Hi Seamus et al:
I’m 63, and I began hobby recording in the 80s using Fostex and Tascam 4-track cassette recorders. In the late 90s my wife bought an Apple computer and revolutionized my multitracking. Apples include the program Garageband (GB) as part of their OS package. I started using GB and have never looked back. My wife soon got fed up with me filling up her hard drive with recordings, so I bought my own iMac.
Computer recording, whether on a Mac or Windows platform, allows almost unlimited multitracking, as well as adding effects, overdubbing, easy repair of mistakes, etc etc.
I guess that this is a vote for using a computer, rather than a stand-alone recorder. I don’t know what stand-alones cost, but for computer recording you’ll need an interface (a box that transforms microphone input to digital signal). There are many low-priced interfaces out there – I have a simple M-Audio box that has served me well for 10 years.
As I said, GB comes on Macs at no cost. For Windows, there are some good programs available, such as Audacity (free) and Reaper (very cheap). You can also collaborate with other musicians online by using an internet drop box (I use
www.box.net)
As others have said here, computer recording has a fairly steep learning curve, but the rewards are worth it.