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Hey there,

Here are a few things that might be helpful.

1 - Get a percussion mallet. Essentially a stick with a ball on the end. The ball should be hard drubber and not wood or felt. Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Shappy-Mallets-Glockenspiel-Sticks-Percussion/dp/B075LN9V1L

2 - Buy a cheap violin or cello bow...don't spend too much.
This would probably be fine. https://www.amazon.com/Violin-Stunning-Carbon-Fiber-Violins/dp/B01J19ABGI

3 - Buy some rosin for the bow, you'll need it!

Practicing:
First, just start with the mallet. Get a drone/single note playing on your phone or on a keyboard with a note that is loud enough for you to hear well. Try and play the note on the saw by striking the blade with the mallet and bending the saw into an S-shaped curve. Bend up into the note from below, then bend down into the note from above. Do that a bunch, then change the note and do it with a different note.

After you can do that reliably for different notes, try playing a simple melody with the drone...twinkle twinkle, silent night, etc...keep the drone going and really listen, try to stay in tune as best you can.

Once you get a sense of how to find notes when playing with the mallet, try out the bow. Make sure to rosin up the bow pretty good as it will give the bow more bite on the blade. Focus on keeping the bow perpendicular to the flat (non-teeth) side of the saw. Play a note and let it rig by talking the bow off the blade. Practice playing a major scale (do that with the mallet too).

Take care to keep your left hand relaxed (the hand on the tip of the saw blade) it's so easy to create a lot of tension in your body when first learning, and you want to be relaxed. Also, when you bend the saw into the S-curve shape, it doesn't have to be bent too much....again, just try to keep your hand/arm relaxed. Try to find the minimum amount of pressure/tension that you need to get a good sound.

Also, very important, it's fucking tiring at first, so limit your practice time to 10 minutes. Listen to your body. If your hand is hurting, take a break.

I taught myself from this book about 25 years ago, might be a good place to start for you. Fair warning, the book is super cheesy with lots of bad saw-related puns. But it has all the info you need on how to get started. https://www.amazon.com/Scratch-My-Back-Pictoral-History/dp/096208820X

Finally, here's a little arrangement I made of Are You Lonesome Tonight with a saw/saxophone accompaniment, came out pretty good!
https://soundcloud.com/andrewinnes/are-you-lonesome

Here's anther arrangement I did of a hymn: https://soundcloud.com/andrewinnes/doxology

Have fun!

I can help if you are using an iPhone. I believe garageband is free and records multitrack full quality with decent editing and mixing options. You can even use 3rd party plugin apps! You'll need an USB adaptor to connect an audio interface. you'd be best with this usb adaptor because it also get's power from your charger. This does two things for you, 1) your iPhone won't die on you 2) your iphone will have enough power for the interface. Then you can get something like this behringer. Then all that's left is grabbing a few SM-57 mics, or a shure drum mic kit](https://www.amazon.com/Shure-DMK57-52-Drum-Microphone-Kit/dp/B0002E51C6) to get a usable recording. Toss the big one on your kick, then one 57 on the mic, and then the other two over head pointing at your cymbals and toms. this set up will allow you to get pretty decent recordings, especially if your kit is in a good sounding space. Alternatively you can get an omni/stereo mic for iOS and mess around with placement to get a passable sound. This is cheaper, and still good enough for a more vintage vibe

That mic should be okay for vocals or for guitar. Your mileage may vary as to whether it's any good at picking up both at the same time.

To record anything, you'll need an interface (something which takes the 'audio equipment' connector from the mic - use the XLR - and turns that into 'computer friendly' connector like USB). As you're doing the podcast, you want an interface with at least 3 inputs, which realistically means 4 - something like the Behringer 404. I was shopping recently and found the Akai EIE was regularly going used for sub-£100 on ebay here in the UK.

Make sure all your mics are analogue like that one is, USB mics are available and some of them aren't bad for one person to record, but you get latency issues using multiple USB mics to record a podcast (been there, done that. We should have gone analogue and got a 4-input interface or mixer).

You'll also need a DAW (digital audio workstation) software. Audacity is free, works on Windows, is basic. Reaper is also free (I think), also Windows, more functionality, bigger learning curve.

Hello mate!

From an absolutely newbie point of view looking to record some vocals and a guitar can EASILY be done by 'just plugging it in and starting to record.'

You need a Laptop which you have, some software like Audacity (which is free) some headphones, and a microphone.

The microphone you posted requires an audio interface with phantom power which will cost you somewhere between 50-100. Considering its not a very good microphone I would recommend looking at either:

USB microphones for ease of setup, no additional hardware needed like this-

https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-FIFINE-Computers-Podcasting-K670/dp/B079HRFH2Y/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1538688598&sr=8-10&keywords=usb+microphone

OR

A bundle with everything you would need to be a bit more serious like this-

https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Studio-Interface-Recording/dp/B01E6T54E2/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1538688671&sr=8-10&keywords=microphone+bundle

There can be more complications if for example you want to record a podcast in the same room to the same laptop.

Those links I posted are examples, not recommendations. If you can give some more information on your likely setup, your laptop specs, any software you've used before, any other hardware you have (like headphones), your budget etc... I'm sure someone could give you a better answer/recommendation.

Awesome! I already have some headphones, and I’m looking at thisamazon listing for that interface... looks like it already comes with 3 mic cables, unless I’m missing something?

You all have been super helpful, thanks again. Is there a more applicable subreddit for me to ask questions in once I’m pulling my hair out trying to set this all up?

You’re probably looking for something like this

SANOXY USB MIDI Cable Converter PC to Music Keyboard Window Win Vista XP, Mac OS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017H4EBG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_61p6BbNFA45J0