Ringo Langly wrote:

Hi all,

I'm trying to help a friend setup a PC so she can record her songs to
save as MP3 and as demo CD's. It's mainly guitar, vocals, some
keyboard, and maybe a bass. She only has a PC (newer Dell with Windows
XP Pro) but me being a Mac guy and having toyed with Garage Band I'm
looking at that avenue.

Either method she'll need to invest in some software and hardware for
inputing the audio into the computer. If we go with Garage Band she
can use my PowerMac G4 (dual 867/768 Megs Ram) but she'll need to
invest in the input components. If we go with PC, what suggestions do
you guys have and what components are needed to get the audio into the
computer?

On the PC side I've heard of such applications like Cakewalk and
others, but I'm not sure what my options are. Also what's needed to
get the audio actually into the computer? Can someone make some
suggestions?

Sorry for the basic questions, but even though I know computers I know
next to nothing about doing audio work with computers
Thanks and take care,


You'll need a mic preamp no matter what, so how about one of those
Tascam US-thingies (like 122, 422 I think) or other USB-input
mini-mixers-with-preamps-and-phantom-power. You already have
GarageBand, so there you go. If she wants to go back to her own
machine, that'll still be just fine.