New to laptop recording

[professor tweed]

I am a new member, based in Bristol, UK and am about to get a laptop computer made available to me at work which I can use as I wish. I'm planning to use it as an adjunct to my existing hardware set up of AKAI DPS 16. What I want to explore are the following.

1. Using a drum software programme so that I can improve the drum sounds on my Roland R5 currently going via Midi to an EMU Drum Bank.

2. Using room impulses of speaker cabinets to improve recording of guitar direct.

What I want to do is to get the sounds going on in the computer via the software and then coming out either in analogue or spdif into my AKAI. Is there a really simple way to bounce sounds off the computer software like this? I'll look for a usb interface with midi and also one with a version of cubase. How do I load vst plug ins?

Now some queries about recording with impulses. First, how do I record an impulse of my guitar cab? Should I send the sinewave through the amp or should I use a neutral power amp going into the cab? Next, once I've got my impulse do I just connect my amp to a dummy load and take some signal off that into the computer and then apply the impules to it? What I had in mind was going into a Marshall power brake and then turning it right down to the lowest attenuation and taking a lead out of its speaker out and into the usb interface. Or do I need to get an attenuator with a separate line out like the THD Hotplate.

A lot of queries here, I know, and any advice would be most welcome.

All the best,

Professor tweed