Fruity Loops 12 is 'going vector' (GUI)

[reapercurious]

As quoted from their new PR campaign:

FL Studio 12 is just around the corner and it will be 100% vectorial. This means that the user interface can be scaled to work on the ultra high resolution displays (4K and beyond) that are now hitting the market. We'll release the FL Studio 12 Beta (in disguise as FL Studio 11.5) on Looptalk soon so why not click above to take part in the discussion on the FL Studio 12 GUI.

It really makes little sense to make low res and hi res themes when you can make one theme and stretch or scale that theme as you wish.

[osflaa]

Where did you find that quote? "FL Studio 12 is just around the corner" - PR people tend to be a little more optimistic than developers :-)

Anyway, I really look forward to the vectorial interface, especially because most windows in FL are not resizeable and some of them are very small. But I am afraid this new GUI does not apply for some/many of their plugins.

BTW: It is 11 years since Fruity Loops changed name to FL Studio :-)

[Jae.Thomas]

it's a great host, but I am always sad to see it updated and yet it cannot handle basic time signatures

[osflaa]

Not everyone is happy about vectorial GUI in FL, it also means that skinning will be impossible.

Edit:
I have added a picture of the FL Studio 12 alpha (work is still under progress). They have so far not shown how the mixer will look.

[osflaa]

Originally Posted by Jason Brian Merrill

it's a great host, but I am always sad to see it updated and yet it cannot handle basic time signatures

True, it's no doubt EDM producers are their target customers.

[nofish]

A quick FL question for those who know:

Last time I checked out FL I was a bit put off by the mixer, as there was apperently no way to show insert FX (and maybe sends) directly on the mixer channel (like eg in Reaper).
You always had to select a mixer channel first to see inserts displayed on the right side of the mixer.

Did this change meanwhile, so that inserts (and sends) can be shown always for every track in the mixer ?

(genuine question I'm interested in, not a FL bashing attempt)

[osflaa]

Originally Posted by nofish

A quick FL question for those who know:

Last time I checked out FL I was a bit put off by the mixer, as there was apperently no way to show insert FX (and maybe sends) directly on the mixer channel (like eg in Reaper).
You always had to select a mixer channel first to see inserts displayed on the right side of the mixer.

Did this change meanwhile, so that inserts (and sends) can be shown always for every track in the mixer ?

(genuine question I'm interested in, not a FL bashing attempt)

No, it's still exactly as you describe. The advantage is a small mixer size (remember it can't be resized). There are many odd limitations: Impossible to add/delete mixer channels, they can only be moved or reset. No grouping features. Recording and sends are post fader only. But there are many tricks and workarounds.

Edit: Generally it seems like they have problems changing the "DAW core" in FL Studio, instead they add clever plugins. Eg Edison for audio editing, Newtone for pitch shift and time stretch, Patcher for complex routing tasks etc.

[nofish]

Thanks for explaining osflaa.

[Lawrence]

Originally Posted by nofish

Last time I checked out FL I was a bit put off by the mixer, as there was apperently no way ...

(genuine question I'm interested in, not a FL bashing attempt)

Yeah, that's certainly not a bash. Comparatively speaking, the FL mix console kinda factually bites a little, for straight away mixing anyway. Maybe no so much for mixing one channel at a time like many of it's more die hard users seem to do.

You can get from A-Z but it's a good bit more difficult.

On the plus side, it's a VSTi so you can easily mix it's productions in any other Windows daw.

[osflaa]

Originally Posted by Lawrence

Maybe no so much for mixing one channel at a time like many of it's more die hard users seem to do.

If you want to do a little in depht mixing on a channel, you can insert a Patcher and do all the mixing there, at the expense of more windows (= more mess).

Originally Posted by Lawrence

On the plus side, it's a VSTi so you can easily mix it's productions in any other Windows daw.

I use it as ReWire client in Reaper. They are not very good at testing compability with third party software. But if you report a bug with reproduceable steps, they can fix things quickly. I reported a bug in one of their VST-plugins this week, it took 5 hours from it was reported to it was fixed and a new version uploaded.

[Lawrence]

Yeah. I like those guys and the product and have been a customer for a while with the $99 Fruity Edition.

