Pre-usb Keyboards And Usb/fiwi Audio Interface, will all keyboards work as a controller? Options

[amswineh]

As I begin to piece together some equipment for composing music, I've decided my first hardware buys are:

MIDI controller keyboard
Audio (USB or FireWire) interface (1/4" inputs, MIDI, XLRs, etc)
Studio Mic

and I'll go from there with appropriate software.

But I was wondering: I could get a USB controller keyboard. But since I am going to get some sort of audio interface (say a Tascam US-122 or M-Audio 410), do the MIDI inputs transfer through the USB/FiWi. For example, if I want to hook up an old pre-USB keyboard via MIDI, will the hardware properly transfer the MIDI calls from the keyboard and send through USB/FiWi to the computer? And will any MIDI keyboard work? Any problems you see with this setup? Did I just confuse the hell out of you?

Also, I need more information on the "debate" between USB and FireWire audio interfaces. I know which one is the best, but it's also the more expensive, and I'm pretty low on money at the moment.

just a caveman,
alphonse

[sethjacquay]

okay, i recorded some (not all) of the effects you can
record using my acoustic electric guitar in Garageband.

i am not really a guitar player, i mostly just use it
as a rhythum section for song writing. but this example,
made in about five minutes, should prove the point that
the same guitar can sound quite different in this
relatively cheap program. Obviously with a Compressor
and an Equalizer you could adjust the audio and
make it sound a little nicer.

Effects used are:
No Effects
Arena Rock
Bright Country
British Invasion
Classic Rock
Dreamy Shimmer
Indie Rock

http://www.paintthesky.org/mojimg/GuitarChecks.mp3

Granted I don't think it really would be sufficient for
pro use, but it is a nice novelty for home studio
recording.