What the absolute beginners PT set-up these days?

[manyrains]

What's the least expensive, lowest end set-up for me to get my 10 year-old grandaughter so she can start recording herself. I may be overshooting, but 1) she's really got "it" (not just proud grandpa talking), and 2) I don't really want to mess with having to learn how to use Garageband or Audacity myself were I to get her going in something like that. I'm thinking the cheapest M-box thingy or whatever it is these days, show her mother to get into sessions, and may as well get her started right. They've got a 3 year-old PC available to use. Don't have the specs but she's supposed to be sending that info. Realistic? Or too much trouble? BTW, my daughter has a decent digital piano she can use for controller, and I'll get her a mic.

[Darryl Ramm]

10 year old... you already named it. Garage Band. She can teach you how to use it if you have problems And she would probably love that she can work on a simple portable iPad. Lots of reasobable interface options that work there and on Mac and PC. Apogee would be my first stop if using an iPad.

3 Year old PC, Have them send you a Ssndra report. That is likely a good intro to them using and needing to support Pro Tools.

What is your budget? Pro Tools First is a waste of space. Pro Tools Standard and an interface will cost you ~$1k plus a mic etc. Buy her an iPad and small interface and mic and she will be much better off, and can use the iPad for much more.

[Benoni]

Focusrite makes some all-in-one kits with an interface, mic, headphones, like this

Or the NI Komplete Audio 6 is on sale for $199 right now and has more IO, but you would need to buy a mic and other stuff. There are plenty of other low price interfaces out there.

As for Pro Tools, you could try buying a subscription for a couple months if you are not sure if she would take to the "Pro Tools way".

I would respectfully disagree with getting an iPad. A Surface Pro 3 or 4 would be more useful since it is a full computer in tablet form. You can run any DAW on it and are not confined to limited apps in a store.

The 3 year old PC will probably run Pro Tools...how well is another story. Depends on the specs. If you need to purchase a computer you could go with a refurbished MacBook Pro, they are cheaper, or go for a newer i5 minimum Windows Laptop or desktop.

You could always have them try the Pro Tools 11 trial on their current PC if you provide them with an iLok v2. Use ASIO4ALL if they don't have an ASIO interface yet.

[Darryl Ramm]

The benefit of an iPad is it is not a fully featured PC and software is easy to use and just works, and Garageband costs nothing extra.

I haves some experience teaching students in lower/middle school (non-music more computer science/computational thinking lab classes) with iPads. They will often take to the iPad very quickly compared to a PC or Mac. If your Grandaughter is already super comfortable on the PC and she has access to it where/when needed then that is less of an issues. I would forget any scenario that needs parents to help do stuff more than once for her. Give kids the tools and get out of the way.

A teenager with a band who wants to do more serious recording, or somebody interested in a professional career, whole different answer. A 10 year old interested in music who you want to encourage creativity with.... iPad would seriously be my first choice.