FL Studio 21 looks promising

[spaceman]

Honestly, you can't even begin to compare these tools...it's like comparing a hammer and a screwdriver. The do different things for different people making different types of music...I wouldn't use either for a recording of predominately live instruments...but for midi-based stuff and loop-based stuff or pattern-based stuff both work fine, just differently. If FL21 doesn't have normal linier track comping with track editing (no Eddison!) it won't be much use to main as a main DAW, but still fun for making pattern mased midi music.

I beg to differ.
Benn Jordan is just one of many.. as he states, he does no repeat/loop anything

[donkey tugger]

I wouldn't use either for a recording of predominately live instruments...but for midi-based stuff and loop-based stuff or pattern-based stuff both work fine, just differently. If FL21 doesn't have normal linier track comping with track editing (no Eddison!) it won't be much use to main as a main DAW, but still fun for making pattern mased midi music.

One begs to differ...

Use whatever you like 'I' wouldn't use either as I have Studio One and Melodye Studio...I have 32 live inputs for audio (12 for drums channels) and Studi One lends itself to that type of live recording and mixing more effectively than FL Studio 'in my opinion'. I am not saying it can't be done, just that I find it much easier in to record and mix audio in S1.

That's better. More measured than saying, " it won't be much use to main as a main DAW, but still fun for making pattern mased midi music."

I record a lot of guitars, vocals etc with no bother. I do agree that I wouldn't much fancy recording a whole drumkit in FL, but to characterise it as, "just being fun for making pattern based midi music", is unfair, when plenty of people are using it for more 'traditional' songwriting purposes.

[SLiC]

Honestly, you can't even begin to compare these tools...it's like comparing a hammer and a screwdriver. The do different things for different people making different types of music...I wouldn't use either for a recording of predominately live instruments...but for midi-based stuff and loop-based stuff or pattern-based stuff both work fine, just differently. If FL21 doesn't have normal linier track comping with track editing (no Eddison!) it won't be much use to main as a main DAW, but still fun for making pattern mased midi music.

I beg to differ.
Benn Jordan is just one of many.. as he states, he does no repeat/loop anything

I said what 'I' would use it for, not what Benn Jordan would use it for, he could probably make better electronic music than me with a Kazoo and a Dictaphone...!

As I said, different things for different people...you can make loop and pattern based music in Cubase or Studio one...but 'I' wouldn't personally as I have other tools I prefer for that task. I have found certain DAWS better for certain types of recording session...Bitwig pays well with my modular, I love Live and PUSH2 as an almost intergraded hardware thing, I use FL Studio as a pattern-based groove box. I use Studio One the most as I am predominantly a guitarist/bass player recording in what I play... but even Studio One has a very strong pattern-based step drum entry system now, probably second best after FL in my opinion.

[spaceman]

Honestly, you can't even begin to compare these tools...it's like comparing a hammer and a screwdriver. The do different things for different people making different types of music...I wouldn't use either for a recording of predominately live instruments...but for midi-based stuff and loop-based stuff or pattern-based stuff both work fine, just differently. If FL21 doesn't have normal linier track comping with track editing (no Eddison!) it won't be much use to main as a main DAW, but still fun for making pattern mased midi music.

I beg to differ.
Benn Jordan is just one of many.. as he states, he does no repeat/loop anything

I said what 'I' would use it for, not what Benn Jordan would use it for, he could probably make better electronic music than me with a Kazoo and a Dictaphone...!

As I said, different things for different people...you can make loop and pattern based music in Cubase or Studio one...but 'I' wouldn't personally as I have other tools I prefer for that task. I have found certain DAWS better for certain types of recording session...Bitwig pays well with my modular, I love Live and PUSH2 as an almost intergraded hardware thing, I use FL Studio as a pattern-based groove box. I use Studio One the most as I am predominantly a guitarist/bass player recording in what I play... but even Studio One has a very strong pattern-based step drum entry system now, probably second best after FL in my opinion.

You have me exploring the Kazoo and Dictaphone option now

[SLiC]

[LoveEnigma18]

Really awesome updates so far. In fact, beta 6 seems to be working pretty well here (Windows). I think there's lot more to come in the next year or so once FL Studio 21.0 is out, hopefully by end of this year. So, the point updates should be equally exciting.

[Lazarus451]

I really appreciate FL Studio even if I don't use it. It just didn't click like Live did. But maybe some day I'll return to it. Their update plan makes it easy.

[spaceman]

I recently bought a license, as I'm fed up with the upgrade prices and all of the other nonsense from other developers squeezing more money out of us for incremental updates. Fl Studio is incredibly powerful. Not a natural match for me, but I feel I can make it one if I put in some effort.

[wilkins_micawber]

It takes more clicks to things in FL Studio. Instruments are not automatically associated with a playlist lane. To get the same signal flow management Bitwig offers in its channel racks, you have to use 20 instances of patcher that become a giant pain in the ass to navigate between and resize. For many signal flow patterns in Patcher that are easy to do in Bitwig, the setup time is lengthy every time. Automation editing happens in floating windows and is by default not organized in the playlist unless you route the instrument to the channel. Everything happens in floating windows that you bring up and then close with hotkeys. Nothing is organized by default. You have a stupid step-editor that is visible by default when you start a project that's an insult to the intellect. Imageline makes great plugins, but their daw needs a reorganization. Bitwig is what you'd get if you took FL Studio and made the workflow simple. I'm honestly not sure how anyone who uses both in depth can be convinced that FL Studio even comes close.

[chk071]

I recently bought a license, as I'm fed up with the upgrade prices and all of the other nonsense from other developers squeezing more money out of us for incremental updates.

I totally understand that. I'm also very tired of it.

[SLiC]

20.99 beta 7 (2022/10/11) up

[LoveEnigma18]

20.99 beta 7 (2022/10/11) up

Yeah, the least impressive beta so far (not saying in a negative way), but that's because I believe either we are closer to release and features are locked for 21.0 or they wanted to fix some bugs, etc. for housekeeping reasons and the next beta will have some more added features. Hoping it is the latter as there are still a few more things I am expecting in 21.0. Either way, 21.0 should be out by year end.

[Bartone]

20.99 beta 7 (2022/10/11) up

They are already giving beta 7?

[highkoo]

Between the changes to the browser, playlist audio, and themes, this is one of the biggest and most exciting updates in a long time.
Its amazing to still be excited by development in a piece of software youve used for decades, paid or not. To have not given IL any money in nearly that long almost feels wrong.

[Dunbar]

Why it is important to stay offline?

The internet is just a passing fad, like space hoppers and cabbage patch dolls.

I need to bulletproof my software license purchases with cassette tape backups.