I'd ask that you define what "playing" a synthesizer entails. A lot of that comes down to designing sounds, especially given the fact that you have so many different kinds of oscillators interacting with each other.
Someone can play a keyboard, perhaps, but that's only one of many interfaces to interact with synthesizers.
It's not really the same as a guitar, where your fingers are directly responsible for the vibrations coming out of the strings.
I've been playing piano my whole life. Recently I bought some synths and it's a whole different world. Piano skill comes in handy sometimes, but other times its' mostly irrelevant. And sound design of course is a completely different skill, which on many synths you can do live as you play.
I've seen people on youtube making great music on a stack of modular gear, without a keyboard in sight, and I can't look down on them because at the rate I'm going it'll be years before I can do what they do.
Yeah...they had to quit fondling their $400 oxygen free silver plated kevlar coated audiophile USB cable[1] long enough to lecture us on the nature of music.
I meant it mostly in jest. Most of the rich synth kids I've met have been rich kids in the rave/burner scene that got so into the music that they wanted to make it but didn't know how to play any instruments, but I'm sure there's plenty of synth hoarders at the fancy schools.
If I had the money I'd probably be one myself. I love blinkenlights and analog electronics and electronic music, but have zero musical talent.
