mctavish.
To learn about daws will take some time and effort but you will rewarded with a very special knowledge. Arguably more so if you are also creative.
Stick with it, but don't try to do it on your own.
Yes read the manual (at your own pace)
I wish I could offer some hands on training, I would really love to help but I am too far away.
You sound very serious about this. If you know what you want to do, and you are already a bit computer savvy you may not need to lay out a lot of cash.
The folks here will help you a lot. More than anywhere else I know of.
I have been on lot's of courses and found that in my earnestness to learn the courses just did not deliver at the speed I could learn by myself. I'm not saying they were useless - just not very good value
I think, and it's only my opinion, that if you take small steps and you are not afraid to ask for help, and do your own research you won't find it so hard.
People love to help noobs here, if they don't throw tantrums, and even then they just tell them to calm down a bit
Maybe you can get some training, maybe not, it's not really a block. Learning this sort of thing is much easier now than it used to be - trust me.
BTW - If you find my comments useful I will be requiring £40 for my trouble