Windows 7, 64-bit Pro or Ultimate with loads of RAM. At least two hard drives, one for C: and one for audio. Get a stand-alone A/D converter that also comes with software (Cubase LE4 springs to mind).

If you use your own regular speakers, make sure they are in good shape and you are FAMILIAR with them.

Get a dynamic and a condenser mic. They each sound different.

Build some acoustic treatment for the room or it just won't work.

Others will chime in with specifics soon. Stay tuned!

legofarley, post: 361870 wrote: I am a musician and have been writing music for years, now i want to record my own demos. I have envisioned using either a computer or a small external recording device (4 track/ 8 track). All I want to do is create demo mp3's that sound good and can be posted to the web.

Any advice to offer? I need some help with computer programs or recording devices, mics, headphones, mic/guitar to computer connections, everything/anything else.

i just started doing the same just with acoustic and vocals, and wanted more instruments,
I was put on to [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.studiopr…"]Studio Pro Tracks - Home[/]="http://www.studiopr…"]Studio Pro Tracks - Home[/] by sorefingers.

My obligatory standard reply-for-newbies that I keep in Wordpad so this is just a paste (I don't want to re-type this all the time):

First off, immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending hundred$/thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
[="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470385421?ie=UTF8&tag=myjescom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470385421"]Amazon.com: Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies (9780470385425): Jeff Strong: Books[/]="http://www.amazon.c…"]Amazon.com: Home Recording For Musicians For Dummies (9780470385425): Jeff Strong: Books[/]
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
[[url=http://="http://www.amazon.c…"]Amazon.com: Recording Guitar and Bass: Getting a Great Sound Every Time You Record (Book) (9780879307301): Huw Price: Books[/]="http://www.amazon.c…"]Amazon.com: Recording Guitar and Bass: Getting a Great Sound Every Time You Record (Book) (9780879307301): Huw Price: Books[/]
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at [="http://www.tapeop.com"]Tape Op Magazine[/]="http://www.tapeop.c…"]Tape Op Magazine[/]

Barnes&Noble or Borders are great places to start --- they have recording books and you can go get a snack or coffee and read them for FREE! Don't pass by a good recording book --- this is a VERY technical hobby and you REALLY want to start a reference library!!!

Good Newbie guides that also explains all the basics and have good tips:
[[url=http://="http://www.tweakhea…"]Tweak's Guide to the Home and Project Studio[/]="http://www.tweakhea…"]Tweak's Guide to the Home and Project Studio[/]
[="http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs"]Free beginner PDFs | Computer Music Magazine | MusicRadar.com[/]="http://www.computer…"]Free beginner PDFs | Computer Music Magazine | MusicRadar.com[/]
[[url=http://="http://www.harmony-…"]The #1 online community for musicians | Harmony Central[/]="http://www.harmony-…"]The #1 online community for musicians | Harmony Central[/]
[="http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tips-techniques/168409-tips-techniques.html"]Tips & Techniques - Gearslutz.com[/]="http://www.gearslut…"]Tips & Techniques - Gearslutz.com[/]

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: [[url=http://="http://www.tweakhea…"]How to Configure a Recording Studio Rig[/]="http://www.tweakhea…"]How to Configure a Recording Studio Rig[/]

Also Good Info: [="http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm"]Directory - The Project Studio Handbook - Digital Audio, Compression, Mixing, Monitoring, Microphones[/]="http://www.theproje…"]Directory - The Project Studio Handbook - Digital Audio, Compression, Mixing, Monitoring, Microphones[/]

Other recording books: [[url=http://="http://musicbookspl…"]Music Books Plus - Home Recording[/]="http://musicbookspl…"]Music Books Plus - Home Recording[/]

Still using a built-in soundcard?? Unfortunately, those are made with less than $1 worth of chips for beeps, boops and light gaming (not to mention cheapness for the manufacturer) and NOT quality music production. Even the cheapest $50 usb asio card will be a huge improvement.
#1 Rule of Recording: You MUST replace the built-in soundcard.
Here's a good guide and user-tested suggestions that work: [="http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm"]The Best Audio Interfaces for your Home Studio by TweakHeadz Lab[/]="http://www.tweakhea…"]The Best Audio Interfaces for your Home Studio by TweakHeadz Lab[/]
(you'll want to bookmark and read through all of Tweak's Guide while you're there...)
Another good article: Choosing an audio interface - [[url=http://="http://www.soundons…"]Choosing An Audio Interface[/]="http://www.soundons…"]Choosing An Audio Interface[/]

Plenty of software around to record for FREE to start out on:

Sony ACID Express (free 10-track sequencer): [="http://www.acidplanet.com/downloads/xpress/"]ACIDplanet.com: Free Downloads: ACID Xpress[/]="http://www.acidplan…"]ACIDplanet.com: Free Downloads: ACID Xpress[/]
Audacity: [[url=http://="http://audacity.sou…"]Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder[/]="http://audacity.sou…"]Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder[/] (multi-track with VST support)
Wavosaur: [="http://www.wavosaur.com/"]Wavosaur free audio editor with VST and ASIO support[/]="http://www.wavosaur…"]Wavosaur free audio editor with VST and ASIO support[/] (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)
Kristal: [[url=http://="http://www.kreative…"]KRISTAL Audio Engine[/]="http://www.kreative…"]KRISTAL Audio Engine[/]
Other freebies and shareware: [="http://www.hitsquad.com/smm"]Music Software - Computer Music Resources - Shareware Music Machine[/]="http://www.hitsquad…"]Music Software - Computer Music Resources - Shareware Music Machine[/]

Another great option is REAPER at [[url=http://="http://www.cockos.c…"]REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits[/]="http://www.cockos.c…"]REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits[/] (It's $50 but runs for free until you get guilty enough to pay for it...)
I use Reaper and highly reccomend it...

Music Notation and MIDI recording: Melody Assistant ($25) and Harmony Assistant ($80) have the power of $600 notation packages - [[url=http://[/URL]="http://myriad-onlin…"]Myriad: Music Notation Software and much more... / Myriad : logiciels de musique, et bien plus...[/]="http://myriad-onlin…"]Myriad: Music Notation Software and much more... / Myriad : logiciels de musique, et bien plus...[/]
Demo you can try on the website.

And you can go out to any Barnes&Noble or Borders and pick up "Computer Music" magazine - they have a full FREE studio suite in every issue's DVD, including sequencers, plugins and tons of audio samples. (November 2006 they gave away a full copy of SamplitudeV8SE worth $150, November 2007-on the racks Dec in the US- they gave away SamplitudeV9SE and July 2009 issue they put out Samplitude10SE, November 2010 SamplitudeSilver. FREE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)

'Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll eat forever...'

Wow Tim, great post!