FL Studio!

[solrax]

I'm looking into getting FL Studio the Producer edition. Does any one have FL Studio? How do the instrument plugins sound? Are they realistic, or do they sound like computer genereated sounds?I have a friend who has an older version of FL studio and I was looking at it the other day. The instrumentation on it sounded pretty fake to me though. This was for all instrument plugins and the drums.Final question, If the newer or all versions of FL Studio sound realistic. Do you think a soundcard has a bearing on what type of sound you will get?

[samonbass]

I dont know what the new FL studio is like, the last one I used was FLStudio4 & used it for a number of years, just for making beats, didnt really like any of the plugins with it, but I dont even use it at all anymore because stylus kicks ass!

[alterboy]

I've used FL Studio for around 5 years and it's my main DAW. I use the producer edition. It's a lot more robust than it used to be and is great for getting ideas down quick. What I need more clarification on is what sounded fake? The synthesizers? The samples? It's like any DAW it's the canvas on which you paint your pictures. Yeah some canvas' have a different texture or maybe you like painting on wood. The point is you get what you put into it. All DAW's now and days come with basic effects and some instruments. The real difference between it and a mainstream DAW is that it's based around step sequencing, loops, and midi instead of audio recording. I find this an easier way to record and experiment, but that's personal preference.I use some of the effects included, but their are better ones out there you can use. There are some really great sounding free samples you can download with FL for the directwave sampler and the FPC drum sampler. Directwave you do have to upgrade to really use and their are better samplers out there, but for the price ($99) it's pretty good and it actually samples. The FPC comes with the package and it's great. I really love the world drum samples and it comes with a ton of midi loops. Fruity keys is a piano and organ rompler. The piano is passable with a little added reverb and the organs are cool though it only comes with 2. other than that it doesn't come with many instruments. One thing though is when you buy it you get free updates for life! the price of this is going up once version 8 comes out, so if you are going to buy it I would buy it now and save $50.The only thing that it doesn't do great is audio editing. It's cumbersome and doesn't feel fully integrated though it's getting better with every version. I love how it can automatically splice my recordings into loops. You can download the demo for free so you can check it out.

[solrax]

Thank you for the replies. I will download the trial and see how it does.What I meant by "fake" sounding, was that when I heard the drum loops and instrumentation on my friends old version of FL studios it sounded like something out of Nintendo. IMO it sounded as "not presentable" for demos and strictly for song ideas.Thanks Again

[zircon]

FL doesn't "sound" like anything It's just a sequencer. You can make any style of music you want with it. I love the onboard effects as well as the step sequencer, browser, mixer, and piano roll - nothing in the business beats them IMO. Now the built-in SAMPLES aren't that hot, and the free synths that come with it aren't either, but with the abundance of VST plugins (free and otherwise) as well as sample CDs, you should have no trouble upgrading your palette. All of the tracks below were made within FLStudio, 100%.http://www.zirconstudios.com/music/wips ... jesty.mp3I could show you ten other genres and styles I've done in it too, but I think you get the idea.

[bluntbeats314]

sorry for the late post but as you can see i'm a new member-I use FL myself as well as Reason and i must say IMHO people make the mistake of mixing the virtual instrument instead of recording that pattern as a wav and then mixing-i'm still learning to mix myself and a little patience and know how will take that digital sound away and give you some very crisp and full sounds. try it once or twice and notice the different. play a little part, go to the mixer track hit record under the vst track and record on the piano roll and turn off your vst, layer the wav and listen to the difference. if you're real adventurous-sweep the frequency and take out what doesn't fit add a little reverb and a little love. you'll be surprised what you get.in my most humble of humble opinions. drums are different but thats for another segment. take care (:D)

[silvercord]

yes Bluntbeats..i see your point of making the v.i files and then convert em to .wav and then mix down on another sequencer(if you are using reason, or FLstudio that is)it really helps will remixing stuff after too...but..most of the timei have no problems mixing all of the instrument tracks (if they be rex files, .wav samples, midi..etc) all in reason...reason 4 has tons of built in plug ins that do a great job of getting a really tight mix...i love how i can call up like 3 eqs in a row (hehehe yup sounds like it would be crazy huh^^)im still sad propeller head wont put in a sound recording systemin...thats for other proggies they want to sell...if they did i would be the worlds biggest reason fan...i do feel, in a way, that reason fans are being a bit left behindwhen it doesn't host 3rd part V.I.snow there are new reason 'refills' coming out often..but theymost often they are beats and not authentic sounding instrumentsthere are reason strings..and orkestra..but those sound 'ok' atbest. I bet 3rd party V.I. creators should put their content intoa refill format, make $$ and make reason users happy..so far there have been reason pianos, and drums that are prettygood...also Sonic Reality has made a series of 16 refills that people have been swearing by.here's my fingers crossed to having a REAL Soundin' multi gigabyte refill of classical instruments (sigh)good hunting and recording!peacegeoff

[bluntbeats314]

sorry for the bad context-different instead of difference but I used to mix the vi's in FL then I started tracking them out on the lower sequencer and noticed a richer sound especially with a little reverb and low end cut depending on the instrument. I don't have pro tools or anything so I get the best mix in FL then take it over to cool edit to refine the sounds and balance the volume of course.im still learning reason but the mastering suite and overall sound of reason makes me wish the two could be integrated into one without rewire. reason give m that unrestricted composing power-I can make a melody 4 bars or 40. both have their respective perks and I go back between the two at least twice in a session because it seems like 1 helps me be more creative in the other. weird I know but that's how it happens sometimes. reason may not have vi supposrt but throw that combinator in the mix and you can do some damage.im a fan of both but FL is what I learned on and where im most comfortable for the quick idea while reason lets "bluntbeats" roam...

[prez]

FL Studio. What can I say? It has grown leaps and bounds since verion 2.0 which is how long I've had it. I run Cubase alongside it and it still is, hands down, one of the easiest ways to put down what's in my head beat-wise. But it's like alterboy said. You get what you put into it. The DAW is not what makes good music. You are. You pick the VSTs, mics, preamps, etc. I've heard people using Pro Tools sounding very badly while cats on FL Studio are off the chain. Now, I don't use FL Studio as much anymore since I got hip to Battery. However, I've been using it a lot more lately and I'm loving it. Gettin all nostalgic. One thing that will pretty much keep me hooked on FL is the fact it can be used as a VST inside Cubase. So, if I want to do a whole or part of my song in FL, I can. Then I can overlay that with audio or whatever in Cubase. Also, if you create hip hop, pop, R&B, or any kind of electronica, it rocks the house. If you go to my TAXI page and listen to My Priorities, you're listening to a song done 90% in FL Studio...when it was still Fruity Loops.http://www.taximusic.com/hosting/home.p ... =15094Best thing is to download the trial and try it out.