Russ, you're already set. This is very simple at least to start. Your laptop is your audio player and Biab interface. I'm assuming for midi sounds you're just using whatever came with your laptop. That is called the Coyote wavetable. Doesn't sound very good. From PG's homepage download and install the Forte Dxi softsynth. It's a fully functioning demo for 30 days and then if you like it it's $40. That's what I used for several live Biab gigs I mentioned. It is plenty good enough for you right now, don't think about buying anything else until you've played around with the Forte first. You may be surprised how good it is and decide that's all you need.

You put that Radio Shack mini plug stereo splitter into your headphone output of the laptop and run the two cables to your amp. Make sure the volume slider in your Windows audio mixer in your laptop is up full. The laptop is playing Biab and using the Biab on screen mixer you have complete control over individual instrument volumes and eq. Using a mouse, trackball or touchpad to adjust those while you're sitting and playing is a bit awkward but once you've set the levels for a few songs you should be good for everything else. You'll soon learn what the sliders in the mixer should look like. Since you're running Biab anyway, go ahead and mix some all midi songs with some all RT songs and some combination midi/RT songs. Piece of cake.

After you've done that for a few gigs, you may decide you don't like having your laptop running Biab live on stage with you but by then you know how to mix the songs for the venue and you can then use the laptop to create MP3's and use it to create song lists and play the MP3's. No need to run Biab live if you don't want to and if you don't want the laptop on stage in any capacity then pick up a stand alone MP3 player.

Bob

Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.