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81 reviews of this app found across Reddit:
Worth noting that this is the Fruity Edition (normally $100), not the full Producer Edition. Refer to the feature comparison tab on this page. Also, it's $60 on Newegg, not $50.
History - some to this very day call it pejoratively "Fruity Loops". When it first came out it didn't have playlist window - only pattern blocks, no automation clips, no sample clips. No VST until 2003 in version 4 (and even then only generators were supported). I started with version 9, and it was pretty much complete back then, but I imagine Pros tried earlier versions and never gave it another try.
Avicci - Levels
Martin Garrix - Animals
Most of Deadmau5 early stuff
Everything by Savant
Porter Robinson, Feed Me, SeamlessR, Madeon and Basshunter have/still use it. They have a list of "Power Users" on their site
EDM(Don't hit me) etc.: Armin Van Buuren, Tritional, Madeon, Garrix, Dyro, Savant, Ummet Ozcan, Jay Hardway, Paris Blohm, Sandro Silva, Deadmau5, Laidback Luke, Nicky Romero, Porter Robinson, David Guetta, Afrojack, Bassjackers, Blasterjaxx, Avicii, Basshunter, Cazzette, Tristam, Ephixa, SeemlessR and many more.
Hip Hop etc.: Hit-Boy, 9th Wonder, Jahlil Beats, Boi-1da, Soulja Boy, Alex da Kid, Mdl, Ayo the Producer, Lex Luger and many more.
It's used in other genres too like classical music but I don't who at the moment. I think Hans Zimmer used it for a short time.
Note: Some don't use FL Studio anymore but certainly made hits with it.
Sources and other producers: Image-Line Equipboard hiphopmakers
If you find this entertaining, you might enjoy picking up FL Studio.
I have been playing with it since I was 16. It's a lot of fun.
> fruity edition
"Has limited FL Studio features. Is aimed at those people who need Piano roll for sequencing functions but does not have Audio Recording, Slicex, or Edison. For a list of all features included in this edition, see the feature comparison page here." --https://support.image-line.com/knowledgebase/base.php?ans=94
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/editions.php
The fruity edition is really limited. You don't get audio recording. You can't put audio clips into the playlist. You don't get edison, slicex, or vocodex which are all great tools. You don't get automation clips (which you seem to be brushing off but that alone is enough to upgrade, automation is a big part of production, especially in EDM). And you can't record audio with it.
Poizone, Toxic and Harmless are all great synths, but the key thing is to find one that is good for your workflow. At the end of the day, all subtactive synths are similar, FM synths are similar and so on so it's really a preference on which you like to work with the most and which sound you like.
Two IL synths I would recommend looking at are Harmor, a very unique synthesizer that no other mainstream synth I know of is similar to it. And sytrus, which is an FM synth but it allows you to make your own waveforms. Toxic is also a great FM synth but it has a very different approach from Sytrus.
Nexus is more a sound library than a synth. It's great if you just want a bunch of presets but it's not made for creating your own sounds.
So, buy the synths you like, or use free ones, but be sure to get at least producer edition of FL studio.
Honestly, the free version is probably all you need. It comes with everything in the $99 version (Fruity Edition), the only catch is you can't re-open saved projects. So if you're using it just for kicks, it's really good for just tinkering for a few hours, make a loop and export it. However, if you think youd work a little "more" on the projects, Fruity has everything a beginner needs.
Also, there's no pros or cons to upgrading versions later. If you end up wanting a higher version, you just pay for the difference, so really there's absolutely no loss if you start off with the lower editions and upgrade later to the higher ones.
I personally used the free version for around 6 months before deciding to get serious and upgrade to Producer (and later Signature) Edition.
Here's a link to the feature comparison of each version.
Hope that helps!
Yes.
In case you didn't know, here is a list of all the features and plugins available for each of the three editions. You might want to have a look in the "Plugins - Synthesizers and effects" section.
Sorry, but your friend is very wrong. Plenty of big artists use it. Porter Robinson, Madeon, Savant... In fact, here's a full list: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/powerusers.php
As for handling audio differently, I believe it's all the same. The plugins definitely have differences, but that's just a given, really. I've purchased both DAWs (ableton and FL); I know them well and respect them equally.
