There is a big difference between PLAYING and making the music.
Hip - hop isn't playing the music - you make (program) loops, beats all that stuff, record it and that's it.
Softsynths are good for studio mastering and stuff like that, but for live playing they are no match for hard synth, you can connect MIDI controller to PC, load samples and play, but there is a difference, and softsynth doesn't stand any chance if you use just them.
Another thing - musicians who tend to work with PC only loose their playing skill and that's inevitable. I play for few hours each day and most of the time I just practice my speed, accuracy, dynamics and stuff, to maintain the skill (Nedim, you know what I play so you know what I mean).
So, bottom line, there isn't comparison between the two - performer cannot play without hard synth and there is no serious studio business without softs.
tyron, I don't mean to disrespect what you do, you earn money with it, you find it OK and it works for you. But it is PROGRAMMING the music, not playing the music. Just my opinion, so no hard feelings, OK?In the past month I sold most of my hardware stuff, and used that money to buy a new Macbook Pro, Apogee Duet, Logic 8, and I feel 100 times more productive, especially when I am traveling.