Starting From Scratch Options

[mpnow]

I want to get a software to start recording music, both virtual music and live, direct input (guitars, voices, even drums sometimes). I find Garageband pretty weak. Is it Pro Tools rather than Logic that I need ? Or something else?
(Please do not baffle me with talk of MIDI etc.)

I presume I also need to buy a soundcard (which will go in one of the empty PCI slots). If so, which one?

Does the fact that I am going to buy that Formac Studio TVR (or CANOPUS ADVC 110) to convert vhs to digital make any difference to anything?

[abcdaniel]

mpnow, have you got any other studio gear at the moment? mixers, mics, mic preamps or anything other?

the necessary things for recording into a computer is:
*a preamp (for microphones or if you record ie bass or guiter right into the computer, without a guitar/bass amplifier)
*an analogue/digital (AD) converter to get analogue sounds digitized
*a software to record to and edit your audio in

A basic soundcard is just an analogue/digital converter to get sounds into the computer, combined with a digital/analogue converter to get digital sounds out of the computer onto your speakers or headphones. Many of the musicoriented soundcards comes with built-in preamps, but again, some don't. The Mbox is attractive because it comes with good A/D D/A converters AND good preamps AND good software (Pro Tools), at a good price.

On the other hand, you could probably use the G5's internal soundcard (it's half decent) along with an external preamp (almost any mixer will have preamps) and some other cheapish software, to get started with computer recording,

On top of this you'll need a midi interface (to get midi-information into the computer) and some sort of midi keyboard.

On the other hand, most sequencer softwares let you "draw" your midiinformation in an edit window. Very theoretical, like writing scoresheets sort of, but then you don't need midiinterface or midikeyboard.
That's what I do, but then again, I'm very cut-and-paste-boom-bap

Hope this wasn't too much or too patronizing...just wanted to point out some of the basics. Tell us what kind of stuff you already have and what you are willing to spend!
Peace.