Automation clips come with Fruity Edition. It's Audio clips that don't (source). But assuming you meant audio clips, then yeah, you're right, OP will 100% need audio clips.
:)
FL Studio has a fruity edition which is a great introductory DAW. If you want to increase your budget you can get the producer edition, which is pretty much the full version of FL. If you want to work with midi, go with FL
Ableton live intro is pretty nice if you want to edit audio a bit more. It's pretty popular but the intro version is extremely limited. I find myself up against the 16 track limit in live intro a whole lot. If you want to work with audio, go with Ableton.
If you are coming from a hardware background, reason is really good and has a lot of pro features.
However, all of these really solid DAWs have a free trial. FL's is unlimited (and easily pirated, yar har) and ableton and reason have 30 day trials.
Start the trials and learn each daw one at a time.
Get a grasp on making music with each one and then go from there.
While you're waiting the 90 days (30 days per daw), you should be saving up some more money if you are really intrigued about producing music.
With Fl studio 12, if you have Producer, you also get Maximus and Sytrus, also Slicex, but I'm not sure whether that was already the case.
This might be helpful: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
Here's this comparison from Image-Line in case you haven't seen it.
I would ignore the Fruity Edition. It's awfully limited with no audio clips in the playlist and no built in audio editor. It's also missing a couple of synths and FX, most notably the much praised Sytrus.
I personally like the Signature bundle. DirectWave (multizone, multivelocity sampler like Kontakt) was the selling point for me, but newtone, pitcher, and Hardcore do see occasional use in my studio.
If none of those plugins interest you then the Producer edition would probably work out fine.
The signature version is missing a lot of their better synths though (harmor/poizone/sawer/biohazard/etc) and while they are easily replaced, they are actually really decent synths all by themselves. The difference in price between the bundles is huge though($600).
Here is the differences in editions from FL
> I'm currently at the "frustrated because I can't get it to sound how I want" stage.
Lol. Welcome to the world of production. I've been producing for years and I'm still not happy with that. In fact, I dont think I've ever actually made any music in the genre I originally wanted to make.
But like I said, there arent any shortcuts. You just got to put in the hours practicing to get better.
Two books I'd recommend having a look at though are: The Dance Music Manual, and The Mixing Engineers Handbook.
TDMM breaks down a lot of genres and explains the hows/whys and history as well as a music theory section and various other things.
TMEH is great at picking up little tricks and tips and learning how to use FX properly.
Image-Line confirmed recently on their Facebook page, that FL Studio 13 will be available for Apple systems natively. Now, you may be wondering when will FL Studio 13 be released? I estimate that it will take at least two years. Lastly, here you can view the history of all versions, including when they were released. I hope this helped!
Doooo eeeet!
FL Studio fan reporting. Lifetime updates! V12 was out yesterday. Been using it since v3, bought at v7. Test it out!
Image-Line about Lifetime free updates
FL Studio Guru about Lifetime free Updates They already did it for 15 years according to the vid :)
I'm not sure if FL 12 is going to cost more but if you really want to save then buy while they have holiday offers etc. It sounds plausible that FL 12 will cost more though and they're talking about buying 11 before the new one comes. Like a hint I don't know :D. If you want to get more serious, give the developers what they deserve and especially sell your music IMO buy it.
As far as things that haven't been mentioned yet...
UDK - Engine (www.UDK.com)
CrazyBump - 2D Mapping (www.crazybump.com)
FL Studio - Music ( http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/i_index.php)
Aside from that, I use Blender and Photoshop as well.
Depends on what you are planning to produce:
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/editions.php?t=6#feature_comparison
I'd say get signature + harmor and sytrus or producer + harmor + sytrus + maximus.
But around 200€-400€.
Get a hold of a basic DAW (digital audio work station) and start learning. I started on fruity loops studio (now FL Studio) back in the day and switched to ableton. Do the hard work of learning an intermediate knowledge of music theory and sound design and everything will fall into place, meaning, when you have an idea you can use your knowledge to know how to lay it down. Fun links below.
http://www.musictheory.net/lessons - for the basics http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/ - for the beat makings YouTube for tutorials
It's all about expression. Best of luck stranger. -NVMIR
Well then it doesn't really matter. The popular choices for electronic music are FL Studio and Ableton Live I'd recommend FL Studio since isn't a bit less expensive and is suited for a wider range of workflows.
