FL Studio 12 | Launch Video ..JESUS !!

[pjeudy]

I don't use FL studio ..but that video is really innovative and cool as hell !! Love the flexibility of the New Mixer !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cWQbH3llx8

[raymondh]

I've installed the update, it's pretty nice - there's definitely some real innovation in the new user interface.

Unfortunately the speech synthesizer is a bit clunkier - my main use of FL Studio these days.

[pjeudy]

I've installed the update, it's pretty nice - there's definitely some real innovation in the new user interface.

Unfortunately the speech synthesizer is a bit clunkier - my main use of FL Studio these days.

Seriously looking at the way the entire DAW functions...is very inspiring!

[Benedict]

I haven't looked into FL for ages but what I think they always did exceedingly well was the sense of excitement in the user interface. I think they were (and probably still are based on this video) the masters of Wow and sheer number of features.

Sadly I found it close to impossible to actually write music int FL. All that clutter and excitement along with a disinclination to allowing music to be written in a linear fashion (like you hear it) made it hard. Also I coud never get the parameter automation thing.

[Ronin]

All that mixer functionality looks fucking dope though! Pay attention Propellerheads! 

[pjeudy]

Yep !

[raymondh]

 and excitement along with a disinclination to allowing music to be written in a linear fashion (like you hear it) made it hard. Also I coud never get the parameter automation thing.

Yes same for me. I found the pattern editing in FL Studio second to none,  and it is so much fun programming riffs and beats, but as you say, wasn't inspiring for linear programming/recording. 

A lot of that has changed with the newer versions, but I have very happily settled on Reason.

[raymondh]

I've installed the update, it's pretty nice - there's definitely some real innovation in the new user interface.

Unfortunately the speech synthesizer is a bit clunkier - my main use of FL Studio these days.

Seriously looking at the way the entire DAW functions...is very inspiring!

Yes it is. 

To boot, lifetime free updates. I don't know how they do it, but I'm glad they did. 

I paid for Fruity Loops version 2 and a few plug ins, and it's been free updates ever since.

This new release they give away some previously paid for synths - I get Sytrus in my bundle, it is a fantastic sounding additive synth.

[-008']

Just my opinion here, but I *still* hate it. I think Benedict worded it nicely...I probably won't do as well.

I have owned FL since version 3 or 4. I always DL and check it out every few versions. And I always delete it a few days later. Lol

This is really just a GUI update, the same thing people crucified the props over recently. It's a half-assed UI refresh at that, only partially new, so when you say "cool I'll scale to 150 or 200 %"....only a handful of FL plugs are even capable of scaling, so all the rest (most) look like crap. :/

Meanwhile the install was a bittch, from the beta, to the RC, to the final release.

I understand why people (who haven't used it) get big eyes and think the "grass must be greener on the other side of the fence" or something.. But I still hate FL, and that's after using it for about 6 years, making 100s of beats and songs with it, and really learning my way around it. [I went to school for this music stuff so I know full well what these daws can or can't do.] There's really nothing special going on there at all.

tl;dr: BLOATWARE. CLUSTERF%#*. DOODOODAW. Still a hard pass from me.

And to think that people say props' focus switched to apps? Lolz.

[Benedict]

I though I would take a look again. I see what you mean Mr 008. There is definitely a fair element of getting biblical with the cluster. I couldn't work out how to do much of anything.

Initially it sounds great - till you turn off the Limiter (which I have always liked) - then it sounds like anything else. The pattern thing is good for rhythmic programming across instruments but no idea anymore on how to play proper notes.

[Gorilla Texas]

Downloading now!

[Gaja]

I actually found it disturbing that thenactions on screen didn't correspond with the music. It didn't tell me anything about the platform they're using it on. Is that ios? Is that windows? Is there a mac version yet!

[SebAudio]

This is really just a GUI update, the same thing people crucified the props over recently. It's a half-assed UI refresh at that, only partially new, so when you say "cool I'll scale to 150 or 200 %"....only a handful of FL plugs are even capable of scaling, so all the rest (most) look like crap. :/

They're saying "totally new look" not "the biggest update"... And it's free for current owners
I don't like nor use FL but if I were I would appreciate that they're begining to adapt the UI to the Hi-Res screens, the only ones we can buy nowadays...
Reason rack is the same resolution from V1 and V8 doesn't deal with the rack.

