Can anyone please explain to me:
1) What soft synths are? e.g: edirol, sample tank's soft synth ect..
2) What do i need to do to connect it to my pc?
3) Is it easy to use?
4) Good sampled sounds?
5)Any personal experience?

thanks guys

Good questions -- here are some quick answers:
1. "soft synths" are exactly what they sound like: Software Synthesizers. Modern hardware synthesizers are essentially little computers with piano keys. They need software to run, just like your computer. A "soft synth" cuts out the need for the manufacturer to create a piece of hardware -- it uses the horsepower that's in your existing computer. This allows them to cut the price drastically. Pretty cool, huh?
2. It doesn't really "connect" to your PC -- it "installs" on your PC just like any other piece of software. However, to get any meaningful use out of it, you'll need to control the software via a MIDI controller. Just about any MIDI keyboard will do. You'll also need a MIDI interface as well. There are some great, inexpensive USB MIDI interfaces available today.
3. Soft Synths can be easier to use than their hardware counterparts because of the graphic interface provided by your computer. How many keyboards can have a 17" LCD monitor attached? You get the picture. But all soft synths are different and as a result, some are easier to use than others.
4. The quality of sound varies. There are good ones, and not so good ones.
5. I use 3 different soft synths almost daily, and I've tried quite a few others. My bread-n-butter soft synths are:
Stylus by Spectrasonics (drum loop programmer)
Atmosphere by Spectrasonics (synth pad module)
B4 by Native Instruments (Hammond organ module)

hope that helps...

Thanh you SteveY, that was much appreciated. You are very knowledgable my friend. Thanks again!!

Hi SteveY,
what are your thoughts on the edirol, soft synth from Sample tank or the Vienna symphony orchestra products. Thanks buddy!!

I've messed with the Edirol soft synth -- not Roland's flagship sounds. It's definitely not made for the pros.

I haven't heard the Sample Tank synth.

The Vienna Symphony sounds are wonderful!!! But that's a sample library -- not a soft synth. But you could use a software sample player such as Gigasampler or Unity to play the Vienna Symphony. That would put them in a very different price range as well.