How to Build a Music Production Computer

Welcome to my article on how to build a music production computer! 

In it, I’ll first give you the references needed to build a PC in general. 

Then I’ll cover tips on the pre-building process, as it pertains to music production. There I’ll also give you a parts list to my particular music production PC build, that is powerful enough to hold an orchestral sample library, and plugins, capable of producing realistic and professional grade recordings of large scale orchestral and symphonic music.  This will be a somewhat budget-minded build, coming in at a little over $1,000 , but is capable of being upgraded to an even more powerful version of itself for daily professional use.  

The middle of the article will be detailed tips and tricks for building the same PC as mine. That way, you’ll have sort of a paint by numbers PC build, and not have to worry too much about the research, and friction points such entails, if all you really want to do is quickly build your PC and start working on your music.

Onward, I’ll provide examples of music production PC builds at different price points.

And lastly I’ll throw down some component recommendations for not only your music production PC, but for the external hardware needed to interact with it.

Get familiar with the PC building process

The first step in building a music production computer is getting familiar with the general PC building process. Here you will learn the different components, and component variables, needed to build your computer. You will need this knowledge when researching the specifications necessary for the software applications (DAW, effects plugins, sample libraries) you intend to use.

For example, you will learn things like:

• the CPU and motherboard ultimately define how much RAM your computer can have
• larger fans are more quiet (which is good for a music production PC)
• an all-in-one (AIO) pump and radiator system likely cools your CPU more quietly than a fan based system, but requires your case to have enough real estate to accommodate a large radiator
• DDR5 is the new memory chip standard, offering better efficiency and lower latency (again good for a music production PC; especially regarding large orchestral sample libraries)

Thus you may elect to use an ATX computer case that is mid-sized or full-sized to more readily accommodate these items, and to make your build easier, if it’s your first build.

Check out this article from PC Magazine that has an appropriate level of detail in building a PC. Also watch the video embedded below, that’s a start to finish guide on building a PC, which has tons of little tips and tricks to think about in this research phase of the process.

Get familiar with the specs needed to run your DAW, plug-ins, and sample libraries (and hardware)

The next step in the process is to learn the specifications for the software you intend to run on your music production PC. The main variables to examine here are CPU clock speed and core number, RAM, and storage space and type. 

For example, the computer I built for orchestral composing needed to be heavy in all three of these variables, as I’d be running up to a hundred tracks of orchestral instruments from various sample libraries, and each of such tracks would need its own EQ, and different combinations of such would need their own convolution, and algorithmic reverbs, that are automated.

So basically I built a computer that was between Spitfire Audio’s ‘Intermediate’ and ‘Professional’ level suggestions below, but one in which I could upgrade in the coming quarters to that ‘Professional’ level end goal for not that much more money.

Spitfire Audio spec recommendations vs my build

Music production level	Libraries and use	Computer Requirements
Intermediate	“This is someone who has just started to do professional work, or an advanced level university student who is working on student films. Your projects are a bit more complex and can have up to 100 tracks, and you may have begun to invest in our more pro range orchestral products such as the Studio Range, BBC SO Core, and Artist Libraries from the LCO, Olafur Arnalds, and Eric Whitacre.”	1TB External SSD Drive 32GB+ of RAM 8 Core Processor
Professional	“This is someone who has a career in music, and uses large and advanced templates of 200+ tracks. Products you own may include BBC Symphony Orchestra Professional, Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra, Symphonic Motions, and Abbey Road One.””This is someone who has a career in music, and uses large and advanced templates of 200+ tracks. Products you own may include BBC Symphony Orchestra Professional, Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra, Symphonic Motions, and Abbey Road One.”	4TB External SSD Drive 128GB of RAM 16 Core Processor
My music production computer	Runs Spitfire Audio Symphony Complete	1TB internal SSD Drive for DAW 2TB internal SSD Drive for Samples one open SSD slot for a 4TB Drive 64GB of RAM can add 64GB more for under $200 for total of 128GB 12 core i7 12700k processor can upgrade to 16 core i9 in the future

Related: If you’re building an orchestral composing computer too, check out my article, Best Computer for Orchestral Composing, which goes through all of these variables and more, in greater detail.