I actually didn't realise they added lifetime updates after FL 10. Still though, $39 for 4 versions worth of updates, that's still a steal imo.
If you haven't already look at Bulby on YouTube. He mostly works with 8-bit stuff but occasionally does 16-bit (SNES) stuff like this video. In the description it mentions he used "Logic Pro 9, Kontakt 5, and soundfonts you can find online," and there's a lot of discussion in the comments about things other people use like FL Studio. Good luck! Share some stuff back on the sub if you make something neat, would be cool to hear :)
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
> These plugins are included in all Editions as FL plugin. They only work inside FL Studio. VSTi plugin versions that work in any VST host program outside of FL Studio, can be purchased as part of Juice Pack.
If you decide on FL, absolutely get Producer Edition. With Fruity Edition you lose the ability to record an audio input, and the ability to use audio clips directly in FL's Playlist. These are quite big hindrances, and it's for these reasons that I always recommend at least Producer to first-time buyers. Aside from that there's a few nice plugins Fruity misses out on too, like Sytrus, Maximus, Slicex, Vocodex, and Convolver. Have a look at the feature comparison if you want.
It's definitely worth looking at other DAWs too, but most other big DAWs are quite a bit more expensive than FL. Have a look into it.
:)
Why are you using a version of FL that's almost 5 years old
There have been a lot of wrapper bugfixes in the last few years.
haha well if you plan on buying it i suggest none other than
The Best Place To Safely Purchase FL Studio
with that outta the way this is a breakdown of the differences between each one.
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
when i purchased fl studio back in 2004 i purchased the producer edition because i needed to be able to record bass and electric guitar into it and my vocals. i then about 3 years later upgraded to the signature edition. hope this helps, cheers
Yeah, most of the VST plugins you'll find are demo versions.
Bookmark this page so you can use it as a list of what is included and not included in your version. http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
As for Fruity Edition, you do get some good pieces to mess around with - without touching the additional demos or hitting any limitations.
- 3xosc
- Directwave (Look in Packs > Orchestral. Hopefully those instruments are in the fruity edition. You can also download the great free Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra pack optimized for Directwave)
- Automation Clips - hell yeah!
- FPC (you don't need external hardware for this, it's got cool midi patterns and preset sounds out of the box!)
- WASP
- VST support if you want to grab some other instruments and effects! Download a some free ones, or check out additional demos
It should be pretty good to have some fun with. There's a whole world of possabilities out there, and it's easy to get overwhelmed also. Even some of us that have ton of plugins still wonder "should I dump another $200 for Serum or stick with Massive?" There's always more stuff you can find to try, sometimes it's better to identify a smaller set of tools to get a sense of progress as you improve. This progress will compel you to do more, and learn more - and use that motivation to slowly grow into more tools you would like to learn.
No need to be bummed out, you've got some good tools to try out. But eventually you may get the urge to expand the toolset, of course.
If the time comes, when you begin that expansion; I'd suggest going Producer or signature edition as your first upgrade - you'll get very important features in the DAW, and the included generators & effects are ridiculously good value for the upgrade prices.
Scroll down to effects plugins http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/ For every section take one or two plugins and learn them inside out, what all the parameters mean.
For producing electronic music, learning how the synthesizers work will be THE most important part. Synth design is HUGE is electronic music. You'll want to start with a synth and a preset sound it has that you like. Fiddle with parameters, Google things you don't get to learn what makes the synth sound like it does. Look up tutorials on how to design a "super saw" synth, or "growling bass" or any other style you want. Listen to a electronic song you like. Try to recreate a synth from it.
This is just a start, but necessary skills to produce. I haven't talked about composition, experimentation, song structure or layering but their all aspects you should explore eventually. Good luck on the journey!
Don't go by what you hear; try it yourself. The included plugins are clearly marked here: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/ and the plugins are included in the demo. Some are lightly crippled. The Image-Line youtube channel has tutorials on just about every one- even the legacy ones. If you really like the plugins included with the Producer edition then consider getting them now with the upgraded edition because even with a discount you'll wilnd up paying more if you purchase them independently later. Also, full disclaimer, the difference between the fruity version of a plugin and the vst version is the fruity version can only be used with FL Studio. The vst version will work with any daw. The included versions with the Producer edition are almost all fruity versions. If you check that chart they are marked with a number "2"
Yes, WASP and WASP XT both come with FL.
