Ben as you say you are almost up to speed with the hardware and software side. But remember what Moker said doodoo in doodoo out.
You have to concentrate on how to capture the sound accurately and then know what to do with it once that is done. Good luck.
That is the main reason why even the most experienced artists spend may hours in the studio with pro engineers recording and mastering and why these guys with phones superglued to their ears are worth their weight in gold.