"...considering the surprisingly inexpensive technology now available, one could make a case that taking a wheelbarrow full of money to a recording studio in order to pay for something that you can do yourself for a fraction of the cost verges on the not-too-bright."

So hardware is all you need to create art? By that reasoning, all I'd have to do to be a world-class fiddler would be to buy an expensive instrument. I don't play fiddle now, but what the heck - it's just a matter of getting good equipment. Talent & practice have nothing to do with it. Right?

Making a GOOD recording requires more than just sticking a microphone in front of your instrument and pushing a button. A range of skills and talents are involved, and many of those are very different from what is required to perform. It's not just a matter of plunking down the money to buy the toys, and magically you'll get a high-quality CD. A recording engineer is a specialist artist. And just like performers you see at sessions, some engineers are good, a few are great, many yield results that are at best mediocre, and some "talk the talk" but can only produce cr*p.

Also, most homes are not the best spaces to get a good acoustic recording. The occasional toilet flush, distractions from family, or maybe just a room that is either too "dead" or has odd reverb... all add to frustration or distract from recording quality. It quickly becomes worthwhile to find a space that has been set up specifically for recording.

So let's say you have all the gear, and the space, and the skills to use it. Do you have enough hands and enough ears and enough concentration to be able to perform music at peak ability while also managing the recording process?

I've made a couple of home recordings on cassette (it was a few years ago) using a multi-track system. I put in a modicum of study into recording techniques, and quite a few hours of practice with the gear, so I'm talking from a little personal experience here. Although, of the categories I mentioned above, I know I'm pretty much at the "talk the talk but produce cr*p" level.

Yes, it is possible to create a not-too-horrid home recording with a modest investment of money, time, and education. But it takes specialized gear and a LOT of expertise to get the best possible results, especially from acoustic instruments & vocals. For some people, the results are worth paying for.

BTW, I do plan on getting a new multi-track recording system & a moderately decent mic or two in the near future - but that will only be for practice/rehearsal and for developing multi-instrument arrangements so if I decide that I want to go into the studio someday I'll be better prepared. I have more respect for my potential audience than to think I can achieve excellence in the recording art without a lot more work.

Val