Longtime musician; total recording newbie...seeking basic hardware advise
I've been researching FAQ's and this site and others, trying to get started. I am hoping for the experienced here to give me some tips on getting set up. I am now shopping for hardware...with so many options it is difficult to pick one and take the plunge. I appreciate anyone who will share their experience/knowledge...
I am using a laptop with home studio (which I haven’t loaded yet) running Vista with USB 2, HDMI and eSATA inputs
I am a guitarist with a lot of live equipment I’ve purchased over 15 years. Guitars, bass, acoustic/electric, etc.
I have many effects/preamp that I run before my amps, but now need to get them to the computer
What I want to get out of recording/what I need from an audio interface:
I would like to capture my guitar riffs and turn them into fully composed tracks by myself/ with friends
Dont need more than a couple simultaneous inputs, but more would be good
Need to run all my guitar effects equipment/pedals, etc.
MIDI/Microphone input for future expansion (such as drum machine/live drums and vocals) though I don't intend to record a whole band at once
Easy to use - plug and play is important, I'd love to be able to throw down riffs as soon as possible, eventually composing full tracks
Does not have to be cheap, I will pay for quality, ease of use, and function; I'd like hardware that has options that I can grow into, and that will last a while; I'm just a hobbyist...but a pretty serious hobbyist. I work many hours, but music is my outlet and I look forward to recording my ideas with easy to use equipment
Also, can a laptop handle this, or do I need an external soundcard or other hardware for this to work smoothly?
Even if you don't have a suggestion, if anyone could share what hardware NOT to get, or avoid all together for my particular needs it would be greatly appreciated.