stpgod said:
I plug the guitar or bass directly into the Mic input. The soundcard is internal in my laptop and is a Realtek AC97 sound card. When I sing, I have a basic Mic, which I also plug into the Mic input. Hope that helps! I appreciate all the help.
Well, I guess the next obvious question is what are your recording goals? If you just want to record basic songs on your laptop that you can burn to CD for friends, you are probably a few hundred dollars away from a decent home recording setup (hard to say without hearing what you sound like with your current equipment...but I'll take your word for it that the sound quality is poor). However, if you want to produce demos to send out for professional purposes (getting a recording contract, booking gigs, etc.), the financial outlay can be significant.
For a basic setup, I would recommend a decent quality microphone (the Shure SM57 dynamic mic is very versatile and only costs about $80; the Studio Projects B1 is a condensor mic for about the same price -- both are staples of home recording studios), a small (6-8 channel) mixer (like the Yamaha MG series)
or a microphone preamp such as the M-Audio DMP3 (~$150), some sort of interface for your computer (if the realtek has a line-in, try that; but you'll probably want to bypass that card with a USB or FireWire interface, depending on your computer's capabilities; these interfaces cost about $150 for the entry-level models; if you had a desktop, you could get a PCI soundcard that would serve a similar purpose), and finally you'll want some multitrack recording software (sounds like you already have this base covered). So, for less than $500, you should be able to make some decent home recordings. Mind you, money does not solve all problems. There is much more expensive (and usually better) gear available if you are willing to pay for it, but there is no substitute for experience.
Here are some tips that I posted in a similar thread on this board:
"There are a number of ways to set up a home studio. The variables include: what type of music you are recording (style, band vs solo, acoustic vs electric, MIDI, etc.), what you already have, and how much you are willing to spend. If you already have a decent computer with a big hard drive and plenty of RAM, you've likely covered your biggest single expense.
The necessities:
1) a computer interface: your computer probably already has a soundcard, but most stock soundcards are not good for recording. M-Audio and others make good full duplex cards with inputs for recording audio, MIDI, etc. Some of them have an external box with preamps and stuff. You can also buy an external interface that connects via USB or FireWire. There are pros and cons to each. Check the Computer Recording forum for more info. Prices $150-$$$$.
2) Mixer/Preamps: If the soundcard does not have a preamp (or if they aren't very good), you will need external preamps or a small mixer. If you are recording one instrument/voice at a time, preamps may be all you need. If you are/will record multiple instruments (or a drumset), it may be adviseable to get a mixer with 8-12 channels. Again, prices and quality vary widely.
3) Microphones - You will want a few for different applications. I would get at least one Large Diaphragm Condensor mic for vocals, a pair of Small Diaphragm Condensors for recording acoustic instruments (and drum overheads), and at least one decent dynamic (SM57, or similar).
4) Recording Software - The Recording Industry standard is ProTools, which comes (in a limited version) with some of the computer interfaces (such as Mbox). You can save some money by going with Cubase or Sonar, which are excellent programs in their own right, and may be just as good, if not better, for the home recordist. Most of these programs come with built-in effects plugins (reverb, compression, etc.) and there are plenty more available either free or purchased. Less expensive programs include Powertracks and Tracktion. Price $50-$$$$
5) Monitors - You will need some nice speakers to listen to your mixes. These will be important to making good mixing decisions. Price $300-$$$$.
Those are the basics. There is a wealth of info on this board regarding which equipment will suit your needs (the search function is great). Recording at home is fun, but can get very pricey, as you will continuously realize the limitations of your current equipment and want to upgrade. Good luck.
