I can't figure it out.  ACTLearn doesn't seem to do anything.  I can't figure out how to create my own instrument and then map it either.
 
Let's say I wanted to match the neck of a bass to my launchpad 64 pad controller, how would I do that?  How could I keep that mapping file?
 
I've been trying to get into music programs for something like 6 months or more, but I seem to get nowhere.  I know hardly anything about music, sure, and all this stuff just get's super confusing.  It's like teaching yourself excel or photoshop without any guidance.  So instead I try to do something for hours, can't figure it out, quit for a month, wash and repeat.
 
Any tips on how to learn this stuff?

So, I can get to the ACT MIDI learn config, but I can't figure out how to teach it anything useful.
Here's a pic:  

How would I go about programming notes to my Launchpad?  I click on ACT Learn, then on the neck of the Bass, then press a pad, but nothing happens with anything.

I am not familiar with the Launchpad but you would need to make sure it is transmitting note data. That would be a launchpad setting. Once that is done you would be able to play a softsynth via the track, no need to use ACT or MIDI learn. That is for parameter control rather than note control.
 
There is also a distinct difference between "MIDI learn" and "ACT learn". "MIDI learn" assigns your controller's controls to the ACT dialogue box cells, "ACT learn" then assigns those cells to functions.
  
You need both configured correctly to get it to work. 
 
Have a look at this video which although for X1 is still relevant and goes through the setup of an ACT device. This video goes through basic MIDI and shows how to assign a MIDI input to a track and play a softsynth.
 
HTH

Hang in there - after some sleep and a LOT of coffee, I will try to give you a hand with this - others will likely jump in to help as well, once the sun comes up.
 
Bob Bone
 

There can be some confusion about ACT: http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,13.0.html
ACT is a technology behind one part of Control Surface API, targeting parameters of Synth and FXes (on your screen-short you can see some knobs in the guitar Synth, these you can control with ACT). In the recorded form, these parameters appear as Automations in SONAR (see documentation).
 
If you want to play the guitar, you should "feed" notes into it, either from your controller/keyboard and/or from some (MIDI) clip in the track/Matrix. Some control/button/key on your surface/keyboard can work either with ACT or with MIDI input for Synth. Even in case your pad trigger some note, in case you configure it for ACT you no longer can use it to play notes!
 
Usual way to input notes for any synth is a keyboard (with piano like keys). You can configure your lounchpad to imitate a keyboard, you can configure "my first pad triggers C4 note". While it make sense for drums and some specific synthetic sounds, that is rather inconvenient for all other instruments. Cheapest MIDI keyboard with 25 keys will work better there.
 
All these controllers with NN pads are good to "launching" already prerecorded MIDI/Audio samples. Not to play instruments.