You don't need to go to an expensive studio to record, mix, and master a song that millions of people can hear. To record a song, you need to have: 1. DAW: A Digital Audio Workstation, or a piece of software that you can use to record your vocals/instruments, edit the sound, and then mix the final version of the song. 2. Microphone: You can't record a song without having a microphone; you don't need a high-end one; you can buy a cheap condenser microphone and get to business. 3. Sound Card: If you want to have a quality sound card, your recording won't sound professional as you probably want it to; that's why getting a sound card is a must.