How to Configure a Computer for Music Recording

Upgrading your computer for multitrack music recording can be completed in an hour or two.

Basic recording functionality for short single-track audio clips is built into the Windows operating system. However, when you are ready to upgrade your computer into a full-featured home project studio for multitrack music recording, there are a few changes you need to make, both to the hardware and software installed on your computer. Fortunately, this is not such a daunting task as it may seem, and once you have obtained the hardware and software, configuration can usually be completed in just an hour or two.

Things You'll Need

• 64 or higher bit audio recording card
• Multitrack recording program

Instructions

Instructions

1. Install an audio input device. These come in many shapes and sizes, from internal PCI and ISA cards for desktop PCs to tiny PC cards and even USB input devices for working on laptops. Depending on how much you want to spend, you can get devices that record a single track at a time or that can record multiple independent tracks at once, which would enable you to do full-band recordings with each instrument on its own track in a single take. External devices are installed by simply plugging the device into an open USB or FireWire port. If you get an internal card, you will need to turn off your computer and open the case. Find the appropriate slot inside that matches your card and secure the card in place.

2. Install a multitrack recording program. Protools, Sonar and Cubase are among the most popular, but there are many such programs available. Whether you chose a single-track or multitrack input device, you still want a multitrack recording program because whether you input tracks all at once or one at a time, you want to be able to edit and balance each track independently before merging them all together into a single audio file.

3. Attach your instruments and microphones to your input device. Most electronic instruments, such as electric guitars, keyboards and synthesizers, can be directly connected to the input device. Acoustic instruments, drums and vocals need to be recorded via a microphone that is connected to the input device.