I think I need an upgrade...Any suggestions?

[K D Patten <kdpatten@yahoo.com>]

My set up is crude compared to many of you, it has worked for me for years but i think i need an upgrade This is my set up: for guitar i go from my Takamine acoustic to my holy grail reverb pedal, from that to my 4 channel resistance mixer.to a boss octave that i only turn on for bass lines, then a planet waves tuner pedal, to my Boomerang plus and on to the mixer. My mandolin joins the same line as my guitar at the 4 channel resistance mixer though the tuner,though the boss,no effects for the mando. for vocals i run through my shure 58 to a Digitech Vocalist Performer, i split the signal from the mono out. one line goes strait to the mixer the other i run back to the 4 channel resistance mixer, it joins the same line my guitar goes through. that way  i can loop background harmony's.... it turns into a real balancing act with the levels..between the rang ,the guitar and the vocals ...and most of it is mono...i just add the second vocal line to the mixer to fatten things up a bit....my set up is crude but works for what i need to do, small venues....heres my problem if you can call it that...my shows are getting bigger, and the bigger they get the more its hard to control my levels..I'm looping rhythm guitar, bass lines. and counter point harmony's...& if one loop or level isn't quite right from the start..the tune turns into at the least a dud...at worst a train wreck....no redo's..... looks like its time for an upgrade ..ether in hardware or i need to move to a lap top.....i know there is a computer set up out there that will do what I'm trying to do...but i don't know where to start....most of you guys are light years ahead of me in computer knowledge, some how I'm going to have to change my set up so i can play larger venues, with more control , cleaner sound ,and be able to redo loops if necessary....any suggestions?.....thanks guys