Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Scott,
You can record guitars, voice etc only as audio. The DTXpress, most 
keyboards and various other devices can be recorded as audio or as 
MIDI (and then converted to audio for mixing). If you just want 
straight audio, you could consider a stand-lone unit like the Roland 
VS2480 or a Yamaha AW 4416. Initially expensive, but they do a lot 
with one box, so easy to set up and keep going. What they don't 
really do is MIDI. Assuming you want to do some MIDI recording (I use 
my DTXpress a MIDI controller in the "studio" a lot) then you need 
the power and flexibility of a computer based recording setup. This 
makes editing and managing your setup far easier, and is able to be 
configured to suit you.It can be cheaper to set up initially as well. 
The down side is that it can be a pain to get the system tweaked and 
working well and to keep it like that (no letting kids install that 
lastest cracked game on the Digital Audio Workstation!). You can, of 
course, use a Mac or PC as a DAW (I know nothing about Macs, though). 
Whichever you choose, get the fastest processor you can afford (not 
necessarily the fastest on the market - bang for the buck is 
important). More processor power = more audio tracks and more FX. 
Currently the Athlons are generally seen as better value for audio 
than Pentium IVs, but in six months? Choose a motherboard that siuts 
your CPU AND soundcard (some cards eg Creamware stuff has problmes 
with SOME Via chipsets). You'll need to research this. Then get as 
much DDR memory as you can stuff into the machine.
OK, software. I'm a Logic Audio user, but its not for everyone. Try 
to get a demo from magazines or off the sites of the main companies. 
Each company usually has a range of products from beginer to pro 
(with prices to match, say $100 - $700, but check a big store web 
site or catalogue for actual prices). Each program has its fans, but 
they all do fairly similar things, though in different ways, so its 
up to you to see what suits you. If you are serious though, none of 
the programs will be mastered overnight. RTFM!
Soundcards - the going standard is now really 24-bit (44.1 or 48kHz -
96kHz is too much outside a pro studio). There are new cards every 
month. How many inputs and outputs do you need? Depends on whether 
you intend to have a whole band record at once, or just one 
instrument. Also, how many external FX you want to run. More 
instruments or FX at once = more I/O. I work alone and find stereo 
I/O is usually sufficient. The Hoontech cards have good reports,  I 
have a Creamware Luna which I like, but avoid Soundblaster and 
clones - look to spending $300-400 up on a good card.
Lastly, if you have more than one MIDI device, get a MIDI interface 
(AMT8 from Emagic?), then get a mixing desk, then a patch bay, 
cables, software plug-ins, soft synths, a sampler, a bigger computer, 
a new house, new neighbours....
Welcome to home reccing!
cheers
tomr
--- In DTXpress@y..., "scott_klassen" <sklassen@u...> wrote:
> Thanks Tom!   
>    It's really hard for me to say how much I want to spend.  Since 
I 
> don't know the equipment I'll need and their associated prices.  
I'd 
> like to get some equipment that would be good enough to lay demo's 
> down.  I'm not looking to build the next great recording studio.  I 
> would just something better than the low end, but not too 
expensive, 
> somewhere in the middle.
> From reading your email, the main components are the (correct me if 
> I'm wrong):  The sequencer (software?), the soundcard and the midi 
> interface?  I've got all the outboard gear I'll probably need: 
> microphones, bass, guitar, oh and the DTXPRESS (don't wanna forget 
> that! :) )  Hope I gave you some more info to work with.  Thanks a 
> bunch!!
> 
> -Scott