Protools--vs--????, lost in the digi jungle----HELP!! Options

i am starting from the ground up with a home studio ....i definitly want a mac i have my own website and as well as being a musician/composer...im also an artist

what i need to know is basicaly this;;

what is the best and most cost efficant way to build a home studio that will be album quality and provide me with the warmth i enjoyed with 24 track 2'' tape --is this possible on a budget of a few grand or am i fooling myself??--------is protools the right way to go and what kind of mac is best 4 what im doing-----HELP PLEASE---

[Presto]

So, you want to set up a studio from scratch(?) and produce CDs and sell them from your web site.

You've got a budget of a few thousand $, and need to:
buy a mac, + an external hard disk, and good mic(s), and something to power the mic(s) and convert A/D, buy headphones and monitors, and improve your recording environment (that can be the biggest cost by far), maybe buy instrument(s), get a credit card payment page on your site, cigarettes, beer, even food sometimes....

I don't want to sound ungrateful for the advice of the biggies (I love it when they get their knickers in a twist), but I think they don't fully understand us littlies.

When you come back from your holiday, Midnight, if you want more specific help you should provide more info:

Do you still have that 24 track tape? And what else have you got? (Your PC maybe ok)
Do you want audio and/or MIDI?
Can you hear planes/birds/trucks/dogs/tractors where you want to record?
How many inputs do you need at the same time? I mean, are you the sole provider of input?

I started from scratch with a similar budget, only needing two audio inputs. I've now got an Mbox/PT based set-up. The quality of the Focusrite stuff is definitely not the weakest link in my chain. Even if the final quality I produce is a bit dirty by pro standards, as my music is (of course) better than the rest on my target market, it will sell millions from my brilliant future website!! Na!!!

I chose PT partly because I can send my final efforts to a pro for tidying up. I can't afford biggies' stuff at home, but I can afford a bit of help from one (wink, wink).

I get the impression I've already said this somewhere else. Perhaps I should write an article "Know-Nothing Musician Gets Equipped For Making Hit Records - Resources: musical genius (hum!), a few thousand euros, and MacMusic buddies"

Perhaps I should wait for midnight before starting.

Er, article, Midnight, no reply, journalist!!!!!!!!!! Hey, damn, merde, hilhe de puta!!!

Answer truthfully, Midnight. Did you only start this forum to get input for an article in MacTwirled where you're a paid journalist? If so, you'd better give MacMusic a good write-up. We've got some real meanies in sheep's (and monkey's) clothing here. Miss Kiki, are you ready?

Hum! Going neurotic! Better get some sleep.