new guy needs help

Hi guys,
Thanks in advance for the help. I truly appreciate it. I am hopeful that some of you geniuses on here can straighten me out. Please be as detailed as possible in your reply. Treat me like the moron I am.

Overview, I simply want to record vocals through my computer over an MP3 of the music. I do not play any instruments nor do I know how to compose music so my thinking is that I want to find music without the lyrics and sing over that into some program and be able to mess around with the vocals a bit if needed and end with a song I can save to disc.

Is this possible? Is this the right way to do it?

So here's the questions:

a. What program/software do I need? Is the garage band thing that came with the computer enough? What's the best for what I want to do? Is it even possible to do this and be able to input the music into the program etc.?

b. I have a mac airbook which only has a headphone jack and one USB port so I assume I will need to buy an external drive, correct? Is there any other external stuff I need to buy? Sound cards, vocal machines, a second brain to replace the one in my head?

c. Do I need to buy a special microphone for recording on to the computer or is there a way my 'normal' mic plugs into the computer? What's the best?

d. Is there even a way to find MP3's without the vocals? The only thing I have seen is karaoke discs which typically suck. Can I get just the music Mp3's online? Download em, buy em? help, God, I'm stupid.

e. Is this even the best way to do this? I mean, I just simply want to sing over the music as if I was singing with the band and then maybe adjust the vocals a bit after the fact if need be. Ending with songs on disc and on the computer etc.

Thanks again guys, HUGELY appreciated!

Here we go;

A - Garageband will definitely do, you can even click and drag songs into it. It also has a pretty expansive collection of pre-made beats, melodies, samples, etc, so you can build your own songs from those clips and eventually you'll understand it well enough to create your own music from scratch.

B/C - The MacBook Air actually has a built-in mic, so there's no need to plug anything in at all. If you do learn an instrument or want to record anything by plugging it in, you'll need a USB Audio Interface, but it sounds like that won't be a problem if you plan on only recording vocals.

D - Personally, I'd just fiddle with the pre-made stuff in Garageband and just create something from it.

E - Not sure exactly what you're asking.

Quick guide to recording via in the in-built mic;

Open Garageband.
Select Track>New Track...
Select 'Real Instrument Track'.
Click OK.

If you want to hear yourself through headphones, plug them in and select 'Monitoring ON' just under the instrument library bit.

Thanks Jerome. Appreciate the info.

I would think that the built in mic is certainly not acceptable for singing but i will try as you say. I suppose if I can adjust the vocals once I sing them, it might be ok.

Also, the garageband i have came with the laptop, is it the full version or just a shortened trial thing?

And lastly, I need to bring music into it to start, maybe in future I will create my own but for now I need music so still need help with number 'c' lol.

oh, and also, as for e, was just asking if this is the best way to make a recording of vocals on a soundtrack is all.

one more thing, i cant figure out how to stop the recording. I click the record button again and it stops recording but the line just keeps going forever. aargh, lol

sry, figured that part out.... just click play again. duh.

The in-built mic in the MacBook and iMac is definitely good enough, I know someone that uses his all the time and gets great results, I've recorded with mine before and there really isn't that big a deal.

If you really want to use your 57, you'll need an audio interface.

There are some sites with royalty-free tracks and other backings, I'm not sure of any in particular, but I've come across them before.