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Beware though, it's Apple's gateway drug into Logic Pro which is very not free.
You still need to buy an interface through which you connect instruments to computer, and the software (like GB or Logic) running on that computer.
Oftentimes, the interface will come bundled with some free DAW software. I used mine first set-up for a good few years before I hit its limitations.
Search Amazon for Presonus and look at their bundle deals - generally £100-£150 will get you up & running.
You will need an interface. The number of inputs would depend on how much stuff is playing at once. Is this going to involve a live band or multiple mics at same time?
- Windows? Reaper is the favourite choice of tFB. I've never used it myself.
- macOS? GarageBand is included with macOS and will do far more than you're intending to do.
- iOS? GarageBand on iOS (also included) is slightly different to the macOS version, but it's what I started off with and will also exceed your intentions.
- Much of the recording I do with/for my band mates, though, is just into the phone (iPhone) using the Voice Recorder app. The others have Android phones and there's a similar app on that, too. If I want to make an initial demo, I'll do it in mono with an acoustic and let the others work out their own parts.
The best advice I can give you - after starting from scratch about 10 years ago and going down several blind alley and distractions is this...
Just get started with whatever you have to hand easily, and let that teach you what you really need as part of your growth process.
The keyboard player we used to have in the band had an incredible setup he'd bought from scratch before starting to record, and his recordings and workflow were rubbish. He spent far too much time learning how to use his gear and become an expert before even starting to record anything. Don't put together a shopping list with the idea that it will be great, buy it before starting, and fall into the trap he fell into.
We all record differently and have different outcomes in mind. You need to find out what yours are by trying it.
Logic is 100% worth the money.
It is a total bargain for what you get but be aware that Apple sell it as a loss leader to keep people buying Macs, which are expensive.
If you are on a PC then Reaper is cheap but complex and clunky in places.
Studio One is very beginner friendly and not crazy expensive.
Pro Tools is the industry standard but expensive and has some odd quirks, but if you ever have any interest in doing audio professionally then you 100% need Pro Tools skills.
Cubase is often overlooked but has a great feature set. I use the post production equivalent (Nuendo) quite often and I love it.
Get an entry level 2 channel audio interface with a couple of onboard preamps.
Focusrite, Presonus, Audient, Arturia and SSL are good options here- you get what you pay for and everything around the £100-200 price point is pretty good with not much to separate one from the other.
In terms of monitoring, if you want to release anything you are making then you will be coming up against *quite* a few limitations. A lack of technical (mixing) ability plus audio performance of cheap monitors plus the room sound will all coalesce. Spending your way into expensive monitors without fixing the room is a mistake.
Spending some money on acoustic treatment is never a bad idea but almost everyone ignores this advice and regrets it.
But don't just buy loads of foam and think it will work, it won't.
Rooms treatment needs to be planned around the specific issues- way too much to go into here.
Happy to talk about it if people want me to though.
It takes years to learn to mix well.
I'd done it for more than a decade before I was releasing things I actually liked.
Even now I can still nit pick things.
It is a constantly evolving thing and a mountain to climb that has no summit.
If you don't want to release anything soon then get some £100-200 monitors and work on the craft.
Avoid spending loads of cash on plugins.
You can make records with stock plugins- Steven Wilson did that for years with Porcupine Tree.
A good set of headphones is worthwhile although I hate mixing on headphones.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Worth watching (some of the above) and equivalent for Reaper/Logic et al to get an idea of how each of the DAWs works, and which interface you think you'd get on with best.
TBH, all DAWs (once you get out of the "free" options) are going to have more or less the same basic functionality, but how you access that functionality, and how you interact with the software will be different. Pick the option that appeals most to you, jump in and learn to swim.
I do most of my work through headphones, if only because it avoids disturbing the rest of the house and having to get into room treatments!
But be aware that "a good set" is defined differently for music/hifi headphones vs studio/mixing headphones. I love my Bose headphones for listening to music, but they're not good for recording/mixing work.
Easy to use. Loads of tutorial vids on youtube.
It has an endlessly renewable evaluation period if you want to be really cheap too.
But if you like it - buy it. It's dirt cheap.
Fancy a laugh: the unofficial King of Tone waiting list calculator:
https://kottracker.com/
It’s easy to use and Thick friendly .
I hate Protools and leave all that to my son.
Im still old school when it comes to studio recording I still love tape all analogue systems.
The latter i think is a better daw. used to be quite expensive and prefer it to what i use now, logic pro.
But if after something simple, garageband all the way. The above are big complex beasts, but do professional quality off the bat and well worth the learning curve.
https://www.uaudio.com/luna.html