[linux-audio-user] Synthesis Tools: What to use and how to use it?

Hello there, As you might guess, I'm new to the list. Last year I started to develop interest in using the computer to create music - partly because I'm interested in music AND computers: so why not join these two things? - and partly because my band broke up due to the drummer who left town: so why rely on humans, when you can use a machine? ;-) Well, I started reading about recording- and mainly synthesis-techniques. Just recently I started reading the "Computer Music Tutorial", which some of you probably know. It is highly interesting and I think I learned a lot about this topic, so far. Unfortunately, I'm not quite sure about how to use these synthesis techniques in "real life". I mean, I know the basic principles of a few techniques and the basics on waveforms etc. but how can I get the sound I'm looking for out of my softsynth? In terms of software synthesizers, so far, I only looked into Alsa Modular Synth and Zynaddsubfx. I like both of them, but I think, to apply techniques like multiple wavetable synthesis or additive analysis/resynthesis (which sounded particularly interesting to me) and to get a wide range of different sounds, I need to get my hands on more "sophisticated" tools like Pd, CSound or whatever else there is. But actually, I have no idea, which one to choose. The point is, that I really don't want to delve into one of these languages, only to find out, that I should have learned another one... So... what is the tool to use? I want to be able to do the synthesis techniques described in the before mentioned book, it should be controllable in realtime (at least for less resource-intensive patches). With "controllable" I mean, that one should be able to easily change important parameters, e.g. by assigning MIDI-controllers to them and changing these values over time either manually or letting a sequencing tool change them. It would be nice, if output via jack would be supported, so it can be integrated with other Software tools, as well as my hardware synth and drumcomputer. I'd be glad, if someone could help me out about my problem... btw: I hope not to start some kind of religious war... ^_^ thanks in advance, -Michael Wagner