I do mostly everything in Fruity Loops FL Studio, because it does patterns, loops, samples, random sample triggering, layering, soundfonts, vst instruments, vst/directx effects, imports midi files, automation tools (for real time mixing), audio tracks/clips... and it is extremely fast/responsive. It doesn't have the greatest mixer (kinda small but doable) but all the other features make me use it. The only thing I don't use FL Studio for is recording. When I need to record, I can use anything that will play wave file while recording another: I use n-track for this, cause it will loop forever over a region allowing me to do multiple takes without having to touch the keyboard each take. Once recorded I then import the wave file into FL Studio.
I start my project in FL Studio by first laying down the computerized drum track. FL Studio really shines when it comes to this because for one you create a set of patterns which you re-use from song to song, just painting them into the song, meaure by measure. Another reason it rocks is rather than using midi patch/soundfont for the drums, it can also directly play any wave samples. I like using the samples because it allows you to use multiple samples for the same drum, and randomly selects the sample to play each hit. This makes it sound much more realistic and natural. I use
the NS Kit 7 Free version for the drums, since it has like a dozen samples of each drum. I just normalize each and then throw out the ones that don't seem to fit well into the randomizer set.
I then use Band In the Box 2004 to create my rhythm tracks: bass and usually piano. I then export this to MIDI. Then I open up FL Studio and import each rhythm instrument from the MIDI file. A great thing about FL Studio is that it can play Soundfonts, not requiring you to use any external midi equipment, or the cheap Soundblaster sound card midi out heh. I have tried various vst plugins for n-track that play soundfonts, but it was always slow, had syncronization problems, or outright crashed the program. With FL Studio it is built in and is fast & rock solid. FL studio plays soundfonts so smoothly and easily along with all its patterns, samples, loops and audio clips (tracks). I've never had FL Studio crash on me.
If haven't done anything huge with FL Studio, but I am guessing it should be able to handle a large amount of tracks. If it doesn't, I can always just use it for my drums, rhythm, loops etc. Export them as wave files from FL Studio and import those wave files into Cubase, Sawstudio, Audition, N-track or whatever.
James
