Yeah it's true, the lines get blurry. I mean maybe I'm not the guy to make that decision but for me when I see someone playing with a drum machine they might as well be playing a record or a backing track.

With synths you still have to know how to play.

See electronic drums (with sound presets) are one thing - you still have to play.

Drum machines are pre-programmed, something you could have done weeks ago while sipping expresso's in LA. lol.

Synth horns, you can still fuck up if you can't play and sound horrible like any instrument cause you still playing a piano spread. It's just the sound isn't an acoustic piano. It's a preset - horns.