[Geoff]

Hugh wrote:
Hello

What software do the producers of today's pop music use to create
sounds that don't come from, or replicate live instruments? What are
the most popular pieces of software? Is the name for this a Software
Synth? Please forgive me, I am a bit lost in the whole world of
computer generated music, but I am starting to get quite interested.

There are software synthesisers and hardware synthesisers. Neither are new
and have been around for 30+ years, though computer power has made soft
synths much more sophisticated lately.

geoff