@3351: Thanks for the model ideas, I've checked out a few of them but need to research them a bit more still.....

As for my keyboard purpose, I'm kind of in the middle ground between playing for fun and professionally being a musician. You see, I want a keyboard that has some good sounds/effects/various bells and whistles on it, and has some way for me to record/arrange songs.....for now I just want to compose my own songs, but in the future I may plan on joining a band, or sending my recording demos around to show my capabilities.....

I don't intend to make this a career choice, but more of a hobby. However, if opportunity permits, I may join a band or record as a side-project.....not for profit but more for fun.....

Sound-editing would be a plus as well, but is not OVERLY important.....

And all I can afford right now is a single synth, ideally in the $1,000 range, (but don't restrict any model ideas due to that price, I really want to know what's out there).....

And a few questions, what exactly IS a rack? I've come across some but not EXACTLY sure what it is.....

Also, how do you use a computer as a sequencer? What program would you recommend to use?

@SJ880USER: I tryed to find out what an arranger is, but I'm still not exactly sure.....is that where you can record samples or music parts and arrange them in a way you want to make a song? Like the Yamaha Motif? Because that would DEFINATELY be a plus.....