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Fl users & ex-FLusers
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| don_q |
Every time I tell someone I produce with FlStudio, they tell me I should upgrade to either cubase, reason or whatever for professionals.
I used to not care.... used to, now I don't know, but I really don't wanna go through weeks of learning new software :(
Is the hassle of the transition really worth it?
I'm not looking for a debate between softwares. I just wanna know if FL is holding me back. I believe its pretty good, but I haven't tried anything else (I use ableton but for playing). What am I missing out?
Thanks |
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| Derivative |
| quote: | | I really don't wanna go through weeks of learning new software |
Then dont. It really is that simple.
FL Studio's output is cold compared to Cubase's and mixer routing is very limited. Its not especially efficient when it comes to running VSTis as well. Hell theres loads of stuff that sucks about using Fruity. But you know what? None of those things ever made or broke a classic tune anyway.
Still using FL Studio and will continue to do so until I start hitting some real limitations that prevent me from doing what I want to do. So far, I havent found any. Nothing you couldnt work around or improvise with a little lateral thinking. |
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| Lindo |
| I second that. I'm still using FL 6 after about 7 months and have yet to find a "stuck" point. I was actually thinking of transitioning to Ableton once I learned it, so until I finish learning it inside out then I'm staying with FL. |
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| KilldaDJ |
weird, this isnt very relevant to the topic but i had to make a shift from atomixmp3 to traktor
traktor is just a more advanced atomixmp3 i reckon lol
and as for fruityloops? i use it, i know how to use it and if i want to achieve a certain sound, 3.4 all the way, none of this reason crap, if u dunno how to use it and cant be arsed to learn how to use it, dont bother with it |
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| Four_On_Four-er |
I've been using FLStudio for about 2.5-years... non-consistently I might add (too many periods of non-production). It's been the sequencer that I've started out with, and I really don't see it to be too limiting.
The problem with alot of FLStudio people is that they don't branch out enough. FLStudio is best used as a conductor to the better software, and even hardware that it can harness. Avid 3xOSC/TS-404 users are going to shoot me down quick, but there's too much dryness in those synths unless you are a waveform genius from the get-go. The samples that ship with FLStudio are pure crap... That's the only real limitation I see which is easily bypassed by a shopping-user.
I tried a demo of Cubase, once, and I'll tell you that I'm not too keen on it. The mixer seemed foreign to me, and the workflow slower. Cubase users are going to shoot me down quick, but if you are an avid VST user, FLStudio seems to be the better choice. Not to mention, I really feel more at home, and work quickly with the FLStudio's piano-roll (that to me is a biggie).
Otherwise, Reason, to me, is sort of a plus and minus equation. It's lack of VST support makes me shudder. |
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| cybernetica |
I am using FL studio since more than 2 years now and I still find it totally awesome. The piano roll makes composing very easy. There is a lot of tools that ease the process of arranging stuff which lets you focus on putting your ideas into sound, which is the most important thing about a sequencer to me.
The only thing I dislike about FL is the mixer output, which sounds worse than Cubase's for example, still its very good, but there is a slight difference.
But that's not reason to quit using FL. IMO, producing music is most fun with FL... isn't that what matters most? :) |
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| Four_On_Four-er |
| quote: | Originally posted by cybernetica
The only thing I dislike about FL is the mixer output, which sounds worse than Cubase's for example, still its very good, but there is a slight difference.
But that's not reason to quit using FL. IMO, producing music is most fun with FL... isn't that what matters most? :) |
Seriously? I'm inclined to disbelief, but it has to be the quality of effect plug-ins... doesn't it? What is the difference? |
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| cybernetica |
| quote: | Originally posted by Four_On_Four-er
Seriously? I'm inclined to disbelief, but it has to be the quality of effect plug-ins... doesn't it? What is the difference? |
Like I said, it's a minimal difference. Once I got to listen to Psy on good audios, I started noticing it. There is a certain "raw" character about the output. It's very hard to describe, but the sound seems to get straighter "in your face" (which isnt a bad thing per se), whereas Cubase's output seems to have a little more depth and feels "wetter" somehow.
Still, there is always the possibility to compensate it with good mastering and using the right FX and instrument plug-ins, but FL's tendency for a rawer sound output remains.
You know that I love FL, I will stick to it for many more years, and that there is no reason for me to make it bad... I'm just pointing out my impressions and those of others, most of them even FL lovers. |
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| jahnlay |
| Have you tried using Ableton for your productions? I only use Ableton now, I used to use Logic, but have since stopped using it. FL can be used as a VST plug in with Ableton, and you'll get a much better sound quality. Try it, you won't be sorry. |
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| zodiac9 |
I'm a fruity user, but I did try Cubase recently because I was thinking about collaborating with a producer I know. I gave up quickly though, guess I'm just not ready to learn how to use it. Cubase is not intuitive like FL, in fact, it seemed cumbersome.
I feel I'm not missing out on anything by using FL, neither am I losing any quality in my tracks. FL is a professional tool that gets slammed too often. The older versions of FL are probably the reason some people think it's no good, when it had way less features and crashed a lot. The newer versions are much improved. Anyways, I started with FL, and I'm sticking with it for now. I do plan to go back and learn Cubase one day, only for the purposes of collaborating with other producers, since that is what a lot of them use. |
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| Derivative |
| quote: | | Seriously? I'm inclined to disbelief, but it has to be the quality of effect plug-ins... doesn't it? What is the difference? |
I wouldnt say its a quality difference. I dont have monitors yet though so when I did my comparison that may have affected what I heard. Fruity's mixer output isnt very hot though. And the dB meters on the mixer are ed up - as in, totally wrong. You can sometimes go way over the red line and not audibly clip.
When I build kick drums in soundforge I invariably end up importing them into fruity. Typically, I gain the kick drum up in soundforge until its peaking at -3.0 dB before any processes. When I import it into fruity it is much quieter when gained up to -3.0 dB (although this is probably the meters not reading correctly). I can export the audio from fruity though and reimport it back into soundforge and both the soundforge original and the fruity export sound identical.
That at least would indicate to me that fruity doesnt really have quality rendering. Far from it. The mixer output is just really cold. That would have an effect on how you monitor so it will affect your tracks. But like I already said, a couple extra decibels on the output never made the difference between an average tune and a legendary one.
I would also like to add - 2 years of messing with fruity internal synths and trying to get them to sound half decent has played a fairly large part in the improvement of my sound design. Sound design is probably my best area now and its way ahead of my mixing which is still lacking.
I build all my sound assets from scratch now(except for composite sounds such as composite hihats and snares - I tend to like using acoustic drum samples as well as synthesized ones).
This comes back to working within limits. If you have 20 classic synthesizers, a pair of monitors worth more than a new family car, limitless mixer channels etc etc. its really easy to get sloppy.
Biggest improvements I ever made in my production was going without and trying to figure out how I could improvise my way around limits.
I would seriously recommend taking some time out and dropping the hot VST instruments. Use something like one ping only and fruity 3osc for a couple of weeks/months and just try to make decent sounds out of them. You will learn alot about mixing oscillator waveforms and what characteristics of certain oscillators are desireable and which ones arent. Aliasing distortion is also blatantly evident on 3osc so you will learn what that sounds like too. Theres a lot of learning you can do with a freebie like 3osc though you wouldnt think it from looking at the GUI. |
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| Four_On_Four-er |
| quote: | Originally posted by Derivative
I would seriously recommend taking some time out and dropping the hot VST instruments. Use something like one ping only and fruity 3osc for a couple of weeks/months and just try to make decent sounds out of them. You will learn alot about mixing oscillator waveforms and what characteristics of certain oscillators are desireable and which ones arent. Aliasing distortion is also blatantly evident on 3osc so you will learn what that sounds like too. Theres a lot of learning you can do with a freebie like 3osc though you wouldnt think it from looking at the GUI. |
You know I did that once for a track to test my resourcefullness... and I believe it's an underrated experience (meaning I'll probably do it again). THe song wasn't that bad either (as far as epic trance goes) except for some immaturities.
[EDIT]
I actually know ONE ex-FL user. The reason being is that he's using Macintosh now, and actually misses the darn sequencer. |
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