Do you have a song in your head that the world should hear? Have you been strumming away and written a masterpiece? Are you dancing to a beat nobody else can feel and you think it's about time they did? You're in luck! If you're reading this the chances are that you've got a computer, in which case you've got a recording studio just waiting for you to shut the door and turn the red light on.

Would you care to elaborate?

Oh, alright then. If this was any time before 1990 you would need enough money to hire some studio time or buy an analogue multi-track recorder, pre-amps, compressors, effects units, tape, a splicing block, a mixing desk, microphones, cables, drum machines¹, synthesizers, samplers, sequencers...²

Fortunately we're in the 21st century and most of this stuff can run on your PC.

Be warned: your computer will not write the music for you and will not mix the music for you: this is stuff you'll either need to know already or pick up as you go along. Neither will it tell you 'Oh, that sounds a little bit too much like...' or join you in the pub after you've finally nailed the rhythm part. There is software that can create music from scratch, but it won't be your music.

Stuff you'll need

• Hardware. You'll need a computer and an audio interface. You'll probably need a controller too.
• Software. There are many different types of music and recording software available for many different purposes. You need to decide what you want to achieve and take a look at your bank balance before deciding which software to use. While there is software that could bankrupt a small country there is surprisingly little that you'll want to achieve that can't be done with freebies.

Stuff you'll need to know

• Recording Techniques Recording music badly is easy: recording it well isn't too hard either but takes a little forethought and some knowledge. The science is complicated but the practical recording isn't. There are things to look out for but recording music is largely common sense with a dollop of technique thrown in.
• Effects and Processors. The difference between a dodgy amateur home recording and a polished recording can be down to something as simple as the right effect or processor in the right place. The world of effects and processing is huge but there are some basics that will make your recordings sound a lot better.
• Mixing and Mastering. Professional mixing and mastering are arcane arts: if you give your recording to a professional mastering studio you might not be able to tell what they've done but you'll know that it sounds way, way better than it did when you gave it to them. You'll also know that you have a lot less money than you did beforehand. There are some simple tricks which, while they won't match a professional master, can elevate your recording from the bedroom sound to something you'll be proud of.