It should also be noted that most modern orchestral sample libraries require a 64-bit PC. 64-bit CPUs and motherboards are the standard these days, but it doesn’t hurt to double check, when selecting these items for your PC build.

hardware connections

You’ll also need the specs for the hardware you intend to connect to your computer, regarding connection types. For example if the audio / MIDI interface you have your eye on needs a USB-C connection, or a thunderbolt connection, you need to make sure that your motherboard has these connections, or can accommodate those on your case, or in perhaps a less ideal situation, has enough PCI expansion slots to accommodate both a graphics card, and an interface card with these connections.

Further, if you’re planning on expanding your rig in the future, with server computers, then you want to make sure that your motherboard has an Ethernet port, as well.

My parts list

If you’re interested in building a powerful, but somewhat budget-friendly PC for music production, that has the capacity to be upgraded to an even more powerful rig for daily professional use, then check out my parts list.

These are the parts I used to build my music production computer, so I know everything is compatible with one another, and can handle a modern orchestral sample library, like Spitfire Audio’s Symphony Complete package.

**Note that I found a copy of Windows 11 Pro for much cheaper at PC World. For the link to that, go to my article ‘Best Computer for Orchestral Composing‘ and scroll down to the ‘The Computer I’m Building’ section. Under the parts list is the link.

Build your music production PC

From here on out, I’ll give you tips and tricks specifically for the components (from the list above) I chose to build my PC. That way, if you want to purchase the same or similar components, you can follow along, and be able to easily overcome the hang-ups for this specific build, that I already have solutions for.

Tools needed to build your computer

Screwdriver

The screwdriver I used had three main features that were necessary in building my computer. It came with multiple sized Philips heads were interchangeable, and all of those could magnetically hold a screw, for delicate, tight spaced, and one-handed work. Further the shaft of the driver was expandable, and able to effectively double its length, which was useful for screwing the motherboard to the standoffs in the case.

anti-static wrist strap

If you followed along in the above video, you will have learned that the non-grounded, anti-static wrist straps don’t work. So you definitely need one that clips on to something grounded, like you are power supply unit.

Tool kit I used that had everything to build my music production PC

The tool kit I used, which had everything in it to build my music production computer, was something I found off Amazon for a little over $20. It was called the STREBITO Precision Screwdriver Set. Not only did it come with the screwdriver and anti-static wrist strap, but it came with some thin spatulas, one of which I used to pry an o-ring off a bolt on my CPU coolant pump’s mounting hardware, after realizing I had placed the bolt through the wrong portion of its hole!  

Ground yourself with an anti-static wrist strap

Your first order of business when building your music production computer is to get grounded.

Take the PSU and its power cord out of its box and connect these two items. Next plug the cord into a nearby outlet. However, do not turn the PSU on. It’s grounding ability still works when it’s off.

Now attach the anti-static wrist strap to whichever wrist you find to be most appropriate, and clip its alligator clip to a metal portion of the PSU. You are now grounded.

Install the CPU

The most delicate step in building your music production computer, one in which there is no room for error, is installing the CPU on the motherboard’s CPU socket. The main tips here are as follows:

Watch and rewatch the portion of the video I posted above that deals with installing an Intel CPU into its socket.

When taking the CPU out of its packaging, make sure not to touch any portion of the bottom of it.  

Using the arrow guiders on the CPU and on the socket, to make double sure you know exactly how the former will lay into the latter. 

When laying the CPU into place, tilt the edge that contains the arrow at a roughly 30° angle, such that this edge is the first to touch down onto the socket. Then gently let the opposite edge down into the socket, so that the CPU is in its final resting place. Place your index or middle finger in the middle of the CPU and very gently jiggle it, to double check that it is in place. There should be no play, when jiggling it. It should feel perfectly stationary in the socket.

When closing back the hinged covering for the socket, it is natural for it to feel tight, where you have to apply some force to get the latch arm back to its final resting place. The plastic socket covering should pop off at this point. Be sure to save that, just in case you want to resell the motherboard down the line.

Install the RAM

Install your two RAM modules specifically in the A2 and B2 slots on the motherboard. These modules can only go in one way, based on the notches in the middle of their bottom edges.

Before putting them in place, swing the slot arms, which are at the edges of the ram slots on the motherboard, downward.

It may take a little bit of force to get the Ram to seat properly, and you’ll know when it does because there will be a specific click from those slot arms returning to their original positions.

