If you have an off-the-shelf computer that has a built-in sound card, you are ready to go! Sure, one of those other sound cards might give you a little more pristine sound but it's not really necessary as you start off here. What you need to plug your system into your computer sound card is readily available at Radio Shaft. Most likely your mixture has 1/4" outputs? You will need a radio shack patch cord that has 1/8" mini stereo phone plug, to 2 RCA's. Then most likely you'll also need to obtain 2 adapters that will allow you to convert from RCA to 1/4" plug.

Now the unfortunate trick you must utilize here is to prevent soundcard overload. The line input on your soundcard only really wants to see a nominal -10 DB input. Most likely, your mixer will output + 4 dbm. You can compensate for this by following these couple of pointers.
1) set the microphone input level faders about 2/3rds of the way up, or approximately two o'clock. Turn your output master they're up to the same 2/3rd of the way up. Now make some noise into the microphones and adjust the microphones "gain trim" for a proper output level from the 2 track output bus.

Now if your level appears to be too hot according to your software volume meter, reduce your master output volume by approximately 10 decibels. If the level still appears to be too hot in software, lower your software line in control until your software meter is indicating a reasonable level.

That's all there is to it.

Hope your maken' tracks
Ms. Remy Ann David

thanks remy

i have your standard everyday computer , im not sure about my sound card . but i think i have the standard every day sound card that comes with it so i guess it must be built in .

thanks for the pointers but now i have a double whamy for you ,i have a DBX EQ 2 rows of 16 so a 32 track eq, with 2 inputs and 2 outputs , i then have a Alesis Drum Machine and offcourse the AKG Stuido mic , i also have a tascam bi drectional play and record.

Now first the reason i bring up the tascam unit is it seems to have one of those computer plugs on the back of it and im wondering if i could use it for digital sampling from cd and tape to pc. now with the rest , what would you advise plug the drum machine and mic into the EQ then to the mixer and then to the pc ? . 8-)

Well, your DBX EQ is a 1/2 octave equalizer not a 32 Channel equalizer. That is a piece of PA equipment and I wouldn't use it for recording.

It sounds to me that you would rather perches a multitrack computer interface. That way you could record your multiple things, simultaneously. If that is your objective. Right now with your standard soundcard, you can record a stereo source or 2 Channel Mono sources. It seems you need a little extra direction and I would recommend any of the recording books geared toward audio from companies like Sam's. The " computer Jack in the back" is one of a thousand different types of Jack's so I really can't help you there with that kind of description and I'm not familiar with that particular piece of equipment.

Just keep doing what you're doing and eventually you'll get their.

Remy Ann David