Mixer help

[maz]

Hey guys, Im putting together a computer setup for recording and im looking for a mixer with 2 mic inputs so that I can record 2 tracks at once(guitar and bass).I dont know much about this so what else should I look for in a mixer, like faders and stuff? what are stereo inputs used for, and what type of output will I need to connect it to my sound card? Can I get any thing with a budget of about $250 US? I think thats about $420 canadian after our infamous 0.15% Tax.
And what type of price drop should I expect for this type of equipment used?
Oh and Im thinking about using sm57`s for mics.
Well thanx for any input.

 

[Cooperman]

If you only want to record 2 mono tracks at time, then your best bet might not be a mixer but rather a dual channel pre amp... and most people around these parts swear by the ART dual MP which goes for about $200. This baby will smoke any mixer in it's price range and will sound awesome on your guitar and bass tracks.

By the sounds of it, you aren't using multi-track software to record - other wise why would you want to record bass and guitar at once... so you take the output on each channel of the pre amp straight into your stereo line in on your soundcard... once you've recorded your piece you'd split the left and right channels to separate tracks so you could fiddle with each track individually.

HOWEVER... because you have $50 still left on your budget, I'd suggest checking out n-Track at www.fasoft.com for an inexpensive ($35) shareware multitrack program. Also check out the n-Track user forum here. That way you don't have to record everything simultaneously... and add a lot more variety and have a lot more fun.

Good luck!