thanks man! ok for starters, is the bundled software program (Ableton Live Lite) ok na for recording my own tracks? i have a friend who has been telling me to try Cool Edit but yun nga, ang experience ko lang sa recording is via Microsoft Sound Recorder and 1/4" to 1/8" microphone cable na puro noise hehe.. i want a program that isn't that hard to use but is dynamic and can record well. mahirap ang buhay engineer e, kaunti na nga ang practice time ko, tapos mababawasan pa lalo sa learning time sa recording 
perhaps someone can chip in re Ableton as i haven't tried them pero suggestion ko dun ka na mag-aral sa medyo mainstream product like Cool Edit or Cakewalk, which is what i am learning on now. madali lang naman siya (one pass thru the tutorial and i was already recording) and at least you know you can do a lot (dynamic). it also records well and interfaces w/ a lot of apps. pero i need to get Fruity Loops also to get drum tracks down. seems easy enough, judging from the descriptions and testimonials.
once you get going, you'll be focusing on the music in no time. it feels liberating to finally be able to put "pen to paper", so to speak and record ideas and construct songs w/ the pc-based home recording software and modellers.
