Hi Mark,

Some responses to specific queries in your post:
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" You play from MidiNotate to your music keyboard; it sends audio back to your soundcard input line; and then you use a separate audio recording program to record the audio coming in on the soundcard input line. This does introduce signal noise, but the technique is quite adequate for many purposes....I'm wondering what the least expensive and/or easiest-to-use tool would be for recording the audio. Would the free Windows / Accessories / Sound Recorder work? "
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I was never able to persuade the free Windows / Accessories / Sound Recorder to record more than 1 minute (Windows 98). Perhaps there's a way, as with so many of Windows' arcane features, but I couldn't find it and there were easier and better solutions.

The original sound card in the office computer was a primitive ESS: tucked away in its driver disc was a complete recording/playing interface complete with equalisers, faders etc. In fact it was too fully featured, and a bit erratic, so I then used the much simpler recording program LPRecorder, a fully functional version of which came as (yes!) a free promotion on a disc attached to a computer magazine. But I needn't have spent the $A6 (about) in buying the mag, since the computer as it stood, using the sound card's program, was capable of recording for as long as the hard disk had room.

Signal noises, buzzes, clicks--I was happy with those recordings for a long time (until I finally bought decent studio earphones, in fact!) The original Internet Opera files which I put on mp3.com just before it died (no, they weren't responsible) were full of them, still managed a couple of thousand plays and the (very) odd CD sale...

The signal noise I try to reduce now by having the input signal high (volume cranked right up at the synthesiser) and will be attacking it post-recording with the free promotional Steinberg Clean (I've tried other freeware programs and they don't hack it, nor does the cleaner-upper that came with the Audigy card). But a crucial issue is the noise generated by the sound-card itself. THe old ESS hissed and spat like a bad-tempered feline. The Audigy has a very low internal signal to noise ratio. Professional level cards have even less, but you pay big money for it. My IBM laptop is somewhere in-between.
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" It is possible to accomplish a whole lot with just two things: (1) MidiNotate Composer, and (2) any sound card, such as SoundBlaster. If one has music keyboard skills, good keyboards with 60 (instead of 88) keys, and reasonable softness/loudness (MIDI velocity) sensitivity, can be purchased for as little as $100-$150(US). Starting with such a basic studio, one can then purchase more gear as one's needs and desires increase, if one's spouse allows such. "
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And yes, you're quite right: $US150 will buy a _good_ serviceable 60-key keyboard here. And almost everybody's home computer is more fully featured than mine now (sigh). And you may already possess adequate recording software lurking in the software that came with the computer or soundcard. All you need is the midi-adaptor (USB to midi will do for a new computer) and the audio feed lead, and you're away!

Regards
Tim

http://music.download.com/timfatchen
http://music.download.com/internetopera