WITH CREATIVITY-BASED software, many
of the most popular and market-leading
programs have several alternatives that
carry out the same tasks, whether that’s
graphic design, photo-editing, or music
production. There may be lots of reasons
to pick one over the other, including price,
features, or accessibility but familiarity
with the program, suite, or company you
are currently using may be a powerful
reason to stick with what you know.
While alternatives may offer a similar
or superior product, that decision often
comes down to what you feel most
comfortable using. This applies to digital
audio workstations (DAWs) too. A DAW
allows you to compile a variety of different
sounds, samples, and instruments
together to complete a polished final track.
Both Image-Line’s FL Studio 20 and
Avid’s Pro Tools are capable programs that
deliver high-quality professional-grade
audio, so which one should you pick if you
are starting out? And, if you already use
one, is it worth switching over to the other?
Avid’s Pro Tools is considered the
industry standard in digital audio
workstations. Originally created byWhich DAW hits the right notes?
Digidesign, this piece of software has been
through many variations and changes
since it was first officially released under
the Pro Tools name in 1991. Its popularity
in the production industry has grown since
then, and it has now become an essential
tool for recording and mixing engineers.
Formerly known as FruityLoops, FL
Studio began life at the end of the 1990s. This
program was seen as a more introductory
piece of software but, over time, it has
become a professional-grade application
with the potential to produce commercial
audio. It was never initially intended for
professional musicians, as the developers
of the original Image-line software had no
previous musical experience, instead their
focus was on game design.
However, this different perspective is
what made, and still makes, FL Studio so
appealing—especially in terms of user
interface design. The design language
is vibrant, intuitive, and colorful. Its
ease of use and ‘friendly’ styling harks
back to the fact that Image-line came
from a gaming background. At a time
where most music applications looked
as exciting as an Excel spreadsheet, FLStudio appealed to beginners. Although
Pro Tools now has a clever UI, it still has a
more corporate design that can be a little
overwhelming. FL Studio’s software feels
more polished and user-friendly with its
distinctive orange color scheme. Subtle
design elements make the application an
easier place to work. Both are pretty well
organized DAWs, but Pro Tools’ UI is a little
sharper in some areas.
One main difference between these
two DAWs is the price. FL Studio has four
versions. The basic Fruity Edition costs
$99 and comes with no audio clips or
audio recording. Next up is the Producer
Edition costing $199, which features audio
recording, full playlist features, and six
additional native plugins. The Signature
Bundle costs $399 and comes with the
same features, but has 13 additional native
plugins instead of six.
At the top of the range is FL Studio
All Plugins Addition, which has all of the
native plugins for $499. This program
certainly gets pricier the further you go up
the range—factor in the additional packs,
presets, samples, and loops, and you can
end up spending a fair amount.FL Studio 20 vs Pro Tools
FL Studio is
bright, bold, and
beautiful, and
very user-friendly© WWW.IMAGE-LINE.COMHEADTOHE
AD92 MAXIMU MPC FEB 2022
in the lab