Recording Gurus here?
Out of context: Reply #50
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i don't use any live instruments, so for recording drums and guitars i can't really help... also i don't have much knowledge about pre-processors (compressors, etc), but you'll probably want to look into that as well, altough you can do pretty much all the processing on the pc now.
the first thing you're gonna have to get is a decent soundcard/interface... i use a m-audio audiophile (which i just use for sampling vinyl into the pc) but basically you need to look for a soundcard with decent analog to digital conversion and with enough inputs for the ammount of channels you want to record at a time. http://www.m-audio.com/
secondly a multitrack recorder/sequencer or a "host": i use cubase sx for sequencing midi and audio and for running vst instruments and processors. i also use sony vegas when i don't need midi/vst, just simple multitrack audio arrangement.
for sound editing, single track recording (sampling) i use sony soundforge.
then another important element is processors: stuff like equalizers, compressors, reverbs, etc. i use waves http://www.waves.com/. since i started using these i can't go without them... indispensable for good sound quality. they come in vst and dx versions so you can use them in a sequencer (cubase) as vst's or in soundforge as dx plugins.
then vst instruments, i mostly use http://www.nativeinstruments.de software, but there are quite a few free/cheap vst's which are worth getting as well.
something else i should've mentioned at the start is a pair of decent studio monitors/ speakers... expensive, but getting a good pair is going to help you prevent having to scrap alot of work because the sound quality is poor. with decent monitors you know straight away if it's good enough. also if you're going to want to do as much mastering as possible yourself you'll need these. (those wave plgins for mastering as well).