<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV>Depends on what you mean by "this."</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>no computer will ever replace a real wood and metal instrument which exists in the physical world, but if his wife is willing to accept that in return for something that she can carry by herself, then modern emulation and synths are amazing gifts to musicians.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I think the weighted keyboard recommendation is a good one..depends on how much loot she has to spend on her rig.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>You are correct that fiddling will be involved, but that is the way of computers. there is almost no software which doesn't require some level of fiddling to get satisfactory results.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>IMHO, she would be pee-your-pants happy with a copy of Reason and any of the keyboards mentioned here. Plus, a couple of decent speakers to monitor the sounds she'll be making.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>nk</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Dec 21, 2005, at 2:39 PM, Jerry Krinock wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Gill Sans" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Gill Sans">Think about it: This ain't a job for a computer.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>How long does it take for</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Gill Sans" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Gill Sans">a "natural" piano to boot up?<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>How "natural" will it feels when your wife</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Gill Sans" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Gill Sans">has to fiddle with hardware, software, and loose connector issues before she</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Gill Sans" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Gill Sans">plays music?<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>