Ok. Where Do I Begin? What Am I Missing? Huh?, Help computer music nOOb Options

[Wild Bill]

Hello all. I just joined today, and hope to expand my horizons from knowledge on this fine forum.

Ok, so I have a 12" Powerbook with the updated Garage Band 3 on it, and I also have the education version of Logic Express.

I also have a PC but since this is MacMusic, I'll just forget about it.

At this time, I do not have an medium for which to connect to the powerbook. A couple weeks ago a friend and I had a jam session and I basically plopped the powerbook down and used the onboard mic to capture what we had. (I know I know). Well, I recorded our songs using GB. Now I wanna clean them up, add some bass and maybe some drums. Ok, the clean up is ok, but when I try to play back the song and record a software drum thingy, there is some sort of weird delay and I cant get in time with the track. Very annoying. What am I doing wrong???

Ok, so I managed to get this track into Logic Express. No loops for some reason. Logic Express says it doesn't have any, even though I have access to them in GB. Anyway, using some AU and Logic filters, I got the track sounding ok.

Now it's time to start up a software dru set and lay down some tracks with my Powwerbook's keyboard's keys, right?>??? Wrong. I can't hear ANYTHING when I type on the keys for drum beats. Nothing at all. I can hear the track playing back but I cant hear myself play software drums. Tried all the software stuff in there and I can't hear any of it.


Ok, I am lost. Really lost. I was messing around with an OLD version of Cubase on the PC, and after it crashed a few times I gave up on it.

Anyway, I have no means to hook directly up to the POwerbook. As far as equipment, I've got three acoustic, one crappy electric, a vintage Fender Precision bass, an SWR California Blonde acoustic guitar amp, regular mike and stand, and a Behringer Eurorack, 8 channel powered mixer with phantom power for mics.

I've been reading around on the web and I've been hearing something about an M-Audio OZONE. Is this good for my needs??? I read the preamp on the thing wasnt good, but I can use the pre on my mixer instead. Also, I assume that since this thing looks like a musical keyboard I use that to do software instruments instead of banging away at my powerbook's keys??? It's a midi controller. I still have no idea what midi is or why I need it. I come from the good 'ol days for four-track cassette recording. That was seriously the last time I recorded something. Still have it laying around somewhere, and as a project I'd like to get those master tracks from there and get them into the computer.


Anyway.................. as you can see, I am lost and a bit overwhelmed. Should I get this Ozone thing? What about a Firebox? I've heard that pop up too. Reference monitors/???? Do I need these. I gather they get connected to the outs on your mixer/midi device. I've got a 5 speaker surround setup on my PC. I do have an older stereo that has two speakers. I could run an 1/8 stereo out from the Powerbook's headphone outs and use an 1/8 stereo to RCA adapter and plug it into that stereo. That would seem to be an economical alternative to studio monitors.


Anyway, any advice or prayers would be greatly appreciated. I really want to get back into making music again, but there is just SO much now! Gimme a four track and my nanoverb any day!! hahhahahaha

So, to recap:
what am I doing wrong in Garageband? Trying to do my down software drums I cant sync up, I'm "off"
Logic Express I cant hear any software drums, or bass, or any other instrument at all. It also tells me there are no plugins
Do I need the m-audio ozone? Is it good as an interface/midi controller?
Why do I need midi?
SHould I get studio reference monitors, or go the economical route I just explained before??

Many thanks for your replies!!!