There are a lot of producers out there that describe FL Studio as a semi-professional step sequencer. They claim it’s for beginners or intermediate producers. To be honest: About 10 years ago, when I first started making beats, I had the same opinion. Althoug I used FL Studio to produce all of my beats, I thought that it was some kind of semi-professional beat making software. For me Cubase was the god of step sequencers. And I constantly had this hierarchy of beat making softwares in my mind: This step sequencer sounds better than that one, this one is for beginners, that one is for semi-professionals and finally there’s Cubase for the kings. However, as time passed and I gained more experience, my opinion on this subject radically changed. Let me explain you why…
During my early beginnings as a producer I thought that FL Studio was creating the beat for me. I was just adding notes and rhythms to the piano roll, but Fruity Loops created the actual music. However, this is a wrong perception.
The truth is… step sequencers are sound neutral.
All that a step sequencer does, is give you a structured user interface to program music. Of course most step sequencers come with a foundation of synthesizers, virtual instruments and built-in effects. However, the usage of those virtual instruments and effects is totally subjective. What makes the difference is how you use those instruments and effects.
An experienced hip hop producer is able to create the same kind of high quality bangers with any step sequencer of your choice. If you give Magic Music Maker to a good producer, he’ll make a banger. If you give Fruity Loops to an experienced beat maker, the result will also be a banger. If you give Cubase to good producer,he’ll make a good beat, too. On the other hand a very inexperienced producer will not be able to create good beats with any of those step sequencers. The bottom line is: Step sequencers don’t create the music, they’re just a tool to extract the music that’s already within a producer. It’s the producer himself that creates the actual music. The producer is the source of the music, not the step sequencer. Again, you have to understand that step sequencers are sound neutral.
If you really understand the point I’m trying to make, then any discussion about good or bad, professional or semi-professioinal step sequencers is pointless. From the point of view of producing, FL Studio is just as good as Cubase or any other beat making software. There’s no hierarchy. Talking bad about this or that step sequencer is usually just a form of negative gossip from inexperienced and untalented producers. They blame the step sequencer for their crappy sounding beats and don’t understand that it’s their responsibility to create good music with whatever tool they’re using.
I know for a matter of fact that some of the best producers out there are using FL Studio to make their beats. Not because FL Studio sounds better or lets them make better music, but because the user interface is simple and user-friendly.
Some people may prefer a more complex user interface that comes with more variety and options such as Cubase. Other producers may like the built-in features and virtual instruments that come with Reason. Experienced producers know that the choice of a step sequencer has nothing to do with the actual quality of the music (although renowned engineers claim that Cubase has the best audio processor, I’m refering to the artistic quality of the music and not the audio quality in this article). So if you’re a producer, step up and get out of that negative “step sequencer gossip”. Just try different step sequencers and stick with the one that resonates most with you. That will be your best choice…
If you don’t have the skills to create your own, professional beats yet, it may be a good idea to get your hands on some high quality beats from experienced producers. If you’re serious about your career, there’s really no point in using your own beats as long as they sound crappy.
Here’s a good place to get high quality beats
No comments: