If you are a piano player, you will want a 88 note weighted, hammer action slab style keyboard or a digital piano. Something that 'feels' like a real piano. You cannot change how it feels or how it looks. All of the digital pianos will will have some on board sounds so you can also play w/o a computer hooked up. When it is connected with a computer and a DAW, the sounds available are only limited by the software you have. 
 
I would also recommend having a smaller synth type keyboard for edits and for recording other sounds such as bass, lead lines, violins etc. I found using a fully weighted keyboard (piano) cumbersome for recording these sounds, so I have an M Audio Keystation 49ex. Inexpensive, full size keys and touch sensitive. Lots of choices in this category. You might like a keyboard with little drum pads for instance to input your own drum patterns.
 
AFA a DAW goes, lots of advise and opinions above. Personally, I'm a huge Sonar Platinum fan and have used it pretty much exclusively. So no opinion on other DAWS.

No, I don't think it's to much for one that is serious about investing in a DAW.
 
The price of the recording software such as Sonar Platinum is relatively a cheap component in the system. Of course that depends on how far one is going to take it.
Personally that part of the DAW is such a low percentage of my investment that if I cared to I could try out others that have been mentioned. Man, Spectrasonics stuff alone was $1,200.00 or more...best I recall so yeah, the recording software prices are a good deal IMO. Trying one is not that much of gamble to find out what you like best and I don't think Sonar is a gamble at all.
 
I can't compare Sonar to others - I've never used anything else. I can say it amazes me what it offers for the money and has more abilities than I use.
 
The cool thing is if one goes with Sonar Platinum that part of the DAW is taken care of so you're free to focus on other areas.
 

Is Sonar Platinum Too Much for A Beginner?
 
If you dive in at the deep end and try to learn things on the fly then yes.
 
On the other hand, if you take your time, work through the tutorials, watch instructional videos and read as many articles as you can, then no.
 
Sonar is a very complex, deep program that requires you to invest an appropriate amount of time in order to learn it, a bit like learning an instrument.

tlw
As for keyboards, I'd suggest considering a MIDI controller rather than a workstation. A DAW is a far superior workstation in many, many ways to a keyboard one. Better display, better and easier navigation, less menu-diving and it's much easier to edit MIDI and audio in a computer.

Tunerman
If you are a piano player, you will want a 88 note weighted, hammer action slab style keyboard or a digital piano. Something that 'feels' like a real piano. You cannot change how it feels or how it looks. All of the digital pianos will will have some on board sounds so you can also play w/o a computer hooked up.

 
Agree you don't need the recording/editing/producing capabilities of a workstation when you have a software DAW. And since you're a piano player, you'll want to get a keyboard synth or digital piano with a weighted hammer action (Roland G is great) and some essential controller features as opposed to a pure MIDI controller keyboard. This will add to your palette of sounds, and give you the ability to just turn on the keyboard and play without booting up the DAW or to take the keyboard to another venue if the need ever arises. It'll also teach you some of the old-school skills of working with external hardware sound sources which will help clarify the relationship between MIDI and audio and their respective routing and track controls in SONAR.
 
I got on board at Cakewalk 2.0 for DOS, and learned everything along the way as the technology evolved, which is certainly the easier route. If I had to learn a DAW from scratch today I think I would want to spend a couple-few hours with an experienced MIDI user to give an overview of the concepts and demonstrate the key workflows of recording, arranging, editing and mixing MIDI-based music. But being a techie - as many of us are - you should be able to get there pretty quickly on your own by following Cakewalk tutorials and Youtube videos and posting questions here (or Googling keywords against site:forum.cakewalk.com). This forum is worth its weight in gold as a learning tool.

Consider the Casio PX-5. It has a surprisingly good keybed and even a decent piano and a capable synth section. It's very light and affordable too.

before jumping in to any pool, always test the water with your toe.
download the free trial and see for yourself.
 
welcome to the best forum on the planet.
(I say this because I believe the planet Mars may have a better forum)

All - I sincerely appreciate all of the friendly advice that has been proferred here. I'm amazed at the disparate opinions on things. This is interesting to me as technology and software do not intimidate me, but I have zero background in recording.
I do understand the importance of having a good computer to run the DAW. I build my own computers (don't judge), so that will generally not be an issue. My current rig is an overclocked Core I7 with 32 GB of RAM. I'll probably build another computer at Christmas, due to my other hobby (Flight Simulations, again, please don't judge). I'm a PC (and Android) guy, so Ipads and Macs do not interest me.
What everyone relayed about the Artist, Pro, and Platinum sharing the same basic characterstics makes sense. On that note, perhaps SPLAT is the way to go. I have downloaded and played with all the trials, but again, I don't really know which one would "fit" my workflow. (TBH, I'm not even sure what that means.) I do like the look and feel of the Sonar and Studio One products better than Reaper.
 