Here's the comparison between different editions, telling you what you get with each edition. WASP and WASP XT come with all editions.
:)
I believe it is isn't it? http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/
But yeah I'm talking about a 6 core hyperthreaded (12 thread) processor, so I'd really hope the multi-core performance on FL12 holds up well.
Producer and Signature are the same thing. The Signature version is just a bundle of Producer with some plugins. If the plugins you want are not included in the Signature version then it wouldn't be to your advantage to buy that version. Here is a link to a feature comparison halfway down the page: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/editions.php?t=6#feature_comparison
Also für Anfänger soll FL Studio (http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/) ganz gut geeignet sein, die Einsteigerversion kostet um die 90 €, die Producer Edition ca. 180 €. Als Flagschiff in Sachen Musikproduktion gilt Ableton Live, da musst Du aber schon um die 400 € hinlegen...
Ich persönlich liebe Renoise, das ist aber ein anderer Ansatz. Renoise basiert auf einem Tracker. Das ist nicht jedermanns Sache, aber wenn Du vielleicht mal sowas vorher schon benutzt hast, ist das recht geil. Kostet als Vollversion 65,- €.
Von allen Programmen gibt es Demos, guck Dir einfach mal ein paar an.
Not that unique, although Delphi should definitely be used more.
FL Studio is another high-quality application that is still written in Delphi, for example.
Hey, great that you're interested. It's a ton of fun and very rewarding. Ableton Live is powerful, but also pretty pricey. I recommend also checking out FL Studio. Personally I use Renoise, which has a bit of a learning curve, but is really great; I also use Studio One - which has a free version that would actually be great for just starting out. Try out a few different DAWs to see which one you like the most. Then play around with it, watch tutorial videos, and learn everything you can about that DAW.
You can purchase the basic edition of Fl Studio for $99, and using that with free plugins and samples you can get online will give you pretty much everything you need. It would be pretty easy for me to whip out something that sounds just like SAW I with that set up and you could be doing that in not much time also.
To record and playback music, there are several different pieces of software, the easiest one is Audacity. This allows you to record using any input and can layer, and change volume, panning and such within each layer.
If you are after a proper software for music production, you can use programs such as FL Studio, Ableton Live or if you are running a mac, the easiest way to do it, is using Garageband which allows for input recording and visual instruments such as keyboards, guitars and drums.
Not an audio student so I don't know for any summer programs, but you could check out and try to learn LMMS (Linux MultiMedia Studio). It's a free program similar to Fruit Loops Studio (http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/ - great if you got money to burn) where you can make your own music. Supports most MIDI instruments.
Go look at Fl Studio or Ableton Live, I personally pefer Ableton https://www.ableton.com/en/live/new-in-9/ http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/
If your looking for tutorials look for pointblank music school on YouTube they show you some good tips
All of that is pretty clearly spelled out on the website. Producer does come with some plugins, but not all of them. Sytrus is included, as is Edison and other useful plugins.
Perhaps I'll be able to help you out a little in the future with a break on the price of a legit copy, but then you'll owe me a controlling share in your soul. I'll let you think about it. :P
Fruity Loops is the de facto program for amateur hip hop beat making.
Others that are more complex but also more powerful in a full studio setup include Reason and Ableton Live.
These are the demos for Signature Edition.
Poizone, Toxic Biohazard, Morphine, Ogun, Harmless, Harmor, Groove Machine, Drumaxx, Sakura, Sawer, Gross Beat, Newtone 2 and Pitcher.
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/editions.php?t=3#feature_comparison - Go to the Feature Comparison tab > click Plugins - Synthesizers and Effects dropdown box. - The plugins that aren't checked are the ones you don't have for your corresponding version.
FLStudio (which used to be called Fruity Loops) seems to be a very simple and effective way to get into making music. It is only around $100 at it's cheapest. If you get a simple USB-MIDI keyboard (optional) and that, you can start making music right away. I do believe it comes with a bunch of virtual instruments, but if it doesn't, there are TONS of free ones on the internet (search VST synthesizers or VST effects). I used FL for a long time and realized it wasn't the best for me because I wanted to focus on other genres that involved more recording and less synthesis and looping. I use Reaper now, which is probably the cheapest and fastest DAW out there, but it doesn't come with any virtual instruments or effects at all.
