Ok I'm new and have some questions

[Kerfoot32]

I'm trying to put together a good home studio for personal recordings and eventually, hopefully, I might make it a business. I'm learning right now. I bought a 2 channel interface to try out but I just discovered that miking drums will require 4-6 channels. So I'm thinking about returning it and getting a 8 channel firewire interface. That's what I have to do if I want to be able to mix each drum piece separately right?

Firewire is better right?

I have my eye on the Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 Firewire Interface

I'm also trying to figure out what I'm gonna need for recording guitar and bass. I want to record direct. So what do I get? Do I need to get another interface that's designed for guitars? Will it come with all the preamp sounds or will I have to get a software full of sounds such as NI?

Like I said, I'm brand to this and know next to nothing, but I'm serious and willing to spend money to make this sound good. I'm looking for some good in-depth advice. Talk to me like I'm a dummy.

Much thanks to anyone who's willing to help me out

 

[mjbphotos]

Before buying anything else, read, read read!
There's a huge learning curve. Forget about doing recording as a business until you have put some serious time under your belt doing home recording.

Yes, an audio interface with at least 8 channels is a good start.
Yes, you are going to need software if you want to DI guitar - amp and speaker sims, stompbox sims, etc.

 

[Kerfoot32]

Alright well where do I start? Can you recommend some of those products to look at?

 

[mjbphotos]

Go to Sweetwater.com to look at some of the choices for the AI.

For the DI software, I like Line 6 Podfarm and Gearbox, but there are many choices and everyone has their own preferences. Take a look in the Guitar section of this forum.

 

[ido1957]

There's a lot of good multi channel USB interfaces. I use a Lexicon U42S interface. I've heard that firewire is on the way out but that may just be a rumor...