Hi. im 16 and im very new to synthesizers and keyboards and things. i tried to research online and i cant seem to find the right information to help me find what im looking to buy.

i want to use this synth in my band (alternative/rock). i've looked around online and i dont really understand the difference between differnt synths and what certain terms mean.

basically, i need a simple and fairly easy-to-use synth, but i dont even know what falls under those standards. i dont NEED all those techno, club-music, pulsing beat thumping bass sounds. i want cool buzzy synth sounds and i want to be able to change the pitch in the middle of the note with a knob or something. i want to be able to make it zip up to a different note. tweak the sounds and stuff. change pitches with a knob, add bass with another knob. get a cool background bassy sound. i have ideas in my head and i try to preview audio from websites of different synths. some have the sound i need, but they seem too expensive. and that makes me wonder if they have too much for what im asking. like, maybe they have what i need, but they probably have those crazy techno danceclub beats and sounds, too. can anybody help guide me in the right direction and maybe tell me what kind of synth i might be looking for? thanks ahead of time for the help.

I was faced with the same decision a year or so back. I play with a live rock band and we play covers from the 60s through to the present so I needed something that could provide the range of sounds that was needed for the songs yet I wasn't interested in techno and hiphop grooves simply because we don't play in those styles and even if we did we already have a live rhythm section. I ended up with a second hand Motif 6. Because the original Motif series has been replaced with the ES series I was able to find a used Motif in an affordable price range. You can find them now used for around $900. The Motif has good analog emulations plus it has sampling and sequencing which are always useful features for any style of music. It also provides some good realtime control of sounds like you were asking about. You can even add extra synth cards that provide new features and more polyphony if you want.

I did look at the Korg Triton LE which was the other keyboard in the price range I was looking at but the Motif had a much better keyboard feel.

Just my suggestion anyway. Sure the Motif does have a bunch of techno dance oriented grooves and patches but I just don't ever need to use them.

before buying , make sure you get to try out the keyboards. You should be able to find something between $500-700 that should meet your needs. Find a music dealer that will allow you to sit down with the synth and play it..is it hard to program a pattern? set up arpeggitor? can it transpose via 1 button? keep it simple. You sound like you're looking for a performance synth that can add sounds to your compositions, so make sure it has easy features with the filters and effects. Hands on is most important,,once you find something user friendly, then shop the prices. good luck.