Help needed for composing/mixing/recording on a PC

[progressoid]

Here's the deal. We have 10 and 14 yr olds that are quite talented (piano, clarinet, bass, French horn) and I'd like to expand their experience a bit more.

So I'm looking for some inexpensive/free ware for PC. Funds are TIGHT now so, I can't shell out a bunch of money on expensive peripherals. We do have an older MIDI keyboard that I think might be usable too.

Now that I think about it, I may have to find a decent book on this so I don't get frustrated and screw up the family computer too. Any reading suggestions? Maybe online tutorials?

Thanks!

[johnnie]

1. A few links

Here is a free multi-track software. I never used it, but found it while looking for things.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

This site has a lot of freeware and shareware programs.
http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/

And here is a decent site to look in to. I used to go here a lot.
http://homerecording.com/index.html

I hope some of this helps.

[progressoid]

2. Ya, thanks.

looks like some weekend research for me.