Recording Keyboards + Guitar

[8fingermadness]

Hey I'm new to this forum and new to this whole recording thing.
I'm primarily a guitar player but geting a keyboard soon....
If i wanna record guitar and keyboard using the same interface, what interface should I get? Nothing too fancy and too expensive....less than $1k.

And and... about microphone inputs and stuff...why are some mic inputs on interfaces
with the 3 holes? And then the Presonus Firebox's mic input is different? What's the diff? Can both connect to the same mic? like Shure Sm57??

sorry for the many questions but please help!

 

[iansoh]

mobile recording or home studio? sounds like you'll only need at most a 4-in 4-out card. m-audio delta 44 or audiotrak maya44 will be good enough. you can even get away with a 2-in 2-out. there are MANY on the market. you can do your own product research on musiciansfriend.

mic inputs with "3 holes" are XLR inputs. these usually are able to provide phantom power for your condenser mics. those with standard 1/4" inputs are usually balanced inputs. i.e, you will need a special cable which is XLR at one end to plug into the mic, and the TRS 1/4" on the other end to plug into the soundcard(looks like a 1/4" stereo plug but carries a mono signal).
if i'm not mistaken the 1/4" ones don't provide phantom power, you might have to use an external power source for that. e.g, mixer. nonetheless, any mic will be able to plug into any mic input as long as u have the right cables.