[music-dsp] HELP! F*****R etc.

[Toby Yue]

SORRY THIS IS A REPEAT - but I wanted to get the right subject line
(previous message failed due to incorrect e-mail address)

Hello,
 
Hope you, as a reader of this list, don't mind the ramblings of a
complete newbie.  If so - look away now :-)
 
For the last few months, I have been desperately trying to get a grip of
DSP and DSP programming. Hving checked the usual suspects re: WWW sites,
books etc. (musicdsp, Toby Bear, CCRMA, the list goes on ) - all of
which seems to be chocka-block full of information - I still find myself
in a position of not really knowing anything more than I started out
with.  
 
Here's the problem:  I have no programming experience to speak of
(objects, classes - what are they then, eh?) and no knowledge of the
theory behind DSP (fourier, laplace and other such french mathematicians
;)  )   To put it simply:
**It all seems completely overwhelming and utterly unmanageable in terms
of finding a way of teaching oneself even the very basics**
 
I am left with the distinct impression that either a) this whole
subject/industry is strictly for certified geniuses only or b) I am
incredibly stupid. 
 
Either way -  I need help - and lots of it!   Please please could some
kind soul out there put me out of my misery!- I'd like to think that I
am not a complete ignoramus when it comes to mathematics etc. - I know a
complex number or an integral when I see one -  but the sorts of
mathematics, theory etc. that I am encountering seems to be a completely
different language to me.   
 
Then there is the whole question of the application of the theory - it's
all well and good reading a book about DSP and reading a book about C++
programming and hec, maybe even understanding half of it! - but that
still doesn't help you with actually writing practical DSP code - esp.
when dealing with such things as VST/DX/AU SDKs and the many and varied
niggles of OSX, Windows or whatever platform I eventually choose to work
on.  Now that really *is* a completely different language.
 
OK I apologise for rambling - but there you are folks: - 'the
frustrations of a newbie'.  Any help/pointers/advice/gentle let-downs
are most gratefully received (feel free to e-mail me @
tobyyue at btinternet.com if you don't want to clog up this mailing list
with replies).
 
Many Thanks in advance
 
Toby Yue