Hi Ed, I'm a beginner too and I would recommend watching the videos - in particular video tutorial pak volume 1 and video tutorial pak volume 2. They'll give you a basic understanding of where the important stuff is and help to start you off.

If you want to be able to play your keyboard and record it into biab, you'll need to use a midi interface - midi out on the keyboard - midi in on your soundcard. Check your keyboard instructions to see if there's a midi out. Check the inputs on your soundcard to see if there's a midi in.

If you haven't got midi, you could still input melody and chords - but you'll have to do it by using the mouse for the melody - drawing the notes in via the notation window. The chords - you type in chord symbols into chord window. Both of these things are shown in the video tutorials. To print out leadsheets with chord symbols etc just go to the leadsheet window and click on print. Again the videos show you where this is.

To listen to the vast array of files, simply go to File/open and rootle through the bb directory - load them in and take a listen.

I know it looks daunting and initially seems like a festoonment of buttons, but I think it's well worth the effort at the beginning to sit and watch the vids. Especially if you're a visual learner!

Good luck!