Recording - December 2017 - 36

ROLL YOUR OWN!
STUDIO COMPUTER, THAT IS...

BY AARON J. TRUMM

went to a tiny elementary school in Taos, NM called Vista Grande, which we affectionately
referred to as "Roll Your Own Academy". The meaning should be apparent, but I took something
else away: a DIY ethic that stays with me to this day.

You may have that ethic, or you may just find yourself in need of more power for less money, but
in either case, if you're mindful, your studio computer is a great place to apply the roll your own
philosophy and save some serious scratch. I thought I'd lay out the process, based on my latest build.
Basic prerequisites

Let's talk basics first. First of all, we're
talking about PCs here, potentially for
Linux but primarily for Windows. [Editor's
note: It's possible to build a computer
that runs macOS (a "hackintosh"), but
as of this writing, we're unaware of
any build that resulted in a computer
that was sufficiently reliable for serious
pro audio. If you want to go DIY, build
a PC; if you want a Mac, buy a Mac.]
Second, you'll need a basic understanding of computer hardware, some
tools, a clean work surface, plenty of time,
and also some money... but less than you
would need to buy a machine with the
same specs as the one you're building.
Third, keep your current machine in
operation, and plan on transitioning to
the new one slowly over several weeks.
Keep the attitude that you're learning and
problem-solving; you'll have more fun
and do a better job. If things don't work
at first, don't be discouraged-they almost
never do. Just like you almost never nail
the mix on the first pass. (Right?)

Finally, read this article and realize
that a build may not be the right path
for you. Consider the cost of spending
your time vs. your cash flow and when
you need the machine. If you do decide
to build, think of it as educational and
fun (appeal to your inner geek) in addition
to being useful and frugal.

Tools and cost

Your main tool is a Phillips head
screwdriver. You may need a couple of
sizes, and depending on the computer
case you choose, a right-angle screwdriver may be useful. An anti-static
grounding device that you wear on
your wrist is a good idea, or at least
something grounded and metal nearby
(like a rack). You'll want to touch that
to release your static buildup before
touching computer components. Some
compressed air might also come in
handy to blow away dust, but be
careful about too much force on small
internal parts.

Finally, make sure you have your
reading glasses. You'll want to be methodical about reading manuals and instruction
sheets. Trust me on this one-don't be
flip. You know who you are!
You probably want to know what
this'll cost. As mentioned, it'll cost some
time, and I recommend a slow process,
even if you can spare some focused
time for the bulk of the work. Financially,
your mileage will vary, as there's no limit
to how much you can spend on doodads. As a very rough guide, though, I
built my current machine for just under
$1000, matching the specs and power
of machines that generally cost
$2000-$2500 when bought outright.
So I cut my monetary cost by more than
half, in exchange for building and
debugging time.

Parts

Some of this may be obvious, but let's
go through all the parts you'll need:

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RECORDING December 2017

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