The right software for me?

X1 Essential and FL Studio would be my first choices.

John,

Thanks for the info, would you mind elaborating as to why?

I do like Cubase and I have Cubase SX 1, 2 and 3. I didn't upgrade to Cubase 4 because it dropped DX support. BTW none of the ones I have will run on a Vista or Windows 7 machine. Any version of Sonar will run on Windows 7.

Fl is a tracker type MIDI DAW with a huge capability with audio.

Audio looping is not its main ability.  Sonar is quite good for looping audio.

One big reason to go with X1  Essential is you will be on a good upgrade path that will let you grow as your needs increase. 

Of the ones you listed only FL Studio is the full program.  But it does come in various flavors. There is FL Studio Producer and another one that includes nearly all the instruments.

He he, I don't mind Cubase. It's more like Sonar than the other alternatives you listed. But I'm one of the people here and we will tell you to get Sonar

I've always considered Live to offer something that Sonar doesn't and is great for throwing samples and loops together and use VSTs of different flavours. You might like that a lot. But back in the day I tested Cubase, Logic and Sonar side by side and went with Sonar. I currently work a lot with Nuendo which is Cubase's uglier sister and don't like the architecture and workflow of the program. But it might suit your needs. 

Like I said, give the demo versions a whirl and see which fits your needs. Spend and evening with each to get aquatinted with them.

Of those choices, SONAR is the most flexible, I would think.  I have SONAR and FL Studio.

It does midi recording, which you won't do.

It has a good looping program, which you will use.  Some versions come w/ a bunch of loops and clips (midi and audio in Cake speak).  I don't know what versions the CD comes w/, but I think I got it w/ SONAR HS, so the chances are good it will come w/ any of them.

You will have to see which softsynths Essential comes w/, but you can usually grab specials CAke runs and gets some primo softsynths cheap.  Dimpro is good for acoustic, Rapture for more electronic, and same for Z3TA.  If you get serious about composition you will probably add 3rd party synths - kontakt, Alchemy and whatever kind of synths you feel you need.  Like all the above DAWs, once you get in the family you can upgrade cheaply, and Cake has better synths generally than Cubase (IMHO).

The easiest program to create beats is FL Studio if you are doing step sequencing.  That is what it started out being, basically.  And it comes w/ a good and generous amount of synths, tho you have to spend money to get the better FL synths.  But it is a fun and pretty complete (and cheap) DAW.

For acoustic recording, it is SONAR and Cubase.  I haven't messed much w/ Live, but, as the name implies, it is a live composition/looping tool.  Of course, all the DAWs will do just about everything, but the emphasis differs.  SONAR and Cubase are the most complete in most people's opinion, while FL is more for doing electronic beat music and Live for composing w/ loops and clips rather than recording.

When I was finding a DAW Cakewalk was the easiest for me to understand coming from midi sequencing and analog recording.  You might not find it so, which is why people say try them out first before you get wed to one.  The concepts are the same, but the application is different and it is a little harder to move from one daw to another than re-learn all the pecularities.

If I was doing straight up step sequencing for most of my music, I'd go w/ FL Studio.  If I wanted a great all around DAW that could sequence, record midi and audio and edit same, I'd go w/ SONAR over Cubase (which is what I did).  I can't say too much about Live, tho a lot of people like it, too.  If I was starting out I'd definately look at it, tho I do a lot of straight recording here at home.  If I was getting into the business end of music, I'd learn Protools because that is what it takes to get hired.

@

  There is in fact a trial version of Cubase Elements 6. You just have to make a account, so the trial version can be registered. You do not have to use a USB key (unlike the Artist or full version trials), because Elements use a software licencer (virtual USB key).  The trial version works for 30 days.

As for the software:

  If you use a lot of samples and loops, the first thing would be Ableton Live Intro. It has however a HUGE restriction. You can only use a very limited amount of soft synths, and on top of that you only can use 8 scenes per project. It is only really interesting as a kind of sketchpad (and even then I have to bounce some synths to audio, because I reached that limit very easy). It has however a huge sample library (the box has a program and sample DVD). I cannot really recommend Intro because of the named restrictions.   

Sonar X1 LE has far less limitations (you can use 32 sytnths in one project - far more than in Ableton). It also comes with more Instruments and effects. It has however less loops and samples.

  Cubase Elements is a bit like Sonar (if you are a starter). It has however less instruments (altough it has a lite version of Halion and a version of Grooveagent One - both powerfull and nice). It has NO MIDI effects (or even a MIDI "FX" option), but you can use a external effect like Catanya or Kirnu. If you like it less or more than Sonar is a personal taste. I use both platforms an they both have strong an weak points. In my opinion Cubase has a slightly stronger way of MIDI editing.  

I do not have experience with FL, so I cannot say anything about it.

If you want to use virtual instruments, then you will need MIDI because that's how they work. 

Also, check out some of the tutorial videos for each product. It saves a lot of time even if you're using a demo. Imagine someone telling you how to do it and you can see it being done and then you can try it. Imagine no longer - tutorial videos are all over youtube.. right here, right now.