Twenty years ago, if you wanted to make a hit, you needed a big-time label to get your music out into the world. Nowadays, anyone with the power of the pen and their voice can turn the words you wrote on a napkin into a platinum record. But before you go on tour, you have to make the music. Before you make the music you gotta find the right rap beats and hip hop beats for sale. And before your start recording, you need a home studio. Are you intimidated? Don’t be.

Building a studio to record your voice over rap beats isn’t as hard as you think. And we know what you’re thinking. No, it’s not as expensive as you think, either. As long as you have the following pieces of equipment and keep our tips in mind, you’ll be making hits in no time at all.

A Solid Computer
Notice we wrote “solid computer.” Not IBM Deep Blue 1980s supercomputer, not NSA mega-ultra powerful computer. Just a computer. A solid computer should have the relatively fast processing power, enough storage space to hold your vocals and rap beats, and the ability to run programs required for editing and recording audio.

Just about any decent laptop or desktop, you buy in the store will get this done. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you already accomplished this step. If so, great. You’re already on your way to success. Just make sure that the computer you’re using isn’t too low quality. If the memory isn’t up to par (at LEAST 2GB of ram), it might affect your ability to record your music.

PCs are great, but a lot of hip-hop heads prefer to work with Macs, namely the MacBook Pro or Mac Mini (I switched to a MacBook Pro, and I’ll never go back). But if you ask me, Macs are still way overpriced for what they do. For those on a tight budget, check out a refurbished 2017 HP EliteBook 640 G1– you can get a suitable laptop for just under $280. Keep in mind with a cheaper laptop you’ll only be able to record and process what the laptop can handle. But as long as you don’t intend to run many plugins, this will be suitable for recording and basic processing

Digital Audio Workstation
A digital audio workstation, otherwise known as a DAW, is one of the most important pieces of equipment you will use. This serves as the bridge to all of your hardware. Essentially, the DAW will connect your microphone, instruments, keyboard—whatever you want to use—directly into your computer.

You can adjust the levels and sound. If you’re just looking to connect your microphone via the DAW, then that’s even better. There are simple DAWs that often come bundled with other pieces of hardware to help you spend less on DAWs and more on hip hop beats for sale.

You might assume that a higher price means higher quality, but with DAWs, that isn’t always the case. You need one that is going to be able to get the job done, so if you can find DAWs bundled with mics and other useful accessories, you should absolutely go for them—especially if you’re on a budget.

I use Ableton Live 9. Many vocalists I know, use Logic Pro. If you’re on a budget, there is an abundance of free recording software online. I recommend Audacity – but if you can afford to purchase one, you definitely should.

Microphone
Whether you’re a hip-hop artist, musician, or something in-between, the microphone you use is everything. For hip-hop artists, especially, you don’t really need a top-of-the-line mic to start out. But, you usually do get what you pay for. Contrary to popular belief, not all microphones are created equal. If you have the right person mixing and mastering your music, they can help make your music sound quite a bit better even with a bad mic.

If you’re looking to record vocals, you will want to use a condenser mic. This will capture the full depth of your vocals, and this is perfect for a rapper that is looking to really emphasize every nuance in their bars. If you’re on a budget, get a USB mic – it will take out the need for getting an audio interface (an external sound card). Like I said – with mics you get what you pay for. If you’re on a budget, the Cyber Acoustics USB Condenser Microphone is a great option.

Headphones
Headphones are crucial because they’ll enable you to pay attention to the details that are going on in your music. They’ll also make it so you can hear the rap beat, while you’re recording. If you’re editing your latest vocal track, but you want to ensure the levels are up to par, you’ll want a quality pair of headphones to isolate the good, the bad, and the ugly in your track. Mostly, there are two kinds of headphones you’re going to want to focus on using. The two most common headphones types are closed back and open back.

For recording, closed back is the better option, to minimize sound leaking from your headphones, and into the mic. Closed back are also going to run you a little less in terms of money, but they lack overall quality. But they are better for isolating sounds and tracking vocals.

If you’re looking for better overall sound quality for mixing and mastering, you’ll want to look at open backs. But for the sake of recording quality, you WILL need a pair of closed back headphones to use for recording.

I have used the same pair of headphones for ten years. Don’t get me wrong, I have a few different pairs, but the Sony MDR-XB500 ($80 at the time) has served me well. They are no longer available for that price, but my point is, do your research and DON’T spend a bunch of money on headphones – you can get quality headphones that will last years for under $100.

Studio Monitors
If you’re on a budget, these are optional – headphones will suffice. Studio monitors serve a similar purpose that headphones provide, but they are better for overall tracking and sound quality. They are good for mixing and mastering tracks, as you’ll want to hear how the overall sound plays outside of the confines of your own headphones. While some people don’t opt to use studio monitors, you’ll really regret not having any, as your time from draft to final copy will take much longer.

A great set of monitors is the Rokit 5’s (this was my first set of monitors). Now I have Rokit 8’s. RP5G3-NA, the price is great, and the quality is top-of-the-line.

Cables and Stands
Cables need not be super expensive. As long as you have a couple of long XLR cables to connect your hardware to each other, you’ll be in good shape. It’s also a good idea to have a variety of lengths so you can set your studio up to your liking. As an optional bonus, you should also look into a mic stand so you can stabilize your recording sessions.

Rap Beats & Hip Hop Beats for Sale
Once you have all the above checked off your list, you’re ready to start recording. Now you just need rap beats. To stream our selection of hip hop beats for sale, visit our rap beats store at JBZ Beats. We offer a wide variety of high-quality rap beats from 10 producers from all over the world. They aren’t made to sound like other artists; they are made by each producer through their own personal taste. With them, you can build your own style and maximize your potential.