Advice on setting up with TiBook, Been-there, done-that with a Powerbook? Options

[sambeau]

I've got a TiBook and have probably paid off enough now to get some Audo tools.

Does anyone have any advice?

I would like to do audio and MIDI, would like to portable and quiet and as near to professional as I can get without spending more than $1000 max. And preferably a lot less Buying abit at a time would also be better than having to shell out all at once.

Do I need an Audio card? How is USB Audio?

What should I do? What would you do if you were setting up today?

[sambeau]

Sorry. Should have been clearer.

I had a search for USB audio and the mac on these forums and didn't find much apart from avoiding the Midiman Quatro as the drivers don't work.

What I want to be able to do is quite simple really: Guitar, Vocals a few effects and a spot of midi with my old Korg 05rw. But mostly, fairly unsophisticated audio. From a bedroom, possibly when I'm on holiday or at a friends, one track (maybe two) at a time. I would like to be able to travel with the setup. Record the odd cello, bass and violin (but probably not at the same time). Apply a little bit of not-to-clever filtering and a spot of reverb etc and 'viola' dump to a cdr to impress my granny. Perhaps mp3 it and become an over-night-sensarion through my own 'underground' web site (that everybody goes to obviously). Nothing too abitious, you understand.

Something minimal (maybe even a little lo-fi), but if used correctly something better than demo quality.. you know - if I finally record that 'masterpiece' it can go straight to production

I don't have a lot of cash either (I spent it all on the mac) so I'm thinking that maybe I could get a decent mic one month (I quite fance a readaudio5), a USB audio device the next perhaps run ProTools LE or something similar (is there still a free ProTools out there?), then a MIDI box ... headphones etc.

Start out at the beginners level and gradually build up to a truly portable studio. All based around my TiPB.