Hi everyone. I am a senior in high school and have become really interested in electronic music over the past few years and I want to try it for myself. Just a few basic questions:

1.) What type of gear do musicians like BT, Orbital, Sasha and Digweed, etc. use to make their music?
2.) Is anyone familiar with equipment such as the Yamaha RS7000 or Akai MPC3000LE? Can these be used by themselves (stand-alone) to make music similar to that produced by the artists I mentioned above?
3.) What is sequencing exactly?
4.) MIDI confuses and frightens the hell out of me. I think of cheesy Website songs when I hear it. What is its purpose/place in modern electonic music? Where can I go to get more info since I'm totally clueless?
5.) What other boards/sites on the 'Net can I visit to get more info on the stuff I've asked above?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. I definetly have the will, but I don't have the knowledge and don't know where to go to get it. Thanks again!

I don't do much(any) of the artists you named, but I'll tell you this:
Midi is nothing to be frightened, or ashamed of. It's just a common set of communication commands so keyboards, samplers, computers etc. can all "talk" to one another. The "chezzyness" you find on websites come from programmers, and cheap sound cards .... NOT midi.
Midi has made it possible to layer tones from different sources, and play them all from ONE keyboard. It opened the door for sharing sequence data between different platforms, and has become invaluable in learning and teaching situations all over the world.
A quick search for a midi file of a song gets you an arrangement that you can study, disect, or fool with to your heart's delight. Midi is definatly a good thing.

Sequencing is a method of recording tracks of information(note data etc.)into a format that can be overdubbed, and layered many times. A complex arrangement can be made with just a sequencer and a multi-timbral sound source, like a keyboard of tone module.
Before digital equipment - a "sequence" was recorded on analog tape .... one track at a time, but the track was not modifiable.
With digital sequencing - you can record a track of info (say, a guitar solo)then play it back as a TRUMPET SOLO, or a Violin solo .... whatever you want. It's a very creative way to enhance your ideas after they are recorded. Again .... a very cool thing, indeed.

Electronic music is just making music with instruments that require electricity. How you go about that is up to you.

Do some research on the history of electronic music a read up on all of it as it will put some perspective on things. While most folks probally don't do this, it is a good idea as working solely in MIDI, as it is the most common, might not be something you enjoy doing as much as say cutting tape. (humour) Still you will probally find out that digital audio and MIDI are the cheapest way to go. But it is a creative endevore so try not to get sucked into the hype surrounding the technology and try things that seem like they may appeal to you.

Most of the influences you have mentioned use an assortment of stuff to that is hard question to answer. But apparently you have a computer so after digging up the info on what was around in the past , you can start with the computer emulations that seem to be every where today. There are meany free and shareware programs that will get you into the basics of synthesis and sequenceing cheaper than the hardware brethren.

There is much that goes into this as it is a close relationship between the arts and science.

Most important is not to be afraid of any of it. Jump in head over foot and push every button or click it at least. See what it does, learn to solve the problems when something crashes and enjoy the unintended results. (Always leave some sort of recorder running) It will start to make more sence over time but if your scared to push a button then electronics and electronic music will do little for you.

Also when looking into new instruments don't shy away from some things like kits and what not for the likes of Paia and MOTM as they will also help you gain a better understanding of what the hell is going on.

As for playing music with electronic gear, go buy something and play it. When you get bored with it, buy something else.

Some of Orbitals equipment (not that it would nessessarily be the best to start with, and some of it is expensive hard to find gear):

Emu samplers
OSC Oscar
Oberheim Xpander
old Alesis hardware sequencers (live)
Roland TR-808 (Listen to Dwr Budr on Insides)
Roland TB-303 Bassline (on Lush3 for example)
Emagic Logic for recording

This info is a few years old too.

-tek

Both sites provide most info about midi, including an explanation what midi IS.
Allthough Uncle Dave briefly described already what midi is, I would recommand to read the info which is on midi.com

After that it is easier to understand, that midi is not sound!
http://www.midi.com/
http://www.midifarm.com