pjotr - i think the point about soft synths is quite valid. true, the big producers have massively expensive studios full of hardware. but since most people aren't big producers, they don't have the funds for this stuff, or the space, so soft synths are the way to go. and they're just as professional as hardware, BT produced "Dreaming" completely in software. unless you feel all that money and commitment for hardware is worth it, i'd recommend getting a good laptop (Mac G4 titanium suits me fine) and getting Cubase and other things. Reaktor kicks serious ass once you learn how to use it. I'd go into specifics, but i really don't know a lot of software packages because (a) i can't get cubase going and (b) i'm poor. so i use reason and lots of little shareware editors and stuff. Eventually i'll need to expand, but there's really no point in pouring thousands of dollars into a pro setup unless you know it'll pay off.

-peace
steve-

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