[pjeudy]

I understand everyone's point of view... specially the own from actual users !
And I know that we all agree that these are personal opinions. There are lots of people who use FL studio and make great production with it , even if one doesn't like the type of music!

But I think the UI specifically on the Mixer is more then just a UI update. you can scale the mixer up or down and it will dynamically hide or reveal functions. It shows you not only the track playing but can also shows you the moving wave image of that track right in the Mixer !! REASON shows you absolutely NO audio wave motion any ware in the DAW except the sequencer! The NNXT should have been the place where Propellerheads allowed for Wave display on the device it self for when you trim or fade stuff etc....

They also give you 6 mixer layouts...in other words 6 different ways you can scale the Mixer, say if you have a hard time viewing small elements from your DAW...now you have a way to enlarge the Mixer "only"...with REASON if details are too small for you to see..well tough!
And free life time upgrade !

I use Reason exclusively...but I will admit it when I see Innovation that might be useful to have ! Reason is stable but can feel stiff sometimes because of it!

[hydlide]

Just my opinion here, but I *still* hate it.

Awesome way to put the way I think about FL. While I was kind of "forced" into using FL studio (5 iirc) when some breakbeat dude wanted to collaborate with me, I felt the need to pick it up.

My main issue here (and this is still the issue till the latest Fl9 I have) is that everything looks like an un-organized mess. It is kind of like they have a coder for the sequencer, another coder for the mixer and another for the pattern editor. Let alone, the stock plugs from imagine line all work different with different gui and so on.

When done right they could have done a gui update through all the devices, but at this point it still looks and feels like an un-organized mess.

Sure I will give it that I really jaw dropped on the scalable mix ui. But... i just don't like the rest.

Reason rack is the same resolution from V1 and V8 doesn't deal with the rack.

The rack did have a side to side since Reason 6. Eg, you can stack rack devices next to each other. Which is kind of a compromise for those who are using bigger screens. Still, I would prefer an interface in the rack where you could either zoom in (I use the build in windows magnify for this) or have the interface scale at some extend.

The main draw back with reason is that the original rack interface was designed for 640*480 screens (if I am not mistaken). While screen resolutions have increased over time, it would make sense the program could or would adapt with new technology.

[EnochLight]

The main draw back with reason is that the original rack interface was designed for 640*480 screens (if I am not mistaken).

I'm thinking 800 x 600 actually.  Super VGA was pretty popular back in the late 90's/early 2000's.  Anyway, if you screen cap just the Subtractor and include the rack sides, it comes in at just under 800 pixels wide.  

While screen resolutions have increased over time, it would make sense the program could or would adapt with new technology.

Agreed 100%.  I've kicked back and forth upgrading to some 4K monitors, but even on my current 1920 x 1200 duals, Reason's native resolution has long been overdue for an upgrade.  Here's to hoping we see that happen soon!

On FL Studio, I love the scalable vectorized mixer, but never could get anything accomplished in the program.  It truly does feel like it was designed by several departments that kind of went in their own direction!

[zeebot]

I dont like it, looks bloated and unfunctional

[gak]

Just my opinion here, but I *still* hate it. I think Benedict worded it nicely...I probably won't do as well. I have owned FL since version 3 or 4. I always DL and check it out every few versions. And I always delete it a few days later. Lol This is really just a GUI update, the same thing people crucified the props over recently. It's a half-assed UI refresh at that, only partially new, so when you say "cool I'll scale to 150 or 200 %"....only a handful of FL plugs are even capable of scaling, so all the rest (most) look like crap. :/ Meanwhile the install was a bittch, from the beta, to the RC, to the final release. I understand why people (who haven't used it) get big eyes and think the "grass must be greener on the other side of the fence" or something.. But I still hate FL, and that's after using it for about 6 years, making 100s of beats and songs with it, and really learning my way around it. [I went to school for this music stuff so I know full well what these daws can or can't do.] There's really nothing special going on there at all. tl;dr: BLOATWARE. CLUSTERF%#*. DOODOODAW. Still a hard pass from me. And to think that people say props' focus switched to apps? Lolz.

Very close to my experience, and I too have owned it since 4. 

I'm not even going to try 12 because:

-It NEVER runs properly. I don't have some POS old/outdated computer. No matter what I do, the performance (from cpu use to just moving the mouse to trying to integrate it with controllers) is beyond terrible. 
-FL/image line is a terrible company to deal with. Every time someone has an issue they refer to how big their sales are. Nuff said.
-What do I need it for? It's complicated, un-intuitive, and the things I described above. 

