you got it !
and to answer a couple of other questions, with midi you can send messages on 16 different channels down each cable, and those messages can be increadibly complex. ( even though midi is quite a simple system )
so say with my virus, if i wanted to use all 16 channels for different sounds, i can tell each sound what to do, what note or notes, how long the note should be, how loud, etc,etc. i can even automate all the controls on each channel of the virus, by sending controller messages to all the knobs etc. i can even send program change messages to switch sounds during the tune, theres virtually nothing you cant tell your synth to do !!
now if say i wanted to only use 12 sounds on the virus, and 4 sounds on my Nord, i could still do it using only one midi out port on my PC card and one cable to the virus, then another cable to the nord from the midi thru port on the virus. i would set the virus to midi channels 1-12, and the Nord to channels 13-16. but if i wanted to use more than 16 channels, i would have to have two midi out ports on my PC card for 32 channels, 3 for 48 etc etc.
hardware sequencers - go doepfer !!, ( ive never tried to use a machine drum as a sequencer so i better leave that to someone else ) it's an awesome way to make music quickly and intuitively, but no where near as much control as a software sequencer. you would have to make the synths work much harder ( using LFO's / envelopes etc to do alot of the automation for you ) however a complex synth like the virus can handle that easily. its a more mathematical way of working, but considering music is mathematical anyway you can come up with results quickly.
using a software sequencer like cubase gives you almost total control over what comes out the other end.
if you used a hardware sequencer, you could ditch the computer altogether, by recording directly on two tracks to say a DAT ( digital Audio Tape ) machine, or some other recording device ( CD / DVD / 2track tape etc. )
i usually use a DAT machine, it's old technology, but you can keep a hard copy of your recording and it also acts as a good quality digital interface for your computer ( but unfortunately only 16bit ). so i record live to DAT, then if i feel i need to rearrange, or edit the tune later, i have the option of putting it straight back into cubase digitally.
with this whole set-up, i can have as much or as little automation as i want, i can work the controls on the synths manually in a live way, and work the faders and mutes on my mixing desk etc. etc. in reality, i do a mixture of everything, but i do alot of the programming in the synths themselves.
i never use audio samples or files, sure you can manipulate them with filters / envelopes etc, but to me that always degrades the sound quality.
it's better by far to get your head into the synth manuals, and use the power of what you have available to you. dont be lazy !!!!!