recording live to different tracks

[danogarvey]

my band wants to record live to get a sort of rolling stones exile on main street type sound, the problem is i have only ever done overdub recording. how do i record live and put the instruments on seperate tracks just in case there are some major mistakes from either of us? i use cakewalk homestudio, my mics are plugged into a mackie 8 input mixer which is plugged into the computer. we tried recording the vocals and rhythm guitar on one track then overdub the lead guitar, but the lead guitarist cannot record, or at least feel like he is, he gets very tense and worked up then cannot play (a sort of stage fright, performance anxiety i suppose). so is there any way i can do this? thanks

 

[Adam P]

You need some sort of multi-input interface for your computer. Search around, there are tons of them available. Check Echo, M-Audio, MOTU, Aardvark, Presonus, etc etc.

 

[danogarvey]

so would that replace my mixer?
and how would the audio interface work? it gets installed into my computer then i plug my mics into the interface and then i can record seperate tracks while the band records live?

i can afford most of the interfaces youve named but how do they work and which one would you guys recommend