Easy recording (but professional)? Advice/Tips?

That kind of money will buy you way more than you could ever use for your needs right now.

Obviously you'll need mics, but like any tool, you'll want to get the right one's for the job.   Consider the job in two parts.  1) Recording really loud stuff, like an amplifier, and 2) Recording high fidelity stuff, like your vocals and everything else.  For #1 stuff, dynamic mics like the Shure SM58 Russell mentioned are ideal.  They are also great stage mics.     The drawback to them is that you will lose some lower frequencies when you record.    For more controlled studio use, you want condenser mics.  These are a lot more sensitive and require phantom power to run, but you will get much more accurate images from them than you will a dynamic mic.   They care consequently more expensive, but you can get really good ones for not much money.  MXL and AKG both produce good large diaphragm condensers at good price points.   And get two of them, as you'll want to record in stereo when you mic up your acoustic guitar.

For recording, you can use your computer if you have an audio interface, or you can buy a dedicated recording appliance.   I have and use both, and they each have some pros and cons.   For the audio interface you get the bennefit of using whatever diigital audio workstation (DAW) suits your fancy.  I prefer Reaper, but a lot of people here use Audacity.   Cubebase comes with almost every audio interface on Earth these days, and most top end studio guys use Protools.    The interface also allows you to upgrade if you want, so you can go from your first budget interface to a top of the line tube driven pre-amp model if you want.   The drawback is portability.   You are basically tied to your workstation, although you can set up a laptop for portability if you want.

Dedicated production appliances provide a nice answer if you need "quick and easy."   I use a Fostex MR-8 regularly for recording jam circles at music festivals and it is ideal for that.   The drawback is that the only way to upgrade is to get a new box, so if there is something I don't like about it (and there is) I'm basically stuck with it.

The most important thing about recording, though, isn't equipment, it's the space in which you do the recording.  If you are recording in an acoustically poor room with the best equipment money can buy, all you will end up with is a great recording of a crappy room.  So find a good spot to record, and treat your recording space as best you can with panelling and bass traps.

And as Russ notes, don't forget things like mic stands and cables.  Don't cheap out on the cables, either, as you'll just end up buying them twice.

if you dont have a budget and money is no hassle get a laptop (mac or Dell) with 4 gigs of ram next order some KRK Rokit 6 powered speakers I can guarantee you'll hear your pc,for recording get an 8 track digital or 24 track that burns a cd, for mics take Jeromes advice and buy some good condenser recording mic's I have a Samson with phantom power you will need a Phantom power unit if the recorder dose not have this its a small unit cost is around 25 bucks you can get all this from Amazon or AMS(American Musical Supply) AMS only sells the top products and you can find anything including some studio foam to sound proof your rooom for recording you dont need all the walls filled just some areas.with the condeser mic you will need to run a cable into the phantom power and another into your recorder and two XLR cables from your Rokit speakers connect to the recorder and your good to go dont forget the boom stands for the mic and a pop filter for the microphone. get good quality cables to go from the condenser mic to the phantom power unit and to your recorder.thats enough for now.

hi curt,

if your just kicking off recording then maybe you should start slow and work your way up. i've known lots of people that jump on a karaoke mic, get a big reaction from their friends and end up spending 1000's on stage equipment just to sell it off again after 6 months cos they stink as stage performers! i'm not saying that you stink, but look before you leap.

1st tip, have a look on amazon for some used recording gear, you can usually pick an 8 track up quite cheaply.

2nd, you need a good mixer, i bought an alesis (new) from maplins quite cheaply (less that £100)

3rd, good quality jack leads and connecting leads. (the alesis has a USB interface)

4th, unless your actually gigging, you wont need a big amp, i usually plug my guitar/keyboards directly into the alesis.

5th, you can use a stage mic for recording your voice with no problem. i wouldn't recommend sticking it in front of an amp though, direct inject is best.

6th, wooden/tile floors and bare walls will cause unwanted reverb/echo. you need a dead sound and add FX when you want it.

7th, if your near power cables you may get hum or buzz from amps etc. check before setting up.