wrapping Up

Nobody ever said that music production was an easy job or an un-expensive hobby to pick up, but it is one of the most rewarding things when you finally produce an amazing piece of music that other people love to hear. Once you get the proper and basic music production equipment and your talent is beginning to develop, we at Omari MC can help you take your career to the next level with our promotion and educational services.

If you are looking to build a brand for yourself and get your music out for the public to hear, let us help make your dreams a reality. Take a look at our many different promotional products and services or schedule a chat with one of our representatives about how to can help launch your career today! 


When your song is ready to go, it's time to start promoting it to potential fans! Omari has the best organic promotion services money can buy. With packages for Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, we will get your music the traffic and attention it deserves! Click below for more information.  


SPEAK YOUR MIND

    1 Response to "Music Production Equipment: 11 Tools Every Serious Producer Needs"

    • Destiny

      Thanks for educating me. That is what I won to
      do as a career. I don’t no if you can help or sing
      Agreement with me.

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