It is a long thread filled with twists and turns, but check this out:
TL;DR: The M1/2/3 macs are great. If you need portability, get the Air or MBP. If you don’t, then get a Studio or Mac Mini.
I’ve got a M1Max Studio, and my only regret is that I maxed the CPU and RAM but not the SSD.
In your case, it might make sense to get an Apple Refurbished M-series Mac Mini and then 6-12 months later get a refurbished Macbook Air for gigging.
2 Likes