Today, it's easy for practically everybody to start a homegrown recording studio with just a few items of equipment. As long as you have a running pc, some sort of instrument, and a MIDI controller you can rock out. Here are the steps to connecting an M-Audio MIDI to your Notebook or Mac so you can create and record songs.

You'll want to hook up an audio interface to your laptop. This is the device that you'll plug your equipment into. You can buy one of these online or at a music or electronics showroom. Even Craigslist should have some.

Link your M-Audio MIDI keyboard or other device to the computer audio interface. Just make sure it's joined to the right port or it won't operate.

After that, linkup your instruments to the interface. You'll almost certainly see something that says "Input" or "Audio In" on top of the port for the instruments.

Hook up your speakers using the output ports on the device. These can be any kind of speakers they don't have to be oversize.

If you're going to record your guitar with the MIDI, you'll have to observe a few steps to make sure the whole thing is set up correctly.

Here's how to get set up for recording:

Plug in an instrument cable to your guitar, and subsequently plug in the other end to the keyboard's interface panel

Open up your recording software whatever it is-and get going on recording a track. Now, you should be able to listen to the sound of the guitar coming all the way through on the MIDI

Just punch the record push button on your computer and begin playing

Use the MIDI to append other instrumental sounds if desired

Then you should be equipped to rock out. Make sure your sound levels are adjusted correctly so you don't blow your eardrums out! You can use the M-Audio MIDI keyboard to deliver notes from the instrument to the pc. You'll be able to synthesize all kinds of fresh effects once you find out how to navigate your MIDI device. Have fun experimenting and don't be scared to check out different things.