http://www.google.com
http://www.tweakheadz.com
http://www.soundonsound.com
http://www.futuremusic.co.uk
http://www.harmony-central.com/Synth/Data/00all.html
http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/
...are the first stops. Read, learn and inwardly digest.
Answers to questions
1 & 2. What is the most you would spend?...then add 25%. If you can't afford it, mow some lawns. You'll be better of getting what you want as opposed to the compromise you'd make.
3. Fuggetaboutit. You can make pretty much any type of music on pretty much anything. Get something that is
multi-timbral and
polyphonic...and if you don't know what that means..use Google. You'll learn a lot more from reading something than from me telling you from here.
4. Get a keyboard. If it's a first synth, get something self-contained. After all, those confusing MIDI cables are a pain in the arse.
5. If you're new to synths, try getting somthing new/made in the last 5 years. Vintage suff is for people that know what they're doing. You
can be one of those people if you do a)some learning first and b)have some patience to learn and do some research. Sure, that big-ass Moog thing in that video is cool as beans...but maybe a) the guy in the video didn't actually use it to make the sound and b) it's so expensive/rare, then you could equip yourself with a more than modest home recording studio for the same price.
6. Nope. I do not know how many synths that can be expanded. Not many. Not even a consideration. Apart from samplers...but you've got a PC, right? Sure you can get some of Rolands's extra super-duper sounds on a card, but you coulda bought them for half the price had you done the research in the first place, right? That extra money in 1 and 2?
7. Bah! Feature-smeatures. Get something that sounds good...to you. Salesmen sell features. Sometimes the best things are undiscovered little gems that no-one knows about. But why not buy
"the shiny brand new one over here as I have been on a sales training course and know how to impress the punters synth over here"? It's only 250% more than what you wanted to spend...did I mention we do finance?
8. Oh yes. Read. Research. Do
not buy on impulse. Weigh up the 'how good you feel' versus 'how angry the missus/girl(boy)friend/bank manager will be'...that 'bargain' will cost you more than double...and you'll lose respect...it's easier to be patient and mow lawns...and quite theraputic.
9.
Always try it out. Turn every knob. Press every key. Ask every 'dumb' question you can thing of.
Spend some time with it
yourself. How many times has the guy done the same demo? Can
you get around the menu system?...and learn 'Stairway to Heaven/Jump/Final Countdown'...they love it...honestly!
10. Oh God/Allah/Yahweh/[insert chosen religious deity here]...now, how true is that? Sure...your studio will impress the h**l out of your friends. It will
not impress the h**l out of your bank manager.
11. Ahh...topic of debate. If you're a newbie, then something like a Novation KS-4, Nord Lead, Access Virus, Alesis Ion, Korg MS2000 etc...then that's true. Buy something and make some f**k music. Allow anal audiophile old pharts argue the phiner pheatures of CEM chips...you know who you are...
12. See 10. Try out our 'competitions'. One synth competitions. It's a laff. Check out the FAQ section to read about the previous competitions.
13. Agreed. With knobs on. Wait a bit and see how it fares. Usually, it is bug-ridden and gets superceded fairly quickly....and the price plummets. Why buy a PS2/XBox game when it comes out when you can buy it for less than half, 6 months later?

. Play it in a music store/your mate's house. Is it
that good? A $€£20 will be much better than a £$€50 game...
14. Refer 10 and 12. Spend an evening with just the one synth. Turn nothing else on...apart from yourself...and you did read that manual, didn't you?
15. Gear-lust is bad. Refer to 10, 12 and 14...and check out the 'competitions' as to what you can actually achieve with just one synth.
[Addendum]
16. Be original. Just cos you ain't got a two-kay Triton, does not mean that your bugeoning Hip-Hop career get put on hold. Great music does not necessarily come from great equipment.
Thought, talent and confidence will get you further...but you do need
all three. Being the best in your own head will only lead you to Internet Infamy...by Christ they're out there...sad, but true.
I don't want to discourage anyone from doing anything, but we'll crack a few cans and have a few laffs
at your expense..and you'll still be asking "Supersize, sir?" in 20 years.
17. TB-303s are over-rated. So are TR-808s. In the interest of humanity, I'll pay $50 for any that you have lying around...
Right. That's me done for a bit. Thanks to Synthacon for providing the questions. It's all open to debate (you can be sure of that) but I have to put me two penneth in, innit?