I don't often grab their betas though so I have no idea what they've been up to recently. Actually, I haven't even installed v11 yet, even though it's free for me,

[osflaa]

Originally Posted by Lawrence

Actually, I haven't even installed v11 yet

They released version 11.1 last week. The main differences from version 10 are Performance mode, multi touch support, significantly improved Patcher and some new plugins. They have worked on 64-bit versions of FL and all VSTs for a looong time now. The VSTs are now officially 64-bit, but FL 64 is still in beta. But I would say version 11.1 works very well and includes native versions of almost all plugins. The latest news are IL remote (free) which allows you to control FL from an android-device/iPhone. They have also released a beta of Minihost modular (free) which has many similarities to Patcher, but it is a VST and only host VST- and AU(!)-plugins. It can also be used as stand alone. I'm planning to use this as a Patcher-substitute in Reaper.

[nofish]

Originally Posted by Lawrence

Yeah, that's certainly not a bash.

I asked this question for the only reason to know if this has changed in the meantime, to give FL another go if it did, as this was one thing I had a hard time getting used to.

If you took it as a bash (just because I wrote "I was a bit put off" ?), so be it, it wasn't intended as one.

[reapercurious]

Originally Posted by osflaa

Not everyone is happy about vectorial GUI in FL, it also means that skinning will be impossible.

people who say things are impossible are fit to be ignored.

[osflaa]

Originally Posted by reapercurious

people who say things are impossible are fit to be ignored.

It's hard to ignore the person who developes FL 12 when he speaks about what will be possible and impossible in FL 12. That said, he has changed his mind before.

[Lawrence]

Originally Posted by nofish

If you took it as a bash (just because I wrote "I was a bit put off" ?), so be it, it wasn't intended as one.

You completely misunderstood my comment. You said...

Originally Posted by nofish

(genuine question I'm interested in, not a FL bashing attempt)

...and my reply noted that in fact it was - not - a bash.

"Yeah, that's certainly not a bash. "

... was meant literally, not sarcastically, as in, yes, the mixer there is kinda limited which is sad (the frown was for the limited mixer, not for you).

Simple misunderstanding, that's all. I'll be more concise next time to help avoid unnecessary drama.

[Jae.Thomas]

Originally Posted by osflaa

It's hard to ignore the person who developes FL 12 when he speaks about what will be possible and impossible in FL 12. That said, he has changed his mind before.

many, many times actually

[nofish]

Originally Posted by Lawrence

You completely misunderstood my comment. You said...


...and my reply noted that in fact it was - not - a bash.

"Yeah, that's certainly not a bash. "

... was meant literally, not sarcastically, as in, yes, the mixer there is kinda limited which is sad (the frown was for the limited mixer, not for you).

Simple misunderstanding, that's all. I'll be more concise next time to help avoid unnecessary drama.

Oh damn, got it now. I indeed took it as sarcastically. Thanks for clearing that up Lawrence and sorry for getting it wrong. No drama here, all good.

[Lawrence]

Thanks nofish. All's well that ends well.

It was partly my fault for the phrasing anyway.

[jazzz]

Has image line improved audio editing (make unique nightmare) or adding strech markers,freeze function??
Haven`t use it a long time....

[osflaa]

Originally Posted by jazzz

Has image line improved audio editing (make unique nightmare) or adding strech markers,freeze function??
Haven`t use it a long time....

- The make unique nightmare is still there :-) But extended audio editing is supposed to be done by dragging audio to and from Edison, not in the playlist. However, editing multiple audio clips simultanously is not easy in FL.

- You can stretch audio directly in the playlist (using the make unique nightmare method) but audio time warping is supposed to be done by dragging audio to and from Newtone 2 (have to buy it separately), not in the playlist.

- No freeze function. You have to render the part, place the audio clip where you want it in the playlist, route it to the right mixer channel and deactivate/mute the plugins you no longer need.

[jazzz]

Originally Posted by osflaa

- The make unique nightmare is still there :-) But extended audio editing is supposed to be done by dragging audio to and from Edison, not in the playlist. However, editing multiple audio clips simultanously is not easy in FL.

- You can stretch audio directly in the playlist (using the make unique nightmare method) but audio time warping is supposed to be done by dragging audio to and from Newtone 2 (have to buy it separately), not in the playlist.

- No freeze function. You have to render the part, place the audio clip where you want it in the playlist, route it to the right mixer channel and deactivate/mute the plugins you no longer need.

Thanks osflaa :-)

hopefully the will improve this.terrible workflow

[osflaa]

Originally Posted by jazzz

hopefully the will improve this.terrible workflow

It works well for people who only need in depht editing of samples and loops. Remember audio editing possibilities in arrange view in Reaper is limited.