Come to think of it, your best bet would be to go to a local music store and ask around about software. On the mac, you can link program to program and route where data goes from one program to another. All the hardware and software folks used to give him their stuff to try out and recommend changes and modifications - one of the original beta testers, I guess. His company, American Gramaphone, is located in Omaha. I'm a programmer for Mark of the Unicorn.
Music software is the tape deck and music paper what a word processor is to the typewriter.
These programs give you an unlimited recording studio inside your computer. You can record in music, cut and paste it, rearrange it, transpose it, fix mistakes, try different arrangements, try different sounds, alter the rhythmic feel. These programs let you score serious orchestral works using your computer. Generally they will allow you to play back your music, but do not offer as many sophisticated playback options as MIDI sequencers. The programs are great for tossing off lead sheets, creating scores for orchestras or small ensembles, capturing your musical ideas, and so forth.