Anti 'Mac Rookie' Conspiracy?!?, Are 'Mac Rookies' generally ignored? Options

[originalmidiot]

I'm a fish out of water when it comes to Mac/Midi/Audio stuff and it seems that whenever 'newbies' ask questions, they generally don't get many replies. Is it my imagination or are the forums geared towards the hardcore techies? Am I taking t he wrong approach, and if so, what approach should I take? Or should I educate myself first and enter forums only when my knowledge level is increased? Like I said, I'm new to this so I'm not sure on the protocol. Thanks.

[DigitMus]

I think the problem is that the subject is so big & complicated that the task of answering such queries is daunting, to say the least. I suppose another factor is the perception that the questioner is being lazy by not doing some research first (there's a common saying in the world of professional audio & recording: RTFM - Read The F***ing Manual!). I haven't been reading the forums here for very long, so I don't really know how the attitude is here. I would suggest you try the forums at www.macfixit.com for any Mac related questions - they are very nice to beginners. For music making & recording, the expert forums at www.musicplayer.com are a very good place to start. Don't feel slighted or frustrated if your questions aren't answered right away, or if you don't get a lot of responses. All it takes is one right answer, and it may take days (or even weeks) for the right person to notice your question.
As far as a beginners tutorial for music on the Mac, you need to start by answering a question yourself - What do you want to be able to do with music on the Mac? Don't say 'Everything'; you have to start somewhere. Pick what is most important to you: learning an instrument? writing music scores? digital audio recording? MIDI sequencing? loop-based composition (hip-hop, electronica, etc.)?
Once you've answered this question for yourself, go to a fairly large music store and ask them to help you. They should have books, magazines like EQ, Electronic Musician, Recording, etc. They should also have someone on their staff who can answer your questions and make some suggestions. Buy an inexpensive application, or look for shareware ( try versiontracker.com) to get started with, as professional programs can be very expensive and confusing for a beginner.
I hope this has been some help to you. You can email me - DigitMus57@aol.com - if there's something I didn't cover in this post.
Scott