PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
| Type | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i3-4170 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor | $112.99 @ NCIX US |
| Motherboard | ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $67.89 @ OutletPC |
| Memory | PNY XLR8 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $73.24 @ Amazon |
| Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $64.68 @ OutletPC |
| Storage | Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $43.20 @ SuperBiiz |
| Case | NZXT Source 210 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case | $32.40 @ SuperBiiz |
| Power Supply | Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | $39.99 @ Newegg |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 OEM (64-bit) | $89.99 @ NCIX US |
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts | ||
| Total | $524.38 | |
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-09-04 14:49 EDT-0400 |
This is what I have so far. I have not selected a sound card yet, because they are really specific to what you need to do. Is your dad going to line in a guitar or mic to record? Or is he just making music with samples and using another studio set up to record?
Honestly you may be better off with something along the lines of an external audio interface rather than a card.