Another Newbee Styled Question

[professor]

DISCLAIMER: I learned how to make techno music using only software. I know very little about how MIDI talks/works. I have searched this forum for answers to my questions, but I fear they are so basic that everyone but me knows the answer.

So on with my question(s)...

I have this drum machine...an mc303. not a really good machine, but it has a lot of sounds. Until know I have been simply sequencing simple loops and recording them into Logic6 via the audio in on my mac. Easy enough.

Now however, I have borrowed an Electribe A, which produces some other very interesting sounds, and what I really want to do is use it as a sound module, and control it with my midi keyboard straight from Logic's sequencer. While I'm sure I can figure out how to do that from Logic's standpoint (The feking manual is like a brick), I don't know what I need to make the midi from the electribe talk with my software. Someone I know mentioned a midi/digital converter. What is this thing, and is this what is needed?

I guess the basic question is what do I need to have a hardware and software studio (I have software samplers and synths, but I would like some hardware synths/samplers as well)?

Do you have any links to specific articles or tutorials dealing with these basic issues?

Thanks in advance.

[audioinjection]

you'll just need a midi interface and viola!

[professor]

so what sort/brand of midi interface do you suggest?

[messyfuture]

if ur using cubase or nuendo go for the steinberg midex, there is a midex 2 with 2 midi in out ports, and there is a midex 8 as well.
there are good to use with these programs cause the same people made them and the latency is really low. i'm not to sure how well they work with other programs.
they work really well for me!!

[audioinjection]

yeah those are good, but I personally have to MOTU micro lite, it has 5 in 5 out ports, and it runs usb, price is pretty cheap as well.

http://www.motu.com

you can read up on it more here.

[professor]

I see that Emagic, the makers of the Logic series, have a midi interface (the mt4) with 2 ins and 4 outs. They say the mt4 directly communicates with Logic...seems good to me, and only about $150.

Thank you both for your help.