how do you professionally record music on your own?

First you will need a mixing board. I prefer Mackies 24 + channels.

Depending on the size of the band, you will need mics, many mics. This depends also..that you can directly plug the guitars to the mixing board with an audio snake, saving $$ on mics. Drums need to be mic'ed.

Computer to record and / preferable Pro-Tools software.

Compressor, Reverb/delay effects and what not.

Or invest in a Digitally Recording unit, from Roland, Mackie.

There is so much to invest. I would definitely invest time first to list down what you want to do. Do you want record only live bands or to records any band with electronics / Dj's or what not. Once you have the list to go to your nearest music store and look around to what they have.

Good Luck

XGoz

Producer/Songwriter

I started recording my band's music with a simple setup. Some elements to look for when starting off are:

Audio Interface: The interface connects to your computer via Firewire or USB. Quality input for microphones and instruments. The Mbox2 by DigiDesign and M Audio Firewire Solo are 2 examples.

Recording Music Software: Load the software up and it should recognize your audio interface. Software with multitrack capabilities and having a nice assortment of plugins would be great. Some examples are : Pro Tools, Apple's Logic, Cubase...

Microphone: Find one that suits your needs. Some microphones can sound warmer for female vocals and some have other features. Find your fit. The microphone will input on your audio interface.

Monitors: Quality monitors are essential. You can edit all recordings easier. You will be able to hear the problem areas such as clicks and pops that aren't picked up as well on normal speakers. These monitors would connect to your audio interface.

The last part is the fun part, start recording.