No, but you can reference the following link as a starting point: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/win-mac-compare.php
Note that they're going to be releasing patches more frequently to get the macOS version up to par
Otherwise, I'm able to do everything I need to do. It's not a light version of FL by any means. Only qualm I have is some lag here and there, but it might be my machine's specs.
I can't speak for the others, but FL Studio can be purchased as a physical copy, however, due to the lifetime updates, whenever a new version is released you'll have to download it from their website. SEE HERE
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/powerusers.php
FL Studio has a bad rep in some places because it used to be very lacking compared to the competing DAWs and was mostly a 'toy' of sorts. Now, however, it's perfectly viable if the workflow works for you. Several big artists use it and many hits have been produced with it.
Harmless only comes with Signature Bundle and above, so no, you won't be able to use it in Fruity Edition.
I always recommend at least Producer Edition to first-time buyers, because Fruity Edition drops a few very crucial features and awesome plugins. Have a look into it if you want.
Here's a link to the feature comparison between editions.
:)
Musician with minimal recording software experience here. Can anyone help to summarize the difference between the producer and signature editions? I found the table here but it's kind of an information overload for me.
My primary use case is in-home recording using line-in and microphones. I don't have any real plans to use this while performing live, although having the option would be nice.
Okay, imprecise language there. I correct it...
I haven't paid for FL Studio updates; I started at version 5, I have version 12 installed now. I had to pay once to upgrade to from Standard to the Producer version, but not not a penny since.
I think the stock synths have changed. The only stock synths the producer version comes with are wasp, sytrus, flowstone, speech synth, minisynth, groove machine synth, dx10 and 3x osc. Of which I really only like sytrus.
EDIT: source http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
EDIT 2: if I spend $100 more for the signature, I only get Harmless added to it :(
Harmor you have to buy, Sytrus comes with a few of the different editions. Check this page out to see what comes with what. Most people suggest at least the producer edition to get full use of the software. After that you're just getting more plugs bundled.
Image-Line does sales pretty regularly too, Harmor should be 75-100 bucks around Christmas.
I see Massive is 150, so if that's what you know you want, go for it. but it doesn't really do anything you can't do with Harmor.
IMO get Producer Edition and nothing else, for now. If you want to upgrade to Signature later, it's only $100 more (for a total of $299 - same price as buying Signature outright).
Producer is easily more than enough to make good music. Look around YouTube and forums and stuff for 3xOsc, Sytrus, GMS (etc.) presets, and learn how synths work. If you want to buy more stuff down the line there's plenty of time, but for now Producer is more than enough.
Here's the feature comparison as well if you want to look at it.
:)
Automation clips come with Fruity Edition. It's Audio clips that don't (source). But assuming you meant audio clips, then yeah, you're right, OP will 100% need audio clips.
:)
If you are trying to recreate the sound, try soundfonts in a capable DAW like FL. You might need to experiment with distortion. But if you are looking for the source I have done a little research. I think most of that tune originally comes from Holder and at some point the Ethan and Hila outro switched to the distorted remix you referenced.
Thanks for the info. Item volume indeed in reaper and has been there at least since v3 if memory serves. In FL it's a volume pot on each generator of which there is one per audio clip and has been there for at least 10 years (since when audio clips could be added to the playlist http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/history.php?entry_id=1287065056&title=fl-studio-40). Analogue desks have had it since I first used one in the '90s and I'd imagine long before then.
Unless I'm missing something it's just another volume control that gives you a way to normalise or manually compress (through automation) pre insert and fader.
I know that the fruity edit. is verry limited and I whould recomend buying the signature or prod. bundle. But i dont know about the samples. You can check here ( http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/ ) and see 4 yourself. I suck at english so I didnt find any relevant info but I think you should check there yourself and see. But still If u want to make songs and not like, loops and stuff I whould buy the prod or signature edition. I have the Signature bundle myself and is verry happy with it. And Ive noticed that if u buy it on your birthday youll get a bit of a sale wich is nice. So if ur birthday is soon. i Whould wait and buy it then. Hope it helped =)
Take a look at this comparison between the versions:
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
My recommendation is to either stay with the producer edition and purchase Harmor, or go with the signature bundle with Harmor for $180. But I'd say don't go with the all plugins bundle.
