My dad, 56, wants to record his own music. He did this on some

>>17953107
Tell him to buy pro tools, an akg compressor mic, and a saffire pro and watch youtube tutorials.

This seems like a Marc Maron tier mid life crisis thing.

>>17953107
Just start with simple audio interface like in ur pic. Get pirated daw
He wants to hook guitar and shit right? If he goes hardcore tell him to look at info on /mu/ prod general

If you don't have time, you don't have time.
This is your dad's thing, and good on him for trying, but you have your own stuff to deal with.

>>17953107
if he did cassette stuff then computer won't necessarily be the best idea for him. There are lots of things that computers can't do properly but are easy to do on tape, and vice versa.

Best suggestion is to buy him a digital multitracker since those are closer to using a tascam/fostex 4 track and the workflow is more similar.

Computers can be better, but take more time to unlearn everything for people coming from tape recording. This is because tape is linear whereas a computer can jump around and copy/paste/whatever.

Best suggestion is a Tascam dp-32 (not the SD version) since those have MIDI sync which makes adding drum tracks or using a synthesizer/sampler much easier.

Reaper is ok and fairly inexpensive if he's going the computer route. A mixing table is a waste of time if you're on computer and is only viable for people who record to a 24 track and want to mix/master on PC since that allows transferring multiple tracks to digital at once without worrying about latency.

>>17953107
Fellow songwriter here, your dad sounds awesome and you sound like an amazing son for helping him.

Unfortunately mixing tables are an obsolete technology that you can only use by (A) buying more obsolete technology like >>17953705 this anon suggested or (B) retrofit a daw like protools to recreate his old cassette production workflow like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zirnaBrAi90
then plugging in the mic and mixing board, setting all the knobs and teaching him how to use the program after figuring it out yourself.

If these options sound like too much work or too expensive, take my advice and go for (C) sell the mixing board and get an Edirol or some such mic that records individual files onto a MicroSD that you can just pop into your computer and edit using a super simple daw like Audacity. That and a decent pair of headphones should be all you need.

Computers are the future and Google can answer all your questions about Audacity so feel no fear. I too have a tech-phobic dad (who no joke paid $40 for winzip) so I know the biggest pitfall here which is frustration. Approach this like a big fun project with no concrete goals because that's what he's looking for. Every time he figures something out should be a celebration and everything he doesn't understand is a chance to look for answers. He'll be mixing like the old times in no time.

>>17953107
I bought this thing
>http://www.presonus.com/products/firestudio-Project


I had no idea when I bought it that it came with a program.
Studio One.
It's actually really amazing.
Simple.
No slowdown unless you have a million tracks with a million effects.

This is some of the stuff I've recorded with it
>reverbnation.com/sundreamgun
>all instruments are direct-in
>(no mic'ed amps)
>except for drums, of course
>used mics for them

There's a continous thread on /mu/ called /prod/ for music producing.

They'd know the best and cheapest way to get your dad going.

Just find a nearby studio with a decent engineer who will record for him. It's not that expensive.