You will probably soon decide that cheap junky mics sound terrible. The "standard" professional microphone for starting is a Shure SM57. They cost about $80. Buy one. Everyone should have one or two.

To hook it up to your computer, you'll want a stand and a microphone cable. But you'll see that the connectors don't fit. This is intentional. You will also need something to both change the connector and change the impedance of the line. Once you are serious, you can buy a microphone preamp. They cost between $85 and $4000. Before that, you can buy a $15 impedance matching transformer at Radio Shack. But that will still have the wrong plug. So also buy a $5 cable convertor at Radio Shack.

You'll have a little over $120 invested and can record one track. If you are very lucky, you can double that, get a stereo convertor at Radio Shack, and you can record Stereo. But most cheap computer sound cards take only monophonic mics. If your card takes only mono-mics, you will have to use line-level inputs to record stereo.

Unless you know you want it, I'd start with something a little less expensive and less capable than Sonar. Cakewalk sells packages like Home Studio that are cheaper and easier. But Sonar isn't all that expensive, you can get it for about $300 if you shop arround.

The impedance transformer will drive microphone input. To get line level input, you need a preamp. In a pinch, might have a tape recorder (cassette or open reel) that has a preamps you can use. You don't have to record onto the tape, just use the preapms in the deck. Depending on the quality of the tape recorder, you may have to use your impedance transformers.

Later on, swap out the impedance transformers for preamps. Start looking at things like the Art Tube MP, or the M-Audio Audio Buddy. They are about $100. Or go crazy and spend thousands.

You should go to a local Borders or Music store and buy a bunch of recording magazines. Like Recording, Home Recording, Computer Musicians, etc. Don't believe most of what you read, they exist to sell you equipment, but you can learn a lot for $5 each. So spend $20 a month for a couple of months.

You will need something to hear the sounds. Cheap computer speakers can get you started. But they sound terrible. Headphones are better, but do not sound the way real speakers do. Real monitors start at $500 and go up quicjkly. But by then, you'll be adicted to this drug. You have been warned.

Other resources

• http://www.pcrecording.com/
• http://www.recordingwebsite.com/articles/pcarticles.html
• A FAQ about PC multitracking it is a little dated, but has good stuff. From the comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard.music newgroup
• Other resources on this site.
• Usenet alt.music.home-studio FAQ http://www.unmusic.co.uk/amh-s-faq.html

Back to the main PRC Studios page.