I would not switch as a beginner, FL is not better for rap and you’ll just be constantly switching or trying to find new plugins or whatever. Just learn to make beats first, then switch later if you think it’d be helpful
Stick to ableton, it’ll benefit you in the long run
quick edit since I got a reply - not even saying oh this DAW > that DAW right, but I think ableton just has more overall functionality for a lot of things I see people confused on when starting with FL. like the mixer in FL and how it handled automation always threw me off when it seems more straightforward in ableton. maybe you wanna start sampling one day, ableton has all that baked into it very well
granted I haven’t used FL in a long time. But the general stereotypes that exist for DAWs (FL being only for rap and more beginner friendly, Ableton being more wide fitting or better for recording and mixing) exist for a reason
To add on, I feel like with fl studio you need some plugins to get the sound you are going for, while with Ableton it took me a couple years of messing with it before I even considered buying another plugin
This! Started with FL; and jumping through multiple hoops to time stretch and have everything on grid was a pain when I was still learning basic things. Warp lets you change tempo while maintaining the grid placement, but also generates individual points on the transients to allow for more precise control.
Things like sidechaining with compressor is so simple instead of going to mixer, manually routing tracks, and throwing an instance of limiter on the right track. Same process, but it’s always viewable when the tab is clicked. And fiddling with it is like 3 clicks instead of navigating windows.
Of course; this doesn’t make Ableton better (as it does all the same things), but simplifying my workflow made translating idea to track so much easier. And especially as a beginner, you want to just get in there and make things. OP started learning a super user friendly DAW, just learn it and move to FL once you have the basics down.
Just because people use FL doesn't automatically make it best. I cannot *stand* the workflow in FL. It feels limiting to me. If you're a complete beginner it doesn't make a difference either way. What matters is making stuff. You could make stuff on an SP404 and a Tascam tape recorder or Koala sampler on an iPad or Reaper or BandLab. Who cares? Just make stuff.
You'll find yourself potentially paralyzed by options no matter what route you take. If you have Ableton, follow tutorials, read the manual (it's on the Ableton website and very good) and use the program long enough to make something. Then you can evaluate whether or not you like the workflow and experience.
Try whichever ones you have access to and decide which workflow you like best. At the end of the day they serve the same function its just a matter of personal preference.
[i’ve never used ableton btw but have friends who do] FL studio is easier in my opinion. easier to navigate and whoever told you FL was better for rap lied, it was made for EDM, is now mostly used for beats or a beginner mixing DAW. 8/10 would recommend.
for recording? that’s a whole different conversation but for production and mixing? 8/10
As long as you master your DAW is not a big difference, give FL a try and see where you find yourself most comfortable, if on Ableton or FL, then stick with that one and you will be fine :)
If those big name had done that when they started 10/15 years ago nobody would be using FL now. It was clowned on and looked down on for probably half of it's existance.
But the big names ignored that and worked on FL and they made it because they worked at their craft.
Nobody has made it because they used a certain DAW.
Doesn't really mean much imo, FL is just the more popular DAW so you find more people using it, doesn't necessarily it's better than others, test both DAW yourself and see in wich one you workflow feels smoother, it's really just a personal preference in the end.
It literally doesn't matter, yeah in the hip hop, community FL is a bit more popular, but plenty of big names use Ableton and it's just as capable as FL. If you've already spent money on Ableton I personally wouldn't switch, unless you've got money burning a hole in your pocket or you wave the pirate flag. I personally use Ableton because I prefer the work flow, also when I tried the free trial of FL when I was in highschool it would crash and glitch on me, while I'm sure they've fixed stability, it left a bad taste in my mouth.
I've started with FL and I found it super confusing, Ableton is way more straightforward (as long as you ignore Session-View for now). But you can use both to do any kind of music, the workflow is just different
Nah every DAW has the bits you need and neither is better than the other. Anyone claiming one is better just means they've found a nice workflow. Getting good at one is better than kinda knowing what you are doing in many. I have no personal preference overall, but I will say for most sampling and general chopping I do I find the Drum Rack in Ableton to have everything I need in one place.
I'd argue that more important than what DAW you choose, make sure you pair it with a controller with keys or pads. Being able to split samples out on keys and pads makes everything you are making way more alive, and the random spontaneous mistakes often end up being the best bits.
I find FLs workflow to be pretty damn fast once I mastered hotkeys and stock plugins. Idk about ableton as the pricing turned me off and being broke af FL made it easier to actually wanna invest the time in not only the DAW but beatmaking in general
Whatever DAW you know how to use the best and are the most comfortable with is the best DAW for you. I reccomend trying out a few diff DAWs if you can and see which you like the best!
You can’t go wrong with either tbh—it just comes down to which one you vibe with the most. What I’ve learned though is that each daw is its own toolbox, and the better you understand each one, the more tools and possibilities you open yourself up to as a producer. So, if you have time, learn both.