Install one SSD drive for your DAW

Only install one SSD drive on your motherboard for right now. If you install more than one SSD drive at this point, it will confuse Microsoft Windows during its installation, once you reach that step in the process.

The SSD drive we will be installing will be the one with 1TB of space.  Again this one will house Microsoft Windows, your Digital Audio Workstation, and effects plugins.

There is a specific space on your Asus TUF Gaming Z-690 motherboard that this SSD drive will go. It’s the area closest to the CPU, where the smaller heat sink lies, that can only accommodate one drive.  Part of it is also under the AIO pump header, and CPU fan header.

Unscrew the heat sink and set it aside. There should now be a little, black square exposed, in the middle of where the SSD drive will lie. On top of that, you will place a small square pad that is sticky on one side, which came with the motherboard. Just peel the backing off the square, exposing its sticky side, and lay it into place on this black square.

Another thing to note here is that you don’t have to unscrew anything else off the Asus TUF Gaming Z-690 motherboard to install the SSD drive. There is a plastic latch that holds one edge of the SSD drive down, after its opposite edge is installed in the SSD socket on the motherboard. All you have to do is flip that latch so that the edge of the SSD drive clears it, and can fully sit in place during installation. Once the drive is in its final resting place, then this latch can be flipped back, such that it holds the drive down.

Also before you reinstall the heat sink, be sure to peel off the covering on the sticky pad on its underside. 

the SSD drive may look a little bent under heatsink

You may notice that once you’ve reinstalled the heatsink, that the SSD drive is a little bit bent, lengthwise. This is common, from what I’ve read on the internet, it doesn’t seem to be adversely affecting the performance of my PC.

Connect your motherboard to the case

The Montec Air 903 Max ATX mid tower case already has the appropriate number of standoffs installed, which are all in the correct positions to accommodate the Asus TUF Gaming Z690 motherboard.

Just make sure that you lay the motherboard on the standoffs, in its correct and final resting position, where all its holes perfectly line up with these standoffs.  Do not arbitrarily lay the motherboard on the standoffs then scoot it around looking for its appropriate position.

Once it’s in the correct place, start screwing the motherboard down using its middle holes first, to ensure a good alignment. You may have to extend the shaft on your screwdriver to comfortably screw in the screws around the periphery of the board.

Connect your case wiring and power supply wiring to the motherboard

The most difficult step in this PC build is connecting the case wiring and power supply wiring to your motherboard. Be sure to keep your motherboard manual open on this step, because it’s difficult to read the markings on the board itself, to make the correct connections.

Even though the Corsair RM750e PSU comes with a whole suite of connection cords, you will only be using three of these. These are the long, 24 pin motherboard power cord, the 8-pin CPU power cord, and a SATA power cord. The 8-pin CPU power cord plugs in to the motherboard near the top left hand corner. There is a 6-pin socket to the left of this, that won’t be needed in this particular PC build. The 24-pin motherboard power cord plugs in near the middle right of the motherboard. And the SATA power cord plugs in on the back side of the case to the case’s SATA connector wiring.

Unwrap the case’s wiring from the Velcro straps on the back of the case, and feed them through the appropriate holes, so that they can connect to the motherboard. The high definition audio wire will connect in the lower left hand corner of the motherboard. The set of individual pins, that power the power button, reset button, and corresponding LEDs, all attached in the lower right hand corner of the motherboard. The little arrows on these pins indicate a positive lead. The case’s USB and USB-C wiring connects to the middle right-hand side of the motherboard, near that 24-pin power connection. And two of the case’s fan power wires connect to the top of the motherboard, near the middle right to right positions.  

Connect your power supply wiring to the PSU

Next you’ll want to connect your power supply wiring to your PSU.

Position the PSU near where it will eventually reside in the case, but don’t actually put it in the case at this point. Just let it sit nearby to the side of the case.

Again three connections have to be made. These are the long motherboard power connection, the CPU power connection, and the SATA connection. There’s only one option when connecting the motherboard power. But the SATA and CPU power connections have multiple choices on the Corsair rm750e power supply unit. There’s not one position that’s any better than the other; just make sure that there’s some slack in the wiring so that none of the connections or wires are under stress when the PSU is in its final position.

Install the PSU

There are no special instructions or tips when installing the PSU. Just slide it into the back of the case, and screw it in with the four screws it came with.

However do not be tempted to power on your computer at this point, because without the CPU Cooler installed, the CPU will get way too hot in a matter of minutes.

