I have some questions about Synthesizers and if there is anyone who knows a lot about them I could use some help.

I was wondering how you listen to it when you play...do some have built in speakers? Or do you use headphones or what? I was looking at some online and it seemed like most don't have speakers. Also how difficult is it to learn and play one? I have been playing piano for some time now but it seems to be different in a lot of ways. Last question is can anyone recommend a decent synthesizer that isnt too expensive? =D

syntheziers are quite similar to pianos but different much in the same way that a square and a rectangle both have 4 corners at 90 degrees but aren't the same shape.

a friend of mine is a big synth guy so i'm basing myself on how he used to run his stuff. most quality synths don't have built in speakers, besides a good pair of headphones will provide you with a much better sound for low levels anyway. plus built in speakers would NEVER be heard over a live band.

technically playing a synth isn't any more difficult than playing a piano. the main difference is that the sound of the synth is determined by your choice of settings. if you just get a no frills synth with X amount of basic presets middle C might sound like a plastic piano or a rain drop in the grand canyon. on the other hand if you get something with a little more frills you'll be able to manipulate all the aspects of the actual sound of the note you're playing.

basically synthesizers are really about creating different sounds and manipulating their tones by using a piano based controller.

korg and yamaha seem to be pretty popular brands for people starting to get into it. you could always drop a few grand and get a mini moog though hehe. it's the freaking super kapow

Ahh okay thanks. I didn't think they had built in speakers from the models I looked at but I was just checking. After thinking about it though I may get a keyboard instead and maybe later get a synth. I am not exactly rich (Im only 16) and it seems to cost a fairly large amount of money for a good setup.

Uhh, also if I do ever buy a synth how do you actully hear what your playing besides using headphones? Is there special amps for synths or something and how much would they cost?

amps vary quite a bit in price. my friend used to use a peavey bass amp for his synths and it worked fine. DO NOT run a synth through a guitar amp (you'll destroy the speaker). you could also use a keyboard amp as well.

and you're right a good setup will cost you a fair amount but if you start small there's no reason you can't score an older model yamaha or korg for a 200-300. we all start somewhere, nobody learns to drive in a ferrari hehehe.

something else to keep in mind if you're serious about getting a synth later on and just getting a straight ahead keyboard for now is MIDI. it's a pain to get setup sometimes but you might be able to use your keyboard as a controller for a synth and buy a cheaper synth model that doesn't have a built in keyboard later on.

Does anybody in the world know where i can find a keytar!!? ive looked almost everywhere i could possibly think of on the internet. i know they dont make them any more either so if anybody is looking to sell or knows of any place please contact me at Pauliv88@yahoo.com i would greatly appreciate it!!!PLEASE!!!Thank You!

http://www.roland.com/products/en/AX-7/

Although, keep in mind, you'd need an external sound module w/ that as it's only a MIDI controller...

hmmm there are 14 matches for actual 'keytars' on ebay. but what you're ultimately most likely looking to score is a moog liberation. they're tough to find though. i've seen some on ebay in the past but again, it's rare.

http://www.vintagesynth.com/index2.html