FL Studio user trying out Live 10 - anyone else make this switch and have advice/opinions?

[lilmartianonthebeat]

It's been interesting getting used to a different interface and workflow.

One thing I've noticed is that third-party VSTs seem to incorporate better into FL Studio than Ableton. The "in-the-box" sounds and effects in Ableton are also better than what FL has to offer from what I've seen.

Do Ableton users spend more time in the box than FL? I know a lot of the FL Studio tutorials users are really into all the third-part vsts, it seems less popular in the Live community.

I'm planning on continuing to use both, just for different projects. I make a lot of trap type beats, and it seems like the workflow for that style works well for FL.

[Protocol_b]

My big heads-up would be: are you OK just using one MIDI channel? If so, cool. If not, I have to say FL beats the crap out of LIVE for midi routing and assigning.

[lilmartianonthebeat]

That's really interesting, I haven't gotten into MIDI channels too much with Live yet. I'm surprised that there are apparently some limitations there - it seems like they give options for multiple midi channels and routing.

[pottering]

1- Forget about how FL or other DAWs work, Live just doesn't work like them, trying to use Live like other DAWs will only lead to frustrations.

2- (Part of "1" but reserves special mention, since FL's piano roll is a strong point) Live shifts many MIDI functions from visible options in the piano roll (like chords and scales) to real-time MIDI FX, which you can't see in the piano roll but still affect the MIDI. The disadvantage is obviously the lack of visual feedback. The advantage is that MIDI FX are fun to tweak real-time and also you can create Racks with many MIDI FX in parallel and series creating all kinds of crazy MIDI sequences easily.

3- Read the manual, it is actually well-written, much smoother to read than you would expect from experience with other manuals. Read at least chapter 4, but I recommend reading until chapter 20.

https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/welcome-to-live/

My big heads-up would be: are you OK just using one MIDI channel? If so, cool. If not, I have to say FL beats the crap out of LIVE for midi routing and assigning.

Live can use all 16 MIDI Channels just fine, every MIDI Track has a visible MIDI channel selector written "All Channels" on it, the word "Channels" and the "LED" meter that blinks every time you input a MIDI message should be a hint.

You can route MIDI from and to any place in Live (or outside Live).

MIDI Assign is just clicking the parameter you want to assign and then tweaking the knob you want it assigned in the controller, and some controllers have scripts that auto-assign some controls.

[NTO]

...some controllers have scripts that auto-assign some controls.
There was pretty good exposure to python for midi scripting through Live 9 (last i have)
(ImageLine is just starting on that access)

[lilmartianonthebeat]

3- Read the manual, it is actually well-written, much smoother to read than you would expect from experience with other manuals. Read at least chapter 4, but I recommend reading until chapter 20.

I'll definitely check it out. I went through their tutorial lessons and they were surprisingly well constructed. I'm starting to get what I'm hearing about Live being more of an instrument than a DAW. You really have to learn how to play it.