Final comments
First, thanks for the help from all who gave constructive comments and examples. I have to agree with some of you that this software is a different animal - it always pays to try different things until you find the right solution for yourself.
However, for the usual RTFM and "don't criticize what you don't understand" comments, I have to take exception. I failed to explain what my frustrations were so it took awhile to get my questions communicated. At the end of the day, I already knew that virtual instruments referred to in a midi channel could be assigned affects and recorded directly. The explanation given clarified technically what I had already been doing. The hardware question that I originally asked, albeit poorly, was answered by me after experimenting with Cubase, I didn't personally find it intuitive. Now that I know how to approach that situation, it will be much easier. There have always been work arounds with any setup, my frustration came from a mis-understanding of the documentation, not an uncommon issue. Now, back to the music!