Inexpensive recording solution

[billstein]

Hi all. My son is a fairly talented writer and rapper. He's made me appreciate this type of music and is trying to use it for positive purposes.

Now the question. I want to support him in this and want to get something he can use to record his songs. I don't want it to be to expensive but still adequate. He does have an Ipad Mini, maybe there is something for that.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[PhiloB]

GarageBand.  $4.99. Great place to start.  Check out AudioBus as an interface to connect other apps to Garageband

[Rockhorst]

I use Reaper (essentially free) with a Line6 Toneport.

[AllenM]

+1 Garage Band - built instruments so he can create beats and rythm tracks

Use something like the iRig Pre so you can record vocals

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/ik-multimedia-irig-pre-mic-pre-for-ios-devices

Would make a great portable studio for laying down ideas

AllenM

[icecycle66]

Reaper is free. Use it for mixing and mastering.
To get it to reaper, use a handy recorder. There are several models, but this is cheapest and still good.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/zoom-h1-handy-recorder

[rullywowr]

GarageBand for Mac and Reaper for PC. An audio interface box is a must. Many available for about $100. The Presonus Audiobox is a good value.

[Vallhagen]

REAPER is not free, just to correct that. After your eval period you are encouraged to pay a license, which is 60USD. It's a great DAW, and still cheap though... i dont use it myself (i use Sonar) but i have friends who does, and our Hellvalla Burn project (www.hellvallaburn.com) is partly recorded and all mixed in REAPER.

For recording, any (semi-)modern PC, a decent soundcard and a microphone does a good job too, besides the iPad/phone recommendations ... if you dont value portability too high.

Cheers

[jkokura]

If it's $60, you can get a Presous Audio Box which comes with Studio One for like $199, unless you find a sale and they can get cheaper. I love mine. I've used a variety of products out there, and I've never been as happy as I am with Presonus gear.

Jacob