I'm an experienced analog recordist, sound engineer, and musician, but PC recording was about to get the best of me. So I broke down and bought PC Recording Studios for Dummies. A few nights of study and things became clearer. I paid around $22; it's currently available for $15.

Don't spend any money until you feel certain you understand exactly what you are trying to do and how you want to accomplish it. You are in one of the best possible communities for learning. Keep asking questions and do some reading and things will begin to make sense.

R.

P.S.: The book title is a link to amazon.com.

"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."