simple recording programs

If you have a mac, I say use GarageBand. Best thing to happen to High School/college dorm room musicians EVER. lol

If you're on PC, I think Mackie makes a program that's pretty similar to GB. Not sure about cost, but I think it's under $150.

 

Yes, Garageband is ******* awesome.

The mackie program you are referring to is called Tracktion, it's mac and PC compatible, and although I've never used it, it LOOKS to be the closest thing to GB available to windows. I believe it's $70 or $80

 

I think there was a free download of tracktion available on their website at one time.

 

Cakewalk GuitarTracks Pro (version 3). Dead simple, intuitive, no midi, comes with some pretty decent drum samples for looping. Drag and drop drum programming with the loops/sample - even create your own as .wav files and import them in.

http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/GuitarTracksPro/default.asp

If yer a geetar player, CWGTP 3 comes with the Amplitude guitar amp modelling VST plug in. IMO, not bad at all - does a passable Fender/Gibson vintage tone and an OK Marshall/Mesa tone. You could probably tweak it for some additional bass-appropriate tones. Lots of post-processing plug-in effects as well.

You won't be disappointed. I think I paid about $150 retail for the package.

I've had the opportunity to use Soungforge, Cakewalk Pro, tracktion, Protools Free, n-track and few other freeware, shareware, evaluation dealies and I keep coming back to CWGTP3.

DD

 

As I just posted below this thread, Mackie's new Tracktion v2 demo is available for download. Give it a look.

Ron