Some people might get bent because I'm voicing a negative opinion and I'm sure it comes across to a couple as fanboi, but it's not. Sonar and FL are the two hosts that totally stink imho. At another forum it's the same ol' about the things I described. 

Ironically, sonar and fl are the only hosts I've ever used that are not transferable  

[hydlide]

The main draw back with reason is that the original rack interface was designed for 640*480 screens (if I am not mistaken).

I'm thinking 800 x 600 actually.  Super VGA was pretty popular back in the late 90's/early 2000's.  Anyway, if you screen cap just the Subtractor and include the rack sides, it comes in at just under 800 pixels wide.  

thanx for the correction. Makes sense about the 800*600 part since Svga was the standard back in the days.

[Shokstar]

FL Studio looks great I´m thinking about to buy it in the future. I really like the dark GUI theme

[-008']

Just my opinion here, but I *still* hate it. I think Benedict worded it nicely...I probably won't do as well. I have owned FL since version 3 or 4. I always DL and check it out every few versions. And I always delete it a few days later. Lol This is really just a GUI update, the same thing people crucified the props over recently. It's a half-assed UI refresh at that, only partially new, so when you say "cool I'll scale to 150 or 200 %"....only a handful of FL plugs are even capable of scaling, so all the rest (most) look like crap. :/ Meanwhile the install was a bittch, from the beta, to the RC, to the final release. I understand why people (who haven't used it) get big eyes and think the "grass must be greener on the other side of the fence" or something.. But I still hate FL, and that's after using it for about 6 years, making 100s of beats and songs with it, and really learning my way around it. [I went to school for this music stuff so I know full well what these daws can or can't do.] There's really nothing special going on there at all. tl;dr: BLOATWARE. CLUSTERF%#*. DOODOODAW. Still a hard pass from me. And to think that people say props' focus switched to apps? Lolz.

I dont agree at all. FL is very intuitive if you learn how to use it, you can route any knob to anything, you can do that with other vst's aswell with midi. There's flowstone, where you can make your own synths/fx. And installing is easy, and why use serious projects in  a beta daw? No, IMO.

Never said I used serious projects in the beta. And no, install wasn't easy for me I had multiple issues installing both the beta and the full release.

Additionally, I would not describe FL as "intuitive". You say "it's intuitive if you learn how to use it" but I would argue that something is intuitive without any learning! Isn't that the very definition of the word? Reason and it's real-world-ish interface... now that is what i would call intuitive. I suppose a better word I could've used for FL is "convoluted".

BTW, I have learned the ins and outs of FL extensively, I read all the manuals, took classes etc, i was completely immersed for a good 6 + years. I am a *somewhat* educated fellow. Learning it is not my problem. Efficiently using a: big feature-bloated, grey on gray, messy, unstable DAW is the problem.

To each his own, but I still hate it.

[Benedict]

As an update, I spent most of another day trying to get to grips with FL 12 and attempting to write at least part of a piece.

I came up with nothing.

• I couldn't make sense of ReWire (not uncommon in most Hosts)
• I couldn't Work out the difference between Song & Loop modes (I used to know how)
• I worked out how to find Piano Roll but even then it is still a part of a Loop so I can't just drag that clip to another location in the timeline
• The Instruments in the let panel don't line up to the Parts in the Timeline which seems just odd (but probably would adjust in time esp if I wanted to work in that sort of chunk manner)
• Available synths seem pretty clunky and lacking in subtly compared to Thor/Sub etc. While some have lots of controls, they feel limited in sonic variety. The included synths seems to have a very samey flavor, initially the filters etc sound good and meaty but start layering and they get flabby real fast.
• The mixing Desk seemed arcane - after I managed to open it that is, as first project wouldn't show me a Mixer at all. Didn't ever work out how to have any Instrument (ReWire incl) play anywhere other than the Masters (bit hard to mix that way)
• The software locked up a few times and was reliably crashing Win Media Center (which I never turn off with Reason) and I didn't even load any VST or run much of anything.

After many hours I gave up and achieved what I was trying to do within an hour in Reason.

If you like FL then great. lf you feel that FL may be offering something we can't do in Reason then maybe, but at what sort of cost?

BTW in reality, it doesn't look anywhere near as cool as the video makes out.

[Tumble]

A new GUI and flexible UI? For free?! They should charge 120€ for that.