I've just been through a search, and found no one's had much to say about recording their music since 2005, so maybe it's time for a new discussion.

Do you record your singing and playing directly through a mic plugged into your computer? Use a seperate digital set-up? Some other method?

What kind of software do you use to 'play' with the sounds you make?

I'm fishin' here, got all kinds of Christmas present computer power at my fingertips and want to know where I can go past the 99 cent mic and Windows Sound Recorder - which even that sounds a lot better on the new baby.