Find the Right Space
The most important part of recording is having a space that allows you to get the right sound. Depending on your plans, you want to make sure you have enough room for the recording equipment as well as a space for musicians that can be a part of the process. This is traditionally inclusive of two rooms--one for the equipment and a second space that can hold at least four or five musicians. You also should consider a vocal booth area for singing or speaking.
Become Sound-Ready
It's important to make sure that you don't have sound that bounces off walls or goes through the ceiling. Instead, you want to create a dead space that absorbs the sounds in the room. The simplest method to do this is to have hardwood floors as well as sound foam around the walls and ceiling. If you have windows, you can cover them with soundproof curtains.
Get Recording Equipment
The possibilities for getting the right equipment now are endless. The basics start with having software for recording. The most professional option is ProTools. You can also consider Vegas or Adobe Audition.
Your software connects to a mixer, another main piece of recording equipment. This balances out your instruments as they turn into wave files. You can start with a small 8-track mixer, and as you learn about how they work, you can upgrade to studio mixers that allow you to plug in 24, 32 or even 64 instruments.
The mixer connects to the instruments through patch chords. If you are recording a guitar, bass, voice, or have a mic, you also should have an in-between device, known as a compressor, that ensures your sounds don't peak at a level that is too high or too low before they turn into wave files. When you set up instruments, make sure you get studio-ready instruments--especially when considering amps and electronic gear. You should consider a studio mic to capture the best sounds for singing or live instruments.
You also need monitors. These are speakers that help you to hear the sound correctly so you can balance out the instruments. With this, you want earphones for each of the musicians who have integrated monitors for an efficient sound.
