One of the most common hobbyist uses for a computer is to record music. But let’s face it, your webcam mic just isn’t good enough to capture high quality audio.

In my other life as a Sound Engineer, I’ve spent a lot of time recording — both myself and others — and helping to recommend the proper hardware.

First, you’ll need a good computer. (Contact me for recommendations!)

Then, you’ll need a Digitial Audio “Interface”. My recommendation is the Behringer X404, for a few reasons – low latency, USB connected — and powered! — and direct speaker playback. The control knobs make it easy to ‘mix’ other output from your computer as well as the pass through audio. However, others such as Focusrite are good as well. (Or if you want to get really fancy, the Midas M32!)

If you’re recording acoustic devices which don’t have electrical outputs, you’ll need good mics, as well as a stand and proper placement.

Finally, having a good DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) is a must. ProTools is considered the industry standard, but there are other options as well, such as Logic.