Electro newb

[tc4b]

I've been recording for a few years, playing all instruments myself but drums, using fruity loops as a crutch.

Now that I've got babies, though, I'm getting into more electro stuff, since I usually can't turn the amps up and record the way I'm used to. So, I'm getting deeper into fruity loops and find I'm frustrated with it. It's great for loop-based stuff, but I'm not too into that. I keep trying to get sounds more like Justice, Does It Offend You or other recent electro/techno CD's. Sorry I can;t be real specific about genre, it's new to me. I'm also digging MGMT and Simian Mobile Disco, if that helps.

The FL synths don't seem as fat, and I don't seem to be able to mangle the sounds as much as the music I'm listening to. I realize these are professionals and I'm not, I don't expect to sound JUST like Justice, but I'm not even close with the sounds I'm getting.

My question is, do I need different software (I was eyeballing Reason 4) or do I just need to learn Fruity Loops better? Or should I just buy some modules for fruity loops? (I have FL 5, I believe, and no add-ons),

Thanks for the help.

 

[DesertEase]

This can be a very deep subject for me and can talk about this for days, as can many other around here, the sounds in fl arent there for you to actually use hence the non pro sound, you want pro sound you must pay for a higher end synth/module, the sounds in fl are there for u to learn and use to see how the program can function, you also don't want to use a sound that is in it's stock form meaning, apply your own effects and curves and phases and delays and whatnot to develop your own sound from the sound, you can actually develop some sounds that are offered from fl to sound pretty decent but it will never have that crisp clear pro sound unless you pay for it

 

[tc4b]

the sounds in fl are there for u to learn and use to see how the program can function,

Wow, incredibly helpful, thanks. I'm glad to hear it's not ENTIRELY my fault they don't sound great. And I have been hard at work with the effects for awhile now, and FL has a nice assortment. Any recommendations on a good module with fat-ass synths and maybe some punchier drums?

 

[trogdor]

I really dig the Justice sound too...You'll find that with that type of stuff, the MIX becomes really really important. Their sound is REALLY compressed and hard-limited, with liberal use of distortion as well, to dirty up those stock samples, make them HIT and sound larger than life.

A good starting point for drums in the vein of Justice, or Daft Punk, etc. would be the Vengeance Electro Essentials...Somebody else recommended this pack to me and I can't get enough of it. The kicks/snares sound sick even without processing, and it comes with a bunch of loops as well to get you started. Whether or not your into the whole loop-based thing, if you want to do electro, it's a must!

Check out http://www.bigfishaudio.com/4DCGI/detail.html?1569 for that sample pack.

You should be able to drop them into the sampler in Frooty Loops - I've been using them in Ableton Live for a while and love 'em.

As far as big fat synths, you can't go wrong with Native Instruments' stuff. Check out Massive or the FM8 for starters. Then apply heavy amounts of compression to your master bus to slam the levels and you're off to the races! (or at least to the club)

Good Luck!