Resources

There are a ton of DAWs out there, and for the most part, you can make professional quality music with any one of them. It really just is a matter of workflow preference. However, if you have a Mac, it's hard to beat Logic Pro X. It has a perfect blend of beginner-friendliness, advanced tools, and affordability. Though I regularly work with 3 different DAWs, Logic Pro X is my tool of choice these days for whenever I go to make a new track. 

Cubase is where I got my start in music production, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. It's very easy to use and has a lot of great built in tools and abilities. I still only have Cubase 7.5, so I'm a bit behind. If you have a PC though, I know this is a great tool to get started with. 

These are incredible monitors. Don't let their small size fool you. They can still deliver amazing clarity and aren't lacking at all in the bass or loudness departments (hence the name). I used to use Rokkit monitors, but they were just too boomy for my small studio space. These are much better, and help to reduce the impact of an non-ideal room on your mixes. If you're going to get monitors, I highly suggest the iLouds.

Full disclosure, I don't actually have these headphones. The ones I have actually aren't in production anymore (Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs), but these are closest to what I have, and probably a step up. These headphones are highly regarded by audio engineers and have a very accurate frequency response so you won't be tricked into hearing things that aren't there. 

This is a fantastic sounding interface, and it's also very compact and easy to transport. It won't take up a lot of room on your desk and is very easy to use. Not to mention is very affordable so great for beginners.

If you're wanting to record professional quality vocals, then you need a large diaphragm condenser microphone, and it's hard to beat the quality you get out of the MXL 770 for the low price. I also don't have this particular mic, but a very similar one (MXL 1022) that is also no longer in production. Go figure!