How Do I Start Rocking In The Digital World?, a true beginner Options

[Zooey]

Dear friends,

I have some experience with the Tascam portastudio world, but little else. What I am essentially looking to do is reproduce that kind of home studio fun on the computer (15" imac), with better sound quality and more tracks. But I am lost in the field of terms.

I have guitars and an old korg, which is midi capable (but is the kind of midi used in depeche mode's early career). What kinds of things do I need to couple these forms of equipment to my computer. I have heard of a Logic Big Box..If I buy this would I be ready to go? How do you get a mic into a computer? (is this is the realm of the break-out box?)

ideally the set up would have singing, guitar, keys and drum loops...

If this question is too far sub-par, please advise my as to any websites that can adequate me to the lingo of the digital age...really, it's all i can do to surf the web.

best,

[aleman]

A possible solution is to buy an Mbox from Digidesign. It has two inputs which can accept both 1/4 inch connectors (like from an electric guitar or other instrument) and XLR inputs from a microphone. It's very portable and doesn't take up much space, and it connects to your computer via USB.

ProTools LE software (better than the FREE version) comes standard with the Mbox, so for under $495 you can get a complete recording solution that works for beginners and pros alike. In addition, you'll probably want to pick up a MIDI-to-USB interface to hook your keyboard directly to your Mac. Mac OS X makes it super easy to configure your MIDI setup once you're connected.

Pro Tools also has MIDI editing capabilities, though they're not quite the same as Ableton LIVE or Logic's sequencing features. But Pro Tools is great for mixing and recording audio, and lots of other stuff. If you're just starting out, Pro Tools is not a bad way to go, and buying the Mbox gets you both the hardware and the software you need to start recording.

If I'm not explaining things in enough detail for you, please don't hesitate to ask for clarification. I was totally clueless when I started out, and only by asking lots of questions to some very patient and helpful people did I learn what I know now (and I'm *still* constantly learning). Good luck!