Now, there are some plugins in the signature bundle that you may not find much need for right now, but you may want them in the future. Biggest example is gross beat for time manipulation. You'll also get Newtone with it, which can be helpful if you ever deal with vocals.
So I'd get the signature bundle if you really see yourself making music for a long time.
You are early on in production, so I don't advise going all out for the All Plugins Bundle just yet. Perhaps in the future if that's something you want to do. Keep in mind that FL will continue running sales each year.
Also, keep in mind that by saving almost $300, you can purchase some incredible 3rd party plugins later down the line. (You'll most likely want to eventually). You can also put some of that money towards better gear.
Overall, I think the producer edition is fantastic and has most of what you need. But that's just my thought, totally up to you mate. Side note, I highly advise that you look into Sytrus; it's included already and is an incredible plugin.
TLDR; All plugin bundle is overkill at this stage. Either sticking with the producer edition or going with the sig + Harmor are better options imo.
Same thing here. I don't know much but I can tell you what the employee at Guitar Center and a guy there told me.
They recommended just starting with the fruity edition (unless you plan to use a lot of audio clips and audio recording). There's a few additions in the producer edition, which you can see here. If you know what those things mean and they're important to you, then I guess get the producer edition. To me, I'm just starting and barely know what those very few differences mean, so it's not worth the extra money. You're still going to be able to do most things you're looking for with the fruity edition. The people I talked to said that there's a lot of plugins that you'll want to use that you won't need the producer edition for, so it wasn't really worth it, especially for beginners.
Download FL Studio (one of the most popular Digital Audio Workstations). It is free, but you cannot save your projects until you buy the software. link here: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/
This has everything you need to start creating electronic music (drum one-shots, synths, effects, a sequencer...) but may take a while to learn depending on your musical knowledge.
One way some people get started(but may be a bad habit) is to use audio loops. Theses are short pieces of music that can be mixed and matched with other loops to create a full song. Looperman.com has a ton of free loops you can use.
If you want to do remixes, go to Indaba.com. From there you can enter remix competitions and download multitracks that you can mess around with.
I can't explain everything through a comment, but look up tutorials on YouTube on how to use FL, and more importantly, just use the software and learn what everything does; you cant break it :).
It can be a lot of fun to use once you get the hang of it!
With FL Studio there are 3 editions. They all have different features. Fruity edition is the most basic and is lacking most features. Producer Edition has all the features, and signature edition has all the features + extra plugins.
Full comparison here: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
There is a difference in each edition. Since you plan on singing the $99 edition wouldn't fit your needs. Here's a list comparing each edition: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
Hope this helps!
Yeah, just because something can be pirated doesn't mean it's free. I assume that if OP was looking to crack something they wouldn't have needed to specify "free".
Nobody needs to plug sylenth anymore; we know. If somebody is looking for a subtractive synth that costs $150 but, like anything, can be pirated, then maybe sylenth is a good suggestion.
I'm gonna assume that your FL is cracked too, which would explain why your sakura is not in demo mode. It does not come with FL.
I think FL is a great program for production but I really don't have much experience using it live. I do know, however, that for live music Ableton Live is widely considered to be the best program, so if live music is your main concern that's what I would look into.
Specifically or FL though:
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/ Look or yourself to see what edition meets your requirements. Do note that Fruity (the cheapest) does not have good support for audio inputs (from a sound clip or a microphone) so you'll be restricting to MIDI only. Remember, if a cheaper version has everything except for a certain plugin you need, check the price of getting the missing plugin(s) and see if the upgrade bundle or just buying the plugins is better.
Everything that comes with FL is enough. Don't go looking for other stuff until you have some experience and know why you need a different plugin.
https://support.image-line.com/knowledgebase/base.php?ans=82. Those are the minimum requirements, but You really should have something stronger. As recommended there, try the demo to see if you can handle it. Of note, a better processor (especially since you're working live this is really important to be top-notch) and at least 4Gb of ram would be good. More harddrive space if important too but I'd hope that your system has more than that already anyway.
