Go the USB or Firewire route.

If she needs to get a keyboard, M-Audio, Edirol and Alesis make keyboards
with audio interfaces, some with (basic) mic pres and DIs.

Each of these will include recording software, usually a stripped-down
version of Cakewalk or Cubase, that will provide more than enough features
and performance for her to get started.

--
Doug Osborne

my day job: http://www.martinsound.com/

"Ringo Langly" wrote in message
oups.com...
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,

Ringo