hi, if you are recording / performing electronic music similar to NIN or Crystal Method.....please contact me and help me with learning what hardaware and software i need to do what you do. I am currently arranging everything with guitar and bass, vocal on a 4 track and want to move forward. whats the next logical and most affordable step to brak into using keyboards/ softwatre etc. i own a PC, not a MAC thanks

I'm not really into the crystal method scene (dancy techno with a rock edge), but I am definitely into the NIN (my favorite band). I think if you want to get a sound like NIN, one of the first things you're going to need is a synth like the nord lead 2 (trent's most used synth on the fragile) and a multi track set up like digi 001 or digital performer. If you can't afford that, get something like reason. I know pro tools free offers 8 tracks (more than you've got so maybe you can edit in that program until you get a better setup. I'm not sure if pro tools free offers everything needed though, but it's worth checking out. If you want a nin sound too, try not to get to heavy into standard electronic sounds. He tends to stay away from the cold sound featured in albums like kid a or most electronic music. You should probably dirty some things up with some distortion and try to use some more acoustic instruments (which you can then process later). A lot of NIN instruments that sound like a synth are actually heavily processed guitar. A good example of this is the long organ sounding tone that kicks off the track The Day The World Went Away.

i am a big fan of both Crystal Method and NIN!
Crystal Method uses various VA synths/rythm machines and tipically run everything through tons and tons of guitar petels and effect processors. (well at least thats what they did for the album "vegas," they might be more computer now...). you might want to pick up a Korg Er-1 off ebay, they are pretty cheap now (about $100) and they still pack a punch!
as for NIN, if you want that downward spiral type sound check out the Kurzweil K2000, thats the main keyboard he used for that. and like SolipsismX said, the nord lead was the main keyboard he used for the fragile.
but for both of these styles i would heavily suggest getting a synth that has a "pattern based" sequencer on it. most roland synths are like that.

I've got to say, though I am only vaguely familiar with either act:

Don't try to sound like them. Take what you like of their work, but work it out on your own instrument(s), with your own concepts.

Play YOU, not someone else (in the end, that's what you'll do anyway), so you can save a lot of pain (WHY can't I get that sound?) by getting your OWN sound.

Dasher