One thing that's really important for you, because you want to do live music through your computer, is you should get an audio interface. It's an external soundcard that will be much higher quality that whatever you have built in, as well as providing the plugs you will need for hooking up microphones, MIDI, audio hardware, and a speaker system. It will also help you get a lower latency (if your processor can handle it) so that there will be less delay between you hitting a key on your keyboard and the note playing.
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio-feature-comparison/
This isn't exactly what you were looking for, but it will show you which stock plugins you have that are demos. You could simply avoid using them.
Or you might delete them from your */vstplugins folder (or where ever plugins are stored on your computer). I've never tried doing it, but it might cause your DAW to become unstable.
However, I doubt it will change anything since they aren't doing anything critical to the functioning of your DAW if they aren't even activated.
Maybe someone else has actually tried this.
>So like the title says, what would be the most straightforward, intuitive DAW for a newbie with no musical training to muck around in?
I'm actually shocked that this hasn't been said 20 times already, but the answer you are looking for is:
FL Studio.
/thread
Seriously, though... When I started out I was in a position very similar to you. So I figured out which were the most popular DAW programs, and I tested out trial or full versions of several of them, and I found FL studio to be the only one that was highly user-intuitive.
As a non-musician, who had never used a DAW before, I learned the basic functions of FL Studio in an afternoon, and I spent the next 12 hours staying up late and composing my first song.
IMHO it has the most intuitive, user-friendly setup of any DAW program I've seen. And I'm far from alone in this opinion.
If I'm not mistaken, it's also one of the more affordable ones on the market, which makes it an even better choice for a beginner.
Plus lots of people use it, so there are tons of tutorials out there you can learn plenty from.
Check out the /r/FLstudio subreddit if you want to have a look or get more info.
Basic Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FL_Studio
Company website: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/
You can download demo version here: http://www.image-line.com/downloads/flstudiodownload.html
Good luck in your search. I hope you find what you're looking for.
Do not buy the Fruity Edition. You want the Producer Edition at least to make sure you have essential features like automation clips and dropping samples into the playlist, which are both huge advantages. Make sure to take a look at the FL Studio Editions comparison chart.
I've been making hip-hop beats for 12 years now, mostly using Image-Line's <strong>FL studio</strong> (ex Fruity Loops), and Propellerhead's Reason.
FL is a beginner-friendly, very versatile DAW; supports all kinds of VSTs and interaction with other DAWs through ReWire, has a huge community, lifetime free upgrades, millions of tutorials on the internet, etc...
You can make music by only using your mouse and/or alphanumerical keyboard, if you don't have a midi keyboard, samplers, or other musical hardware.
Try out the demo version, and if you like it, buy it.
Reason is also a great DAW, but there are tons of others (even tho I have no experience with them: Ableton, Logic, BitWig...)
If you read up here you will see the differences between the versions. Fruity doesn't have the following:
No audio recording.
No Audio Clips.
No Automation Clip.
So I would definitely recommend getting at least Producer Edition.
It looks like that's the Fruity edition, which is the most basic package they offer. It's a fully functional standalone version of the application... it just doesn't have all of the features that some of the more pricey packages have:
Click the 'Open' dropdown arrows for each section to see the details
But you could always get the Fruity Edition, and then upgrade to the Producer Edition later if you wanted to... I'm pretty sure it would just be an extra $100 if you wanted to do that (the Producer Edition is $199 retail)
Just stumbled upon this on IL's site:
> Upgrades from any FL Studio edition to another edition are available to registered customers. > > If you have one of our products and you are interested to upgrade, then please make sure to be signed in to your online member account. > > Use the "Other Products" links available at the bottom right of the page. > The upgrade prices for the programs you have registered are also advertised in our web shop after login. > > Please note, that as a general rule, upgrading to a higher edition will cost you around $10 USD more than ordering that same higher edition the first time. Take the difference in price between your current edition and the edition to upgrade to and add $10 USD. > > The reason for this extra charge is that you make 2 separate transactions, and each of these transactions bears administrative costs.