Install your CPU Cooler

Installing your all-in-one CPU water cooler can be a bit tricky if you’re just looking at the manufacturer’s installation manual online. So I’ve created an entire other article, just to show you how to do this. Please check out my article entitled How to Install an Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 on a LGA 1700 CPU and Motherboard.

But the main point here is that the radiator has to be installed above the pump, in order for the cooling system to be effective. Indeed for this build we will install the radiator on the top of the case.

Out of the box the Arctic liquid freezer II is ready to install for the purposes of our build. There’s no need to take the fans off the radiator, and reconfigure the airflow direction regarding these two items.

Working in the direction of convection, the fans will blow hot air from the inside of the case upward and out of the case, while the three main RGB fans suck cool air into the case.  This provides an ordered airflow system that minimizes the temperature of the CPU and motherboard. And such in turn minimizes fan noise, which is important for a music production computer build.

The Arctic Liquid Freezer’s sole wiring connector, should be placed on the AIO header on the motherboard below the CPU. Nothing should be plugged in to the CPU fan header on the motherboard. This will confuse your BIOS, so we will tackle how to handle this in the next section.

Examine your BIOS and set your fan speeds

Go ahead and place your mouse/keyboard dongle into one of the USB 3.2 ports. Also connect the monitor to the HDMI port on the motherboard’s external connector panel. And finally plug in the PSU, and flip its switch to on. Once you’ve plugged in your monitors power, you can then hit the on button on the case.

Your computer should boot up to a bios message screen. And on that screen it should say something about a CPU fan speed error.  Go ahead and press whichever F-key it wants you to press to get into the main bios screen (F1 if I recall).  Look for the advanced BIOS menu option and get into your Advanced Menu. Next look for a monitor sub menu and click into that. There you should be able to turn off the CPU fan speed monitor. Doing so will prevent that BIOS screen error from presenting every time you want to turn your computer on.

Also you should notice that the fans are running on full speed when you turn on your computer. To get them to obey the fan speed / temperature curve in the BIOS, you’ll need to get into the fan speed menu, and change the fan option from Auto detect to PWM.  Going back to the main BIOS screen you should be able to click into the fan speed temperature curve menu and select how your fans should operate for a different CPU temperatures. I use the silent setting, just to minimize fan noise, as indeed this is a music production computer.

Once you’ve completed these housekeeping tasks, your fans should be running on their lowest settings.  Now take the time to monitor the CPU temperature over the next 15 minutes or so. If everything looks good, go ahead and power down your PC.

Congratulations, you now know how to build a music production computer!

Make a bootable USB drive for Windows

You can install Windows 11 on your PC for free, and then buy the activation code down the line. For building a music production PC, you’re going to want to install Windows 11 professional 64-bit.

To install a fresh copy of Windows 11 on your new pc, you’ll need an unused USB flash drive that has at least 8 GB of space on it. You’ll want this to be a blank, fresh USB drive, as the process of turning it into a bootable drive to install Windows will destroy any previous information on it.

Plug this drive into an already established computer that has internet access. Then head over to the Microsoft Windows 11 download page.

There are three options to download the information needed to create a bootable drive here. Choose the second option that says Create Windows 11 Installation Media. Click ‘download now’ and follow the instructions. The process of turning your USB drive into a bootable Windows Drive is lengthy, so once it gets going, plan on doing some other tasks while it works. I’ve forgotten how long it took for this step, but I think it was around an hour.

Here is a video that compliments the above instructions:

Connect your computer to the internet via Ethernet

The next step in the process is connecting your new PC build to the internet via the Ethernet port. Your computer’s Wi-Fi won’t be accessible just yet so you need to physically connect it to your internet router via an Ethernet cable. 

With your PC still powered down, plug an Ethernet cable into the appropriate port on your motherboard’s connections panel, on the back of the computer.  And plug the other end into your internet router.

Install Windows

Insert your windows USB boot Drive into one of the USB ports on your new computer, then power it up. The installation process should start automatically. If it doesn’t, then please watch the above video on what to do.

It’s important that you adjudicated the CPU fan speed error in the previous step, as I instructed, because installing Windows will cause your computer to automatically shut down and restart several times. Every time it restarts it will get stuck on that CPU fan speed error screen, if you didn’t fix it beforehand. You can still install Windows if you didn’t, you just need to hit the appropriate F-key to get into the BIOS, and then find the option to exit the BIOS, to let the installation process continue.

