Truely NOOBIE!!!!!

I am looking to get started recording some "songs" I have written.

I can't sing a lick and can barely play my guitar but have written some lyrics and have some simple melodies that i would like to get recorded and saved so that

1. I don't forget

2. At some point if things get better I can add to and change and so forth...

What is a good, inexpensive way to get started? preferably something that has some kind of drum track or that they can be added later.

I am playing acoustic guitar and electric guitar through small (5 watt tube amps). And the songs are all over the place but I would say mostly country and american blues based rock n roll.

Like I said the songs are nothing special but they are mine, so anyway.....

thanks in advance

(sorry if this has been asked a million times before)

I would recommend a Digitech GNX4. They can be picked up used on Ebay for less than $250, have an on-board drum with a variety of styles and adjustable tempo. You can record guitar, vocals, and the drums directly to an SD card. They come with a very basic DAW as the unit will function as a USB interface, but for the uses you stated, the built-in recorder should work fine. I have owned one for several years now and although I currently only use it as an effects board, it has served me well.

THANKS. can you run an external mic into it? i might have access to a free Shure mic of some sort.

Yes, it has an XLR input for a mic and even has a preamp for condenser mics. It has an 8 track built in recorder, so you can stack recordings together on the SD card too, but I noticed a few volume issues with multiple tracks as the tracks sometimes varied in volume.

Also has 1/4" outs to go to an amp and XLR outs in case you want to plug into a mixer or powered speaker.

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

(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

http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Guitar-Bass-Getting-Record/dp/0879307307/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215734124&sr=1-1

(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)

And you can get a FREE subscription to TapeOp magazine at www.tapeop.com

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:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

http://www.computermusic.co.uk/page/computermusic?entry=free_beginner_pdfs

http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tips-techniques/168409-tips-techniques.html

21 Ways To Assemble a Recording Rig: http://www.tweakheadz.com/rigs.htm

Also Good Info: http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/directory.htm

Other recording books: http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

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.

#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

(you'll want to bookmark and read through all of Tweak's Guide while you're there...)

Another good article: Choosing an audio interface - http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/audiointerfaces.htm

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/

Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net (multi-track with VST support)

Wavosaur: http://www.wavosaur.com/ (a stereo audio file editor with VST support)\nKristal: http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/

Other freebies and shareware: www.hitsquad.com/smm

Another great option is REAPER at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ (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 - http://myriad-online.com

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. FREE. It pays to watch 'em for giveaways...)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks.

and now i have copied and pasted to a word doc of my own