Ok I really want to start recording and messing around with music. I play guitar but I also want to make some hip hop music. basically I just want to be able to record my music and vocals and put them on the computer and mess around with it. But also for the hip hop Im guessing I would need a keyboard or something. Im a total newb and need advice on what to buy and whatver, also are there any places I could go for classes on recording, mixing, etc. thanks!!
You don't need a whole lot of training to use free programs, even if they are complex enough to do good work with. There are likely online tutorials for them all. Go here for all your recording questions. These cats know what they're talking about. http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/
if you want to mess around with music, get audacity. it's real fun and has it's own digital multi-tracker. oh yeah, if you wanna mix your own music like layering vocals over beats and your music, you're gonna need a multi-tracker, or some machine which has one built in.
get ProTools Mbox2....over time buy some better and better plug-ins.....since you want to do hiphop get Reason, which will run on protools. Shure SM57's are really good all purpose mics....they are great for guitar amps, snare drum, vocals, and they are extremely durable....they are about $100 a peice, but i got 3 of them for $130 brand new on ebay....so always keep your eyes open. if protools is too expensive, about $600+, get soundforge, never used it, but colleagues have said good things. oktava also makes some decent durable condensor mics, check out the mk-319.