Install your other SSD’s

After you’ve gone through the Windows installation process, you can now power off your PC, and add in your other SSD drive.

Here you will want to remove the larger heat sink that covers two connection ports for SSD drives. And use the leftmost port for your next SSD installation.

The process is the exact same process used before when installing your primary SSD drive. Just don’t forget the little peel-off square pad, that goes on the square pillar, which helps hold the SSD drive into place on the motherboard.  

And again don’t forget to peel off the protective backing on the sticky strip on the heat sink.

how to get Windows 11 to recognize your new SSD drive

Once you’ve got your new SSD drive installed, power up your PC. Right click on the windows start icon and select Disk Management.

The Disk Management program should recognize the new SSD drive, and automatically give you an option on how to partition it. For this build select the GPT, or ‘GUID Partition Table’ option and click OK.

On the disc management window, find your new SSD drive. It’s the one that says ‘unallocated’ in the sub window, and if your replicating my build, it will be the one with close to 2TB of space.

To activate this disc, right click on the new, unallocated disc and then left click on ‘new simple volume’; you’ll then see the ‘new simple volume wizard’.  Go ahead and do what it asks you to do, and when you get to the ‘specified volume size’ page, take the maximum disk space published and subtract one from it, then enter that number in the ‘simple volume size’ field.

Then click next and assign a drive letter to your new disk. I assigned the letter S to mine because that’s where my orchestral samples will go. 

On the format partition window, all you need to do is make up a name for the volume label.  Something like ‘orchestral samples’ will do. Uncheck the ‘perform a quick format’ option, as you want the formatting to be as high quality as possible. Also uncheck the ‘enable file and folder compression’ option. And go ahead and click next, then click finish.

Example PC builds for music production for 2024

The below example PC builds for music production are slanted towards orchestral sample library usage. However orchestral sample library composing is CPU, RAM, and storage intensive, so these will definitely work for less intense projects like guitar rock music, pop music, etc.

Starter orchestral composer PC

This is basically the computer I built to continue my orchestral sample library music production journey. I just opted to go for the 64GB of RAM off the bat, as well as a 2 TB SSD drive for my second, orchestral sample drive, i.e. where my orchestral sample libraries will be held on the computer.  

This computer can be upgraded to 128 GB of RAM, and the secondary, non-Windows, non digital audio workstation drive can be replaced with a 2 or 4 TB drive.  And a tertiary drive of similar capacity can also be added as needed.

Serious home professional orchestral composer PC

The next step up from the starter orchestral composer PC, replaces the Asus TUF gaming z690 plus motherboard with the now available z790 plus motherboard.

You’re also stepping up to the Intel i7-13700k 3.4 GHz 16 core processor. 16 cores is what Spitfire audio recommends for professional use of a serious collection of their libraries.  I think the Intel i7- 12700 3.6 GHz 12 core processor would also still be a good option here. Each core runs a little faster, and because there are less of them, there’s less worry about temperature related throttling.  

You’re also starting with 64 GB of DDR5 RAM. And upgrading one of your Samsung 980 Pro SSD drives to a 2 TB capacity, to house your orchestral sample libraries.

And you’re also spending the extra $10 to upgrade the Montech air 903 Base to the Max version of this case.

BIOS upgrade needed for upgrading to i9 CPU

The Asus TUF GAMING Z790-PLUS WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard supports the Intel Core i9-14900K 3.2 GHz 24-Core Processor with BIOS version 1205. If the motherboard is using an older BIOS version, updating the BIOS will be necessary to support the CPU.

Maxed out professional film & media orchestral composer PC

I specifically chose the Asus pro-art z79 -creator Wi-Fi motherboard, because it has Thunderbolt 4 on its back panel.  That way you can connect a high-end digital audio interface, right out of the box.  

Here you’re also maxing out the RAM with 4X 32 GB ddr5 memory sticks with the highest available speed.

You’re also using three SSD drives like a proper professional multimedia composer. One for your DAW and plugins, one for your sample libraries, and one to store your projects. This particular motherboard I believe lets you add two more SSD drives, so you can use multiple full orchestra sample libraries from Spitfire audio, Vienna Symphonic Library, and Orchestral Tools.  

