[Skinny]

well for a pro tools setup with a interface thatll run you about... hmm could prolly find it used for 250 ish, new u could spend between 3 or 4 hundred to 3 to 4 grand on the setup, but for a cheap solution i saw get a lexican interface and cubase le program thatll run u about 150 ish maybe 200 depending what interface you get, but with cubase ud be making the beats with the built in drum kit keyboards/synths kinda trickey if u dont know what u doing, prolly the best thing u could do is if theres a community college around you see if the have intro to electronic music as a class, theyll most likely give a copy of a good program and teach u how to use and its always good to learn...cause know is half the battle...captain planet!
neways yeah theres just alot of things u could do and could use so ill have to catch u on vent sometime soon and ill talk some shop with ya ;]
and i live in chicago