Recording equipment/software?

[J M]

Hi all. Let me start by admitting that I'm musically and technically challenged, so any help is truly appreciated. I'd like to get my husband some recording gear for Christmas, but have no idea what to look for or where to start. 

 

He plays a few instruments in his spare time and does a few open nights and side gigs at local bars every few months, and has always talked about getting more into the song writing side. Spends a lot of time on the drums, and the guitar as a close second (acoustic & electric), plus vocals. We use Windows.. our computers and computer skills are basic and functional, just to give you an idea about our technical capabilities as far as software goes. This would be mostly just for fun so he wouldn't need anything super professional, but it is something he spends a lot of time doing so I don't want to go cheap either. So I'm hoping to find something practical that he would really enjoy playing around with. Been reading descriptions and reviews online for various stuff but there is SO much out there. I am completely clueless about what would be needed outside of a microphone, he's definitely the only musically talented one of our family. Thinking maybe a loop pedal too, if you have any recommendations for those. 

 

Can anyone offer some more insight about what I should be looking for? Specific equipment, audio editor programs, recommended brands, technical info I need to have before buying to make sure everything is compatible, etc? 

Thanks in advance!

[starise]

I would recommend one of the combo buys you can get at places like Guitar Center or Musician's friend. They include a decent starter microphone, an audio interface and recording software. Specifically, if you buy a package like this from one manufacturer you can rest assured the software will integrate better with the recording interface. 

Presonus is a good choice because they have both a solid hardware and software line.

Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about. In the more expensive version you get studio monitors. If the budget is tight you could opt for the less expensive package and get monitors later.

Presonus Recording Package

Choice 2