The fundamentals in the recording space don't have much to do with DAWs at all; they go all the way back to analog recording on tapes etc. That's why many DAWs

The fundamentals in the recording space don't have much to do with DAWs at all; they go all the way back to analog recording on tapes etc. That's why many DAWs have skeuomorphic details - like the "seven-segment displays" in LMMS's interface - to hearken back to physical hardware. I wouldn't worry too much about learning things in an application-specific way first and generalizing later. To extend your analogy, you're currently at the "how do I computer" level of understanding; knowing theoretically "I need to boost the kick drum at 800Hz by 3dB with a 60Hz bandwidth" isn't going to do you any good if you can't find the buttons in your specific DAW to make that happen. One thing you'll definitely find: different tools are optimized for very different workflows. You _could_ technically record a 2-hour live orchestral performance in Ableton (a tool centered around triggering loops), but you'll definitely be ice-skating uphill.