Even though I believe the motherboard allows you to use one 8K HDMI video output or two 4K HDMI outputs via Thunderbolt equipped video ports, we’ve also added a GPU, as some plugins and libraries are starting to use such, to minimize CPU burden.  

The NZXT H9 flow mid tower case does come with four 120 mm fans, but gives you the ability to install two additional large 140 mm fans on the bottom. And it also can accommodate a 360 mm radiator to keep your powerful Intel I9 processor cool.

One note of caution for this particular build, is that it can burn close to 1 KW hour of power each hour, thus potentially adding hundreds to your electricity bill every year.

PC hardware for music production and editing for 2024

My methodology for picking components for a PC build are as follows: the component is reasonably priced, is near the forefront of what is currently possible, technology-wise, and has a significant number of reviews on PC Part Picker’s website, with the majority of those being five stars.

CPU

It’s 2024, so it’s time to phase out Intel i5 CPUs, regarding modern music production PC builds. If you’ve read my article, Best Computer for Orchestral Composing, you’ll know that the base clock speed for a music production PC should be 3 GHz or more. And seeing as how an Intel i7-2700k 3.6 GHz 12 core processor is now priced in the mid $200 range, there’s little to no excuse for purchasing an underpowered CPU for a modern music production PC build.

graphics card

In the past, any graphics card would do for a music production computer. But now you have to start paying attention to the GPU’s internal memory and processing speed, because modern plugins are starting to utilize these, to take the compute burden off your CPU.

Depending on what type of music producer or composer you are, you may or may not need a graphics card.  Please refer to my article, Do You Need a Graphics Card for a Music Production Computer?, for more information on that topic.

RAM

For 2024, a starter music production computer should have at least 32 GB of RAM. But it’s probably best to start with 64 GB, by way of two 32 GB modules, with the intention of eventually adding another two identical modules, for a total of 128 GB of RAM.  

The G. Skill Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 2 x 32GB modules are compatible with the z690 and z790 motherboard types, as well as the Intel i7 13700k and 12,700k CPUs.  And they tend to have good reviews on the PC building and Amazon websites.

storage

The best storage setup for a music production PC, is to have one SSD drive that holds Microsoft Windows, your digital audio workstation, and your effects plugins. Then you would have a second SSD drive solely for music samples, and a third to store your projects on.

However if you are budget-minded, you can start with two SSD drives: again one for your digital audio workstation and plugins, and one for your samples. Then just use a external USB drive for your projects.

For 2024, you should not be installing any SSD drive that’s less than 1 TB. And for housing and orchestral sample libraries, you should be shooting for around 2 TB to start off with. Modern orchestral sample libraries are huge, so if you can afford to upfront go for a 4 TB SSD drive.  

By the way, the Asus motherboards mentioned directly below, and showcased in the example PC builds above, use the m.2 form factor SSD drives, which have that ‘stick of chewing gum’ shape to them.

motherboard

As far as motherboards go, I like the Asus brand, as they are beginner friendly, regarding building your first PC. The latest Intel chipsets for Asus, for the 2024 PC building season are the z690 and z790 sets.

These motherboards are equipped with at least three PCIe 5.0 SSD drive slots.  This accommodates the standard orchestral composer setup, where you have your digital audio workstation and plugins on one SSD drive, your orchestral samples on another SSD drive, and your project files on a third SSD drive.  

They also have at least four DDR5 memory slots, to place up to 128 GB of RAM. DDR5 memory is much more efficient, thus less susceptible to latency, then the DDR4, or more outdated types of memory.  

Just be sure to research RAM compatibility with your Asus motherboard, as I’ve seen online, some people having difficulty with the latest and greatest RAM modules; either having to tune the RAM speed down for stability in the BIOS, or having to altogether update their BIOS.

The latest Asus motherboards, as showcased above, also have Thunderbolt 4 headers, such that you can upgrade your computer with a Thunderbolt expansion card, and connect to the next generation of audio interfaces. As I type this, you can now get a Thunderbolt audio interface for just a few hundred dollars, off Amazon.

power supply PSU

For the first two builds showcased above, utilizing the Intel i7 CPUs, and bypassing the graphics card option, a 750 watt PSU is sufficient to run these. Indeed you could probably add an energy efficient GPU and still use this wattage.

However on the third example PC, the maxed out build, its load is getting very near that 750 watt limit. And thus it’s best to opt for a more powerful PSU.

