A NEW STAR IS BORN!

First of all get yourself a good and strong computer, because you'll need a lots of raw CPU strength for realtime mixing. Also if you use mor than 10 channels in some mixing software like Cubase and you add, let's say 2 effects per channel you might see your computer cry like a newborn baby. So get yourself a dual core processor, at least 1GB of RAM, and what's most important-a good soundcard. If you think you can do ANY work on those integrated shit on your mainboard you are dead wrong!

Second of all, no matter how much you like waching movies and playing games in 5.1 surround system, NEVER use 5.1 or 7.1 surround cards for music production. The good ol' stereo is unbeatable when it comes to music. For total begginer some soundblaster Live! Or some similar soundcard will do the trick, but later you'll need to upgrade your «studio».
If you have some expirience in music production I'll recomend M-audio 1010 soundcard….it's not so sofisticated as, let's say creative's E-MU 1616 or even old Terrqatec EWS 88mt, but it will amaze you with great music reproduction to even 24Khz. Also get yourself (if u can, because they cost A'LOT) a pair of stereo monitors like JBL LSR 4300 series. They are, beside your soundcard, the most important part of your hardware ,'cause they come with a little microphone that measures the acustics of the room, thus giving you a perfect and flat sound every time. If u can't afford them buy yourself a pair of «upper middle class» speakers and apropriate amplifier. If you intend to make electronic music based on software and eventual MIDI keyboard ONLY, then you don't have the need for the mixer. But, if u intend to use some external instruments (like Bass guitar) I reccomend getting some mixer like Mackie Onyx 1620 b16-Channel Analog Mixer with FireWire I/O Option.

Now that we spend a lot of cash on hardware, let's spend some more on software. For electronic musicians, but also for those who use just a touch of electronic sounds I strongly reccomend Propellerhead's Reason (any version will do for begginer). It has everithing You need for electronic music production becaouse it's a software simulation of a REAL dream mashine that exists somewhere in Finnland. Loop players, samplers, mixers, drum mashines, a few versions of synthisyzers and a shitload of effects-everything can be found in this amaizing piece of software. But when it comes to mastering; Cubase is still unbeatable with a wide spectar of possibilities; and check this out: with a ReWire (computer app) u can merge those two together (Reason and Cubase) into one mothaf****ing program with possibilities u cant even use all during a single lifetime. I strongly reccomend Propelerhead ReCycle loop maker and ofcourse Sony Soundforge editing software. But we will come to that later. This is all for now, so get your wallet and go to the nearest music and computer shop, and remember- if u try to be cheap you'll end up with cheap sound too.