Small tools in the studio that you can't live without.

[Marc Alan Goodman]

those mic stand adapter things that let you hang an extra mic off the side of a stand that your already using. Like this -



Great for setting up and under-snare mic on the snare mic stand or getting a vocal and acoustic guitar mic onto the same stand.

I'll see that one and raise you this:



Latch lake Xtra booms. I've since picked up like eight of the things. They work on any stand (not just the latchlakes), hold a ton of weight and can easily point in pretty much any direction. They've made using our current tiny live space much more feasible. With one of the latchlake mickings I've put as many as six mics on one stand. Instant drum kit.

[EasyGo]

IMeasuring tape
string

Of course! Very useful for Glyn Johns and Recorderman drum mic setups.

[timcoalman]

I use my iPhone for lots of stuff in the studio. Tapping in tempos, tuner in a pinch, animoog, SynthStation, ProRemote for controlling PT, etc...
I also use moon gels, Little Labs STD, and an Earthworks KickPad on nearly every session.

As I am more of a hobbyist and record primarily my own projects, I use my iphone to take many photographs of wiring, settings, physical arrangements of setups, et cetera before I change anything. I can then scroll through pics to see just where the black-wire-that-terminates-in-two-exposed-prongs goes (the electrical outlet!).

[digitaldrummer]

I also should have mentioned my wireless keyboard - you know, the kind you type on.

I thought about the Tranzport, but the wireless keyboard was less expensive and did the job well. I am always carrying it around - I usually set it on a bar stool or something convenient near me when I record drums or percussion parts, or whatever else. I honestly could not see recording by myself without it anymore. WAY better than running back and forth.

[top_ape]

Surprised no one mentioned a cable tester yet. The ebtech one is great, though behringer's exact copy of same (besides the fact that all proceeds go to the devil) is fine too.

Ptouch

Rane balance buddy also indispensable for interfacing consumer gear, dj mixers, eqs, etc. It is passive, transformer based and sounds great as a keyboard di too, often.

[Brett Siler]

Great for setting up and under-snare mic on the snare mic stand or getting a vocal and acoustic guitar mic onto the same stand.

I like to use these to mic the hihat and ride from underneath

[cgarges]

IMeasuring tape
string

Of course! Very useful for Glyn Johns and Recorderman drum mic setups.

I just use extra mic cables.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[The Real MC]

[Brett Siler]

Whoa what the hell is that?

[No Wave Casio Kitsch]

Whoa what the hell is that?

It looks like a hearing aid.

[Sean Sullivan]

No all are "tools" but every studio should have these essentials:

Measuring tape
Scissors
All types of tape (duct, electrical, console, masking)
Instrument tuners
Coffee and bottled water
Stand lights
Flashlight
Guitar string clipper
Little rugs to put under musicians feet if you have a hard surface floor (don't want to hear that foot tapping!)
Pair of reading glasses (for the old folks)
Scanner/copier (very important if you are working with musicians with charts because they never make copies themselves)
Blank CDs
Book of dirty limericks (everyone likes a dick or fart joke, right?)

[supafuzz]

Surprised no one mentioned a cable tester yet. The ebtech one is great, though behringer's exact copy of same (besides the fact that all proceeds go to the devil) is fine too.
It is passive, transformer based and sounds great as a keyboard di too, often.

I second this item...use it every day and it's made the hard job of wiring up patchbays etc a little easier.

[The Real MC]

Whoa what the hell is that?

It looks like a hearing aid.

Correct.

I have a hearing impairment due to a birth defect. But throughout my life my ears were acutely attuned to music.

I wore hearing aids all my life, and back in 1995 I got a new digital hearing aid. The clarity of the aid was a big improvement over the older aids and the impact on my music and mixing skills was incredible.

If there is any one small tool in the studio that I cannot live without, that is it.

[vvv]

More I thought of:

power-strip extension cords
Sharpies
nail-clippers & Emery boards
SDC card reader
LTR's (Craig Anderton's "little red ties")
shoe laces (to tie inna loop to make cord-hangers)
Xmas lights
1/2 gal. plactic bags (to cover/store mics)
mini@1/4"st. headphone adaptors
fine-point white-out marker (to temp-label settings)
duct & masking tape
chopsticks (to tap-test tubes, etc.)
milk crates, small solid stools to raise amps off floor
mini-fan

[Brett Siler]

I wore hearing aids all my life, and back in 1995 I got a new digital hearing aid.

No way the digital one's are way to sterile. Analog hearing aids just glue the mixes together in much more pleasing way than digital. Sorry you sir are wrong.