And for 2024, make sure your PSU is gold certified or above. And it’s best to stick with the major PC builder parts suppliers, such as Corsair.

specialized components for music production

MIDI fader controllers

These days in order to write and produce orchestral sample library music, you need a mini fader controller that has at least three faders: one for expression, one for dynamics, and one for vibrato. However, not every midi fader controller on the market works with every digital audio workstation.

I’ve compiled a list of MIDI fader controllers that would be suitable for orchestral writing, and have tracked down their compatibility with different digital audio workstations, so check out my article entitled, MIDI Fader Controllers for Orchestral Sample Libraries, to see what’s currently available out there.

Also, I use the Korg nanoKontrol2 with Digital Performer 11. If you’re interested in learning how to set this up for orchestral sample library usage, please read my article, How to Set Up a Korg nanoKontrol2 for Orchestral Sample Libraries.

external digital/audio interfaces

Most of my compositional life, I’ve always used Motu 828’s for my audio interfaces.  These are firewire connected units.

But in the spirit of making a lower profile rig, I’ve started using a Motu M2.

MOTU M2 (USB connection)

One particular Amazon review stuck out to me:

I’ve been an audiophile for over five years and stepped up the costly ladder of “the audio experience” spending thousands on equipment.

Don’t think I’m trying to say the Motu M2 is comparable to a high-end setup all-in-one, but dang it had me impressed.

My pre-disposed view on ESS Sabre DAC’s utilizing their stock internal filters is a negative one. I expect delta-sigma typical ring from the mediocre oversampling filters and a blatantly colored response.

Fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed when I used the integrated ESS DAC from the Motu on my main system (driving Hifiman He1000v1’s with a restored Harman Kardon HK770). The DAC is actually pretty good! Not unjustly sibilant or colored, very impressive for a DAC, especially one that’s integrated into an audio interface!

Now the pre-amp. For the actual monitor outs, the pre is very clean and low noise floor. It’s easy to say this because outputting into a speaker amplifier to drive headphones doesn’t create static galore. Other than low noise floor, the pre is fairly linear. Not perfect, but great for a passive potentiometer that’s integrated into an interface.

The pre-amplifier for the microphone is… Interesting. I love it, but I must clarify that it clearly has a warm, tube-like tonality to it. This isn’t muddy. For better perspective, it takes my condenser and sustains the resolving quality that condensers are known for, but gives a tubey or dynamic (diaphragm) like tonality which is very rich and sweet. There doesn’t seem to be clear delineation, yet there is still this slight tonality change. I am very open arms to it, and it is apparently a commonly known thing to people that have used Motu equipment in general.

In summary of that, if you want a tubey sounding solid state mic pre, this is actually a perfect fit. That wasn’t my intent when I’ve purchased it, but it made me much happier with how my voice is picked up (no EQ) anyways, so it’s a win.

Now the headphone output. I haven’t actually played with it! I do know it has 3x the power of a Focusrite headphone out, and seemingly even more dynamics potential than those possible “under-ratings”. Basically, if you’re going to drive low impedance closed dynamic driver cans for voice sampling or anything else where you need real-time mic feedback and sample audio, the integrated amp is actually decent! A friend of mine says it can drive his Hifiman Aryas surprisingly well. I still haven’t messed with it but I trust his word.

Wayne the audiophile on Amazon

And I keep seeing posts about how the DAC is either in or comparable to much more expensive products:

I’m working in sound studios since 1996, I had several Motu, Digidesign, Apogee, Avid interfaces. I own a Motu M2.

First, the revision of the DAC is a minor thing, compare to gen1, the gen2 M2 has the same DAC as Motu Ultralite MK5 that is probably the best ranked overall in Julian Krause testings.

I have both, M2, Mk5 and pro HDX Avid system and interfaces that costed 20k $ at the time. The Motu M2 destroys the Avid 20k $ I bought in 2010. If you think you’re not be able to do good production with M2, then you should complain about the hundreds of thousands of albums recorded and mixed with Avid systems since the last 20 years. Your fears make no sense.

Also, I had a RME Babyface Pro FS (that cost over 3 times more) for 6 months with my Motu M2, no audible difference, no better latency, no better preamps, no better outputs and drivers from both interfaces were stable. I sold the Babyface Pro FS, it’s a good interface, but overpriced for what it is, and also made in China like Motu anyway.

