iPhone Home Studio: All the Gear You Need to Record a Hit Song

Cut your next hit song anywhere with gear that turns your phone into a recording studio.

1. Ernie Ball Music Man St. Vincent Signature Guitar

Designed by Annie Clark herself, this mahogany guitar is one versatile ax. The trio of DiMarzio mini humbuckers can be played in five configurations, offering bite and warmth in equal measure. The tremolo adds soulful warbles to your solos. | $2,099

2. George L’s Guitar Cable

Your cable has two jobs: Don’t screw up the sound, and don’t fall apart. Running 20 feet (or longer, if you need it), George’s cables are sturdily built with nickel, brass, or gold plugs and offer dead-quiet, interference-free sound. Choose a bright color to stand out from the rest of your band. | $48 and up

3. IK Multimedia iRig 2 HD

This simple adapter connects your guitar directly to your iPhone. The latest model has an integrated headphone jack with a dedicated preamp so you can monitor your shredding to ensure your guitar sounds the way it should—not like you’re recording on a phone. | $100

4. Apple iPhone 7 Plus

The roomy screen on Apple’s largest phone is super for crafting complex tunes. MIDI controllers plug right into the Lightning port. But the best part is the ecosystem: Apps such as GarageBand, BeatMaker 2, and Moog Model 15 turn your fingers into any instrument you need. | $769 and up

5. Etymotic ER4SR

It’s a wireless world, but your work demands the accuracy you can only get from headphones that plug in. Etymotic’s studio-­quality buds exactly reproduce the melody you’re making and give you a true noise-isolating seal, blocking out the A train while you lay down your tracks. | $349