I did grow up playing the piano(started lessons at age 5, hated it for years until high school. That's when I figured out that girls really dug a guy that could play the piano. I learned every Chicago and Journey song on the planet then - OK, go ahead and judge on that one). I still have a piano, but play it rarely - I'm more interested in syntheizers and sounds now. I've thought about a Midi controller only, but I do want the flexibility to just turn it on and play, and not need to worry about the computer and DAW. So I have rather limited myself to keyboard workstations. I agree, the "workstation" aspect will not be all that useful, but, to be honest, I can amuse myself for months on "learning" it. I have a local dealer that has both the FA-08 and MOX8 - I do prefer the FA-08 "feel" a bit better, but I am not opposed to either. The Yamaha seems more popular, though I don't really know if that matters. Is there such a thing that is not a workstation, that has 2000 or so sounds, and has 88 keys? I can start looking into that, unless someone knows offhand. I only have room for one keyboard (and I am set on 88 key), otherwise I might look at two different types were suggested (Digital piano + smaller midi controller).
 
I appreciate the groove3.com and video suggestions. I'll probably buy a video or two. On that note, are those better than the videos that are sold on the Cakewalk store?
 
A note on the interfaces. I posted a similar question on the Homerecording BBS, but got VERY confused on the answers. Both the FA-08 and MOX8 have built in audio interfaces. However, everyone seemed to think that buying an external interface (like the Komplete Audio) was better due to Latency. Is this true? I believe I could do basic recording (sounds from the keyboard) as well as Midi through the USB connection of the keyboard. Is latency an issue there? If I connect things that way, I plug the monitors (or headphones) directly into the keyboard. Can I hear the virtual instruments in this configuration?
 
If I have an AI, I assume I connect both the lineouts and midi out of the keyboard into the Audio interface, as well as the monitors. In this configuration, I assume there is no need for a USB connection to the computer? Also, in this configuration, you set up your DAW to use this interface, and not the Creative Z that I already have?
I was looking specifically at the Komplete Audio product, as it does include Kontakt as well as several gig of sounds. I thought it may be a good introduction to VST instruments and Midi.
 
One final question.  On the Cakewalk site, they are advertising SPLAT with lifetime for $499;  however, when I log in and put it in my cart, it shows a price of $525.  Any reason why?
 
Again, my sincere thanks to each of you who has responded with advice.

About the interface.
I can be wrong, but I think Komplete Elements (official not discounted price $49) coming with Komplete Audio should not be the major decision factor. And whatever someone can claim, you can start using Sonar with any interface. Creative Z has ASIO drivers, the latency should not be an issue (I have old XFi Gamer, no latency problem). Creative has 2 disadvantages over "musical" interfaces: no pre-amps (essential for mic and guitar, unsure about MOX, probably it should more or less work with line level) and a bit different sound quality / can be noisy (was never a problem for me with Gaming headset, but with studio headset I could no longer listen that...). Since you have it, you already know how it sounds. As I have written before, you need studio monitors and headphones in any case.
 
But there is one possible interesting option... Have a look at Tascam US-2x2 (or 4x4 in case you are planing to have more then one stereo inputs). It comes with Sonar X3 LE, which is an "other version of SONAR" in the price list. If you are going to pay full price for Platinum, you can get a good USB audio interface for close to nothing (taking upgrade price vs full price into account).
 
On Cakewalk site all prices are US local without tax. For other countries basis price can be different, plus tax.

If you're looking for the best deal hit up Larry in the 'Deals' Forum.
 
Rocky

Thank you.  I am in the US, so I'm not sure why the price difference.  I did open a pre-sales ticket on that.
 
That is a great idea on the Tascam, thank you.  Forgive my lack of knowledge, but how do I connect a keyboard workstation to that?  I see it has a Midi input (for the Midi out of the keyboard), but no RCA style input for the line outputs of the keyboard.