If you have no musical background you will definitely find it hard to create any kind of music. My advice is start small. Create a drum loop or a guitar riff. Try adding them together and see what you like and what you don't. Try to copy other peoples music using a virtual studio like FL Studio, which is personally my favorite virtual studio, as it is easy for beginners to understand and start making music.
You're welcome! Hmm, that depends. If you've never worked with programs (DAW, Digital Audio Workstations) like that before I'd actually recommend trying something like Fruity Loops first maybe. In regards to music itself, I'd recommend to just get going. You can find answers to the questions that will pop up as you go. More often than not music is easier to create than to understand :). Also /r/musictheory is a great place to find answers as well as inspiration. (edit grammar)
Wow thank you so much! FL is a music production software that is pretty in-depth, and I got the demo for free so it's just awesome. I like it because there is sooooo much you can do with it, but there is a slight learning curve that you can fix with some YouTube tutorials. As you can see, even newbies can make some alright tracks in it ;) Thanks again for the feedback!
The software you are looking for is called a Digital Audio Workstation (or "DAW" for short). This is the canvas of electronic music makers. Inside these programs are synthetic instruments, samplers, effects, and more - which are used to compose music. There are a lot to choose from.
FL Studio is a popular DAW that attracts the inexperienced with its unique layout and pattern orientation. It's fast, easy, and if you use it correctly - incredibly powerful. It is also one of the most affordable DAW's on the market.
Ableton is another popular choice. Predominantly geared towards the performance aspect, Ableton offers a plethora of unique tools and graphics to make production smooth and efficient. It also boasts an impressive "live" feature, which is often used by DJ's who perform electronic music.
I'll mention Logic Pro as well, just in case you're using a Mac - though I should warn you, if you are inexperienced with DAW's this would not be a good place to start. I'd recommend learning the basics in GarageBand from the iLife suit before making a leap to Logic.
You can find a ton of tutorials on YouTube and miscellaneous subreddits, like /r/edmproduction.
Other than that, it's a trial and error game. Don't rush into it thinking you'll be the next "x" producer. It takes time to get good.
This should give you a good starting point. Good luck and have fun!
Ableton is something only those should use when they become more familiar with music production software. Try different software, I recommend FL Studio. Its easy to use and great for beginners, it includes a ton of Virtual Studio Technology programs for creating and using sounds. Check out their website and try the demo. It took me a year to get around to Ableton from FL Studio which was easy because FL Studio gave me the tools and learning to make good music.
I personally would say Producer Edition just because that's what I had purchased to suit my needs. I then upgraded after the Signature bundle had paid for itself with referrals through their affiliate program. All I can say is you need to look at all of the features for all of the versions available and decide for yourself.
You can compare versions here: http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/editions.php
I use FL Studio, you can use the trial for a bit and honesty just torrent it if you want to get the full version (which you need to save files). There are tons of tutorials on Youtube
If you are interested look up VnV Nation and Pride and Fall for examples of EBM/Futurepop, and Amduscia or Hocico for examples of Aggrotech.
I've discovered seamlessr, and I like his videos even though he can be kind of fast and hurried as he explains things.
As I go through all of the plugins in FL Studio, I keep running into demo versions, or half assed versions of a plugin like Groove Machine. With Groove Machine, they have a version that only has half the capabilities as the full paid version, and to me it's just kind of annoying.
I kind of wish that Image-Line would have just included all of the fully functional plugins that I payed for, and not "teaser" versions, or plugins that appear in the browser, but really aren't installed like Morphine for example.
When you add Morphine from the browser, you get an error that says Morphine could not be found, etc... and I assume this is just a way to get you to the Image-Line site to buy it.
I went here...
http://www.image-line.com/flstudio/editions.php
And looked at what all came with my bundle and I'm kinda relieved now at seeing how much I really got in my bundle so maybe I can settle down a bit now and focus.
Would still like to get Harmor, Groove Machine Full but then that's what piggy banks are for right? :-)
Thanks for your help. :-)
Sorry.. as they say, opinions are like assholes. While I know that FL has a very dedicated following, you don't hear about it as much in interviews etc. This reference is weak (at best), but the wikipedia pages for ableton and FL agree with me there. Am I completely off the mark with that? While I haven't used FL 11, it was cool that image line released it as a free upgrade, and looking at the stuff they've added, I agree that the two have converged significantly since Live 8 and FL 10.