Audient is good but not as good as the M2 if you ask me, maybe the contender would be the Focusrite Clarett series, very good too, but more expensive than Motu I think, and I don’t think latency performs so well.

Reddit reply to M2 question in r/audioengineering, “Major confusion over Motu M2 – a lot of conflicting reviews“

…and MOTU itself claims the DAC is in more expensive products:

Equipped with the same ESS Sabre32 Ultra™ DAC Technology found in audio interfaces costing thousands, the M2 delivers an astonishing 120 dB Dynamic Range on its main outputs. ESS converters also drive the headphone output, which rivals dedicated headphone amplifiers costing hundreds. Ultra-clean preamp circuits produce a measured -129 dBu EIN on the mic inputs. Capture and monitor your audio with pristine clarity.

MOTU M2 page

Thunderbolt DAC options

When it comes to Thunderbolt audio interfaces, make sure the interface your interested in has either a thunderbolt 3 or 4 type, as these are the ones that can connect to the USB-C Thunderbolt connections, on the fancier Asus motherboards (see the maxed out build example above).

However even the less fancy Asus motherboards used in my first two examples had Thunderbolt 4 headers, and thus adding in a thunderbolt expansion card to these PC builds, to upgrade them down the line, is a possibility.

As of 2024, there are several Thunderbolt digital audio interfaces on the market in the $500 to $1,000 range, and even one in the mid $100 range. They are as follows:

• Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Desktop Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface
• Antelope Audio Zengo Synergy Core Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface
• PreSonus Quantum 2626 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface (likely the best unit in this set regarding latency)
• Zoom TAC-2 Thunderbolt Audio Converter
• Antelope Audio Discrete 4 Synergy Core

And of course you can find even higher priced ones at Sweetwater, but if you’re in the market for one of those, you likely don’t need advice from a ‘how to build a music production computer’ article, such as this.

headphones and speakers

I personally use Audio-Technica headphones, and mid-higher-end 24-bit Roland studio monitors (the DS-90A 24-bit digital monitors), that are no longer made. But I’ll list a few ideas for you below, regarding these items.

For orchestral sample library music production, your headphones should have a good sound stage effect. That is you should be able to hear the wideness of the room through the headphones, especially from the outrigger microphones in front of the strings.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X

An all round good pair of headphones for music production are the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X professional studio monitor headphones.  Regarding the pitches produced by an orchestra, these headphone’s frequency response in such range is basically flat.

Here’s what one Amazon reviewer had to say:

I switched from a Shure 940 pair which I used for 9 years. It finally gave out and I had to replace it (the build quality is terrible).

I’m an audio engineer so I need the headphones to be flat and good for mixing. These headphones are just that!

The lows and low-mids are very detailed, which is the biggest advantage over the Shure 940’s.
The build quality is decent and they are comfy.

The price point of it is the best part! High value-for-money.

Saif the audio engineer, on an Amazon review

AKG K702

The AKG K702’s are also a recommended headphone set for orchestral and acoustic music production. I’ve found recommendations for these here, here, and here!

Here’s a quote from the first link:

This headphone does wonderful with Classical.

It’s got a flat signature, an almost perfectly flat bass response (read: it’s a tad rolled off but nothing crazy), an almost perfect mid-range, an amazing Soundstage, and just enough brightness in the treble to remain lively without getting too essy.

The K702 has long since been a mainstay in my own home and I nearly always reach for it when I want a grand Soundstage, exemplary resolution and detail, as well as superb instrument separation and clarity.

Home Studio Basics (Best Headphones for Classical Music)

digital audio workstation (DAW)

The most frequent digital audio workstations I see classical and film music composers using are Cubase and Logic.  Cubase seems to have the best compatibility with midi fader controllers that are needed for orchestral sample library music production. 

I personally use digital performer, but you have to be pretty selective regarding which midi fader controller you pair with it. I have compatibility guidance in my article, MIDI Fader Controllers for Orchestral Sample Libraries. Here in a few weeks I’ll actually be upgrading to DP 11 and will be using a Korg NanoKontrol2, with it, as recommended by Paul from Spitfire Audio.

Next Up

Thanks for checking out my article on how to build a music production computer. Next check out my blog, where I have more articles pertaining to the technical aspects of producing symphonic music, using orchestral sample libraries.

Take care…