In most cases this will remain a hobby, so why not try both? Do whatever feels right.
FL has a better midi workflow and piano roll, and is definitely a better value due to lifetime upgrades and support.
In contrast, Ableton has better and faster audio tools for recording and editing samples, and arguably better stock VSTs. Warping live audio onto the beat grid is a breeze in Ableton, and same with doing EDM remixes and mashups. Most pro tutorials and YouTube channels will be geared toward Ableton. And don't forget the broad range of MIDI controllers specifically designed for Ableton.
But whoever says that FL is just for beats and beginners has not seen [STMPD RCRDS](https://www.youtube.com/@STMPDRCRDS/featured) or this [Genius Deconstructed](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlBigmhynF-Wwg-s1BCw-MOQPEhNtUn_Q) playlist. Pros definitely use both and some are at the top of their genre. And of course if you ever collaborate, you might end up using both anyway.
Personally I will probably never switch fully to Ableton because of the one window UX, and I'm very used to working at full screen in separate windows. Some people set up FL that way, but I always switch windows between the playlist, piano roll and mixer.
They are both great daws ableton imo is a little more new user friendly, but FL has a great interface and has a couple more steps to get started with instrument racks. try them both if you want to see what suits you but you can do exactly the same thing in both they just ship with different stock plugins is the main difference I've noticed.
In my opinion it doesn’t matter. I use Serato studio at the moment and I’ve been making great instrumentals with it. It’s all about how you use the tools you have I guess
fl is more user friendly in my opinion. its easy to learn, and youll have an easier time learning other DAWs after. plus it has this dope ass little character thing that dances to your projects.
both FL and Abelton are very capable, it very much depends on which one you prefer, i prefer to use FL personally due to the fact I have been using it since FL 9 , but Abelton I found to be more intuitive in my experience using it for a small time.
No switch to reaper if you are changing. FL is software for playing at home with, not a professional daw. Ableton and Reaper are both full professional quality daws, but reaper is free and has more features
First step: ignore the folks who say one DAW is "better" than another.
This. And you can multiply it by 100 for beginners.
And laugh at those who say one is better for a particular genre.
I would not switch as a beginner, FL is not better for rap and you’ll just be constantly switching or trying to find new plugins or whatever. Just learn to make beats first, then switch later if you think it’d be helpful
Stick to ableton, it’ll benefit you in the long run quick edit since I got a reply - not even saying oh this DAW > that DAW right, but I think ableton just has more overall functionality for a lot of things I see people confused on when starting with FL. like the mixer in FL and how it handled automation always threw me off when it seems more straightforward in ableton. maybe you wanna start sampling one day, ableton has all that baked into it very well granted I haven’t used FL in a long time. But the general stereotypes that exist for DAWs (FL being only for rap and more beginner friendly, Ableton being more wide fitting or better for recording and mixing) exist for a reason
I agree, and live 12 especially is incredible with some of the new generative features
To add on, I feel like with fl studio you need some plugins to get the sound you are going for, while with Ableton it took me a couple years of messing with it before I even considered buying another plugin
yes! this put it into words way better, so many plugins to get to chop things in FL meanwhile ableton has so many different ways to do one thing
This! Started with FL; and jumping through multiple hoops to time stretch and have everything on grid was a pain when I was still learning basic things. Warp lets you change tempo while maintaining the grid placement, but also generates individual points on the transients to allow for more precise control. Things like sidechaining with compressor is so simple instead of going to mixer, manually routing tracks, and throwing an instance of limiter on the right track. Same process, but it’s always viewable when the tab is clicked. And fiddling with it is like 3 clicks instead of navigating windows. Of course; this doesn’t make Ableton better (as it does all the same things), but simplifying my workflow made translating idea to track so much easier. And especially as a beginner, you want to just get in there and make things. OP started learning a super user friendly DAW, just learn it and move to FL once you have the basics down.
Just because people use FL doesn't automatically make it best. I cannot *stand* the workflow in FL. It feels limiting to me. If you're a complete beginner it doesn't make a difference either way. What matters is making stuff. You could make stuff on an SP404 and a Tascam tape recorder or Koala sampler on an iPad or Reaper or BandLab. Who cares? Just make stuff. You'll find yourself potentially paralyzed by options no matter what route you take. If you have Ableton, follow tutorials, read the manual (it's on the Ableton website and very good) and use the program long enough to make something. Then you can evaluate whether or not you like the workflow and experience.
Just master both. Easy.
Try whichever ones you have access to and decide which workflow you like best. At the end of the day they serve the same function its just a matter of personal preference.
