Plug your audio interface into the appropriate port on your computer. A USB interface connects to the USB port, and a FireWire interface connects to the FireWire port. You can plug your instruments into your computer without the help of an interface, but an interface will give you the cleanest sound and allow you to connect the most equipment simultaneously and therefore is essential for professional music recording.
Connect your musical equipment to your interface. Plug in your microphones and instruments using the appropriate audio cables, and connect your studio monitors or other speakers to the “Output” or “Audio Out” ports. Plug in a pair of monitor headphones so you can listen to your recordings as you layer them.
Open your multitracking software. This includes most commercial digital audio programs, such as Logic Pro, GarageBand, Acid, FL Studio and Reason. Any audio editor will work as long as it features a multitracking interface. In other words, your main software window should include multiple recording spaces stacked on top of one another for layered recording.
Click “File” on your menu bar and select the “New,” “New Project” or “New Song” option to create your first song. A pop-up window might ask you a series of questions about your song, such as your desired title, tempo (speed) and pitch. Enter your desired information in each field and click the “OK” or “Create” button.
Record your first song. Highlight any blank track by clicking it once with your mouse, and then click the “Record” button. Begin playing your first instrument as the metronome ticks, and press “Stop” when you finish. For your first track, you might want to record a drum or percussion beat, as it will set the pace for the rest of your tracks.
Record the next instrument or voice by clicking another blank track, returning the cursor to the beginning of the timeline and pressing “Record.” Put on your monitor headphones and listen to your first track as you record the second, using the first recording as a guide. Repeat this process for each subsequent track until you have recorded every part.
Mix your song. With your first draft complete, balance your levels by adjusting the settings for each track. Move each volume fader so the bass, percussion, leads and vocals fit well together, with no sections drowning into the background or overpowering your mix. Use your EQ settings on each track to adjust your frequencies, adding extra bass or treble where needed. Using the “Effects” list, usually appearing under the menu bar or on the digital mixer, you can apply filters such as reverb, distortion, delay and echo, adding even more dimension to your song.
Save your song. On your menu bar, usually beneath the “File” menu, you should see an option that says “Export” or “Bounce” (an industry term for exporting a song in an audio format). Click the appropriate option and select your desired format from the list that appears. To maintain full quality, choose a lossless format such as AIFF, WAV or FLAC. For a smaller, compressed file, choose a format such as MP3 or M4A.
Repeat steps 4 through 8 for each song that will appear on your album. When you have a complete set, you can burn your album onto CDs using software such as iTunes, Nero, Toast or Windows Media Player, and submit it to record labels, present it to fans or send it to a professional CD replication company for mass production.