Setup Questions

[TomTrendy]

Hello all. I have a few questions to ask about figuring out a complete home recording setup. I've done a lot of amateur recording with a computer mic and Audacity but, as you all know, this does not open up many other options.

I like creating my own songs by recording my own drums, guitars, vocals, etc. So I'm looking for a way to record certain instuments, such as drums, with a few microphones.

I really would like to know what I could get in order to be able to record, at the least, six tracks simultaneously by hooking up the six mics into whatever and sending each individual track to the computer and then being able to sit down and mix each of those tracks. Something like this is really necessary because I need a way to be able to do whatever I want to, say, a drum kit (panning cymbals, etc.).

Basically, I need to know what I must purchase in order to do all of this. I'm trying to setup up a budget and have been asking lots of questions already.

Thank you.

 

[ermghoti]

Preamps, or a mixer with direct outputs for each channel.
Interface, with as many channels as you want. Try M-Audio 1010 for starters.
Multitracking software.

 

[LfO]

To elaborate - all your answers are here:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

Its worth taking the time to read the whole guide before you put down money on anything else.

As ermghoti mentioned, the "whatever" you mention will be an audio interface (alternate term for sound card, particuarly one intended for pro recording). Some of them have built-in preamps, but some don't. When you use nicer mics, you need pre-amps to boost their signal level (i.e., set their recording volume level).