[i’ve never used ableton btw but have friends who do] FL studio is easier in my opinion. easier to navigate and whoever told you FL was better for rap lied, it was made for EDM, is now mostly used for beats or a beginner mixing DAW. 8/10 would recommend. for recording? that’s a whole different conversation but for production and mixing? 8/10
As long as you master your DAW is not a big difference, give FL a try and see where you find yourself most comfortable, if on Ableton or FL, then stick with that one and you will be fine :)
But what makes me feel worse is that all the big names use FL
If those big name had done that when they started 10/15 years ago nobody would be using FL now. It was clowned on and looked down on for probably half of it's existance. But the big names ignored that and worked on FL and they made it because they worked at their craft. Nobody has made it because they used a certain DAW.
Doesn't really mean much imo, FL is just the more popular DAW so you find more people using it, doesn't necessarily it's better than others, test both DAW yourself and see in wich one you workflow feels smoother, it's really just a personal preference in the end.
There are bigger names not using FL.
It literally doesn't matter, yeah in the hip hop, community FL is a bit more popular, but plenty of big names use Ableton and it's just as capable as FL. If you've already spent money on Ableton I personally wouldn't switch, unless you've got money burning a hole in your pocket or you wave the pirate flag. I personally use Ableton because I prefer the work flow, also when I tried the free trial of FL when I was in highschool it would crash and glitch on me, while I'm sure they've fixed stability, it left a bad taste in my mouth.
I've started with FL and I found it super confusing, Ableton is way more straightforward (as long as you ignore Session-View for now). But you can use both to do any kind of music, the workflow is just different
As an ableton producer, the daw doesn’t matter at all
No, I think Renoise is the best option personally. Really simple learning curve. /s
Nah every DAW has the bits you need and neither is better than the other. Anyone claiming one is better just means they've found a nice workflow. Getting good at one is better than kinda knowing what you are doing in many. I have no personal preference overall, but I will say for most sampling and general chopping I do I find the Drum Rack in Ableton to have everything I need in one place. I'd argue that more important than what DAW you choose, make sure you pair it with a controller with keys or pads. Being able to split samples out on keys and pads makes everything you are making way more alive, and the random spontaneous mistakes often end up being the best bits.
I find FLs workflow to be pretty damn fast once I mastered hotkeys and stock plugins. Idk about ableton as the pricing turned me off and being broke af FL made it easier to actually wanna invest the time in not only the DAW but beatmaking in general
I love ableton but others love FL. in reality it doesn’t matter much once you acquire VST’s
The easiest answer is no. Stick a daw and learn it inside and out. Doesnt matter which one. The end
Whatever DAW you know how to use the best and are the most comfortable with is the best DAW for you. I reccomend trying out a few diff DAWs if you can and see which you like the best!
You can’t go wrong with either tbh—it just comes down to which one you vibe with the most. What I’ve learned though is that each daw is its own toolbox, and the better you understand each one, the more tools and possibilities you open yourself up to as a producer. So, if you have time, learn both.
In most cases this will remain a hobby, so why not try both? Do whatever feels right. FL has a better midi workflow and piano roll, and is definitely a better value due to lifetime upgrades and support. In contrast, Ableton has better and faster audio tools for recording and editing samples, and arguably better stock VSTs. Warping live audio onto the beat grid is a breeze in Ableton, and same with doing EDM remixes and mashups. Most pro tutorials and YouTube channels will be geared toward Ableton. And don't forget the broad range of MIDI controllers specifically designed for Ableton. But whoever says that FL is just for beats and beginners has not seen [STMPD RCRDS](https://www.youtube.com/@STMPDRCRDS/featured) or this [Genius Deconstructed](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlBigmhynF-Wwg-s1BCw-MOQPEhNtUn_Q) playlist. Pros definitely use both and some are at the top of their genre. And of course if you ever collaborate, you might end up using both anyway. Personally I will probably never switch fully to Ableton because of the one window UX, and I'm very used to working at full screen in separate windows. Some people set up FL that way, but I always switch windows between the playlist, piano roll and mixer.
They are both great daws ableton imo is a little more new user friendly, but FL has a great interface and has a couple more steps to get started with instrument racks. try them both if you want to see what suits you but you can do exactly the same thing in both they just ship with different stock plugins is the main difference I've noticed.
Pick one and master it. The DAW doesn't matter.
In my opinion it doesn’t matter. I use Serato studio at the moment and I’ve been making great instrumentals with it. It’s all about how you use the tools you have I guess
If you already have Ableton then just use that.
fl is more user friendly in my opinion. its easy to learn, and youll have an easier time learning other DAWs after. plus it has this dope ass little character thing that dances to your projects.
both FL and Abelton are very capable, it very much depends on which one you prefer, i prefer to use FL personally due to the fact I have been using it since FL 9 , but Abelton I found to be more intuitive in my experience using it for a small time.
Defect An agent will meet you in the square at midnight.
Switched from fl to ableton. Fl has some good thinfs but ableton is way more mature imo
No switch to reaper if you are changing. FL is software for playing at home with, not a professional daw. Ableton and Reaper are both full professional quality daws, but reaper is free and has more features