How to set up a Free Virtual Recoding/Production Studio on your Computer

This is a breakdown of all of the software you will need to sequence and burn your very own music production project. Software can cost a lot of money when setting up a sound studio, that is why in every section of the breakdown I have included the free ware version as well as some recommended paid software this way you can set up a studio on any budget from free to whatever you can spend.

Multi Track Recording Software

Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ is a free cross-platform multi-track recording software that works great for recording several audio tracks and mixing them down. A must have for your virtual recording studio.

Midi Sequencer

Midi sequencers allow you to create midi scores and run them through a sound generating synthesizer. LMMS http://lmms.sourceforge.net/ is a free MIDI sequencer. A good alternative is FL Studio, It's not free but carries a very reasonable software price of $100-$200 depending on the package that you buy. It can pretty much be used as a full music production suite in itself or used as a VST plug-in through another sequencer like Protools or Cubase.

VST Instruments

VST instruments are virtual midi synthesizers that can be plugged into your MIDI sequencer (provided that it supports VST plug-ins. The free ware sequencer mentioned above is VST compatible. SynthEdit is a C++ modular programing tool for making your own VST software, the trial version is free and by paying $20 you can register the program and remove the SynthEdit logo from your DIY built synthesizers.

Audio Editors

Audio editors are used to cleanup fragments of sound for sequencing project or to master final projects with proper compression and equalization. Sound forge and Audacity are both great audio editors for chopping up and editing your sound clips

CD - DVD Burning Software

As for burning your audio projects to CD or to DVD a program called ImgBurn http://www.imgburn.com/ is free ware and works well for backing up your work. I can never stress how important it is to back up your work, computers should be used like terminals with work backed up in multiple locations.