We all have been exactly where you are now. You'll be zipping along in no time.

Don't be afraid to ask questions whenever you feel the need.

Basic explanation of MIDI-
It's like a TV; different things are on different channels to keep them separate.

GM mode simply sets a guideline for what channels and messages are standard. The 'standard' channel for drums is 10.
The rest of the other 15 channels can be used for whatever sound you want. But if you tell channel one that it is a piano, and then go to a different 'track' and try to use channel one again for a different sound, you will get problems. When the song sends a message to make channel 1 a piano, and then another message comes along saying channel 1 is bass .. the last message wins.

Since there are only 128 patch numbers and some synths have thousands of sounds, we have 'banks', which are groups of 128 or less sounds in addition to the standard GM sounds. Every synth will have different bank numbers for their extra sounds, since this is not part of the GM specifications. Those will be listed in the synths manual.

As long as you keep the idea of MIDI channels and the tracks in the program being two different things, it helps. Any MIDI channel can be used on any of the 48 tracks in RB. They are completely different things.
Then remember each sound needs its own MIDI channel so it does not interfere with the other sounds.

Most beginners with patch change problems have an error on the MIDI channel being used, or they have a second change in the song they forgot about. To see if that is the case, use the Event List (the 'E' icon in RB) to easily look at every MIDI event on a track. If the change keeps happening at bar 13, look at bar 13 and see why. Remember though; the patch change could be on any 'track'... since the track and the MIDI channel are two separate things. It is easy to accidently put a patch change for channel 1 on a track that was meant for channel 4...

I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!