In order to track music in the digital age, you must have the correct software. There are many commercially available software suites that will accomplish this task. Although the industry standard is Pro Tools, programs such as Nuendo, Cubase and Cakewalk are all very popular choices. All these programs have built-in mixers for your convenience.
Another aspect of this process is the inclusion of a sound card. A computer sound card is usually a break-out box hooked to the computer through the USB or Firewire port. This sends the individual sounds, or tracks, to the computer for later mixing. These can vary by manufacturer and overall amount of individual tracks.
Some music engineers still use analog equipment to record music, which is similar to digital equipment but uses a tape machine and stand-alone mixer. The tape machine is able to record each individual performance as a track unto itself using a very sophisticated tape recording head.
Once the software or analog tape machine and mixer are set, you can begin by recording. You want to record all the tracks separately so that you can adjust the volume of each track while mixing them together.
Drums are the heart of most music genres and usually are recorded first, using real drums, a drum program or drum machine.
After recording the drums, you can lay down any bass tracks. The bass can be recorded direct into the digital recorder or with a microphone placed on a speaker cabinet. The performer would play to the prerecorded drum track and the bass would be recorded on a separate track.
Next, record the guitar and keyboard tracks. They usually make up the rhythm of the song and add elements of melody.
Recording the vocals can be the most important step. The vocals of the song are the most noticeable and can truly add flavor to the song. The vocals are the most recognized aspect of a song and their clarity when recorded is a must, so a great deal of time may be spent on their tracking.
When you have finished recording the separate instrument and vocal tracks, adjust their sound levels so that you are satisfied with the overall mix, then record the final mix to a master stereo track.