Bobby,
My opinion, okay? Absynth is wonderful if you are doing abstract sounds, pads, synth leads etc. If you want a fiddle, or a mandolin, skip it. Secondly, if you aren't a keyboard player, why get a keyboard? You said you're a 'hunt and peck' type player, so, instead of that, why not just use the piano roll feature to 'play' the notes you want, instead of trying to play them on a keyboard? Especially if you're not a good keys player. Now, if you're being self deprecating, and you can play, then a keyboard is the way to go.

Since both Band In A Box and Real Band are still built around the idea of General MIDI, if you decided to get the Absynth, you would need to make sure that it was set up for General MIDI. If you get the Ketron, as suggested earlier, it already is, plus there are patch maps for it already, just drop and go.

The small mixer, the Behringer is a great little mixer, is a good idea, but I would get rid of the Creative card, and get an M-Audio 2496. Won't do 7.1 surround sound when you're fighting the Horde in WOW, but dollar for dollar, nothing does audio as well bang for the buck wise.

All of this, and a good set of powered monitors to listen to the mix, and you're there.

Regards,

Gary

I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!