Ableton vs FL Studio: Which is better for music production?
While Ableton Live has been a mainstay for people producing all kinds of electronic music for many years, FL Studio is becoming increasingly popular and becoming the DAW (digital audio workstation) of choice for a new generation of beat makers and producers, so let’s put them up against each other in an Ableton vs FL Studio knockout battle and see who comes out on top!
In this article
- Which is best for beginners?
- Which is better: Ableton or FL Studio for Professionals?
- The best software for Mac Users
- What is the Best Software for Electronic Music Production?
- Which is better for audio recording: Ableton vs. FL Studio?
- Best for sound design
- The best ratio of price and quality: Ableton vs. FL Studio
- Ableton Live vs. FL Studio: the best DAW for you
Which is best for beginners?
So you’re choosing between Ableton or FL Studio for your beginners music production DAW. We can help you decide.
Price is usually the first thing to consider when choosing between FL Studio or Ableton Live. The full Live Suite is going to set you back the best part of $600, whereas FL Studio is $100 less for their full version. They do both have basic editions for a lot less, which would suit to get started, but they do have limited functionality.
Are you thinking about using the DAW for live performance, and is Ableton better than FL Studio when it comes to this? Undoubtedly yes, Ableton is a powerful DAW and a live performance tool. It’s used for live electronic performances by major artists across the globe. In the battle of FL vs Ableton, Ableton Live takes it here..
As music production DAWs go, FL Studio is an obvious alternative to Ableton Live. They both include easy to use interfaces and a ton of on board plug-ins that suit many genres, but it’s that transfer to the performance environment that gives Ableton Live the edge.
That said, it’s always a good idea to try out demos for both DAWs before deciding whether to go for Ableton Live or FL Studio.
Our Choice : Ableton Live
Which is better: Ableton or FL Studio for Professionals?
So you consider yourself an esteemed professional already… Wondering if you should pick up FL Studio or Ableton? Let’s look at the pros and cons of both systems when working at that higher level.
Cost
- Ableton Live is a higher price for the full suite version, and each upgrade could include a further payment.
- As an alternative to Ableton, FL Studio is a lower cost for the full version and includes free lifetime upgrades.
Our Choice : FL Studio
Audio Recording
- Ableton Live has become quite the powerhouse when it comes to recording multitrack audio, and its audio editing tools are up there with the best DAWs available.
- FL Studio is more known as a sequencer for electronic music, with a strong MIDI leaning, but recent updates have increased its audio recording functionality.
Our Choice : Ableton Live
External Hardware
- Ableton Live has its world famous Push Controller, which can be found in professional studios around the world.
- FL Studio does not have its own unique controller but is compatible with a wide range of external controllers, as is the case with Live.
Our Choice : Ableton Live
Performance
- As mentioned before, when it comes to live performance there really is no alternative to Ableton Live that really hits the same heights as a performance tool.
- But is FL Studio good for beginners wanting to perform live? Since FL Studio 20, there has been a Performance Mode, which is similar to Live’s Clips mode, but they are still playing catch up.
Our Choice : Ableton Live
If you are just starting out in music production you need to watch our Beginner’s Guide To Music Production video we have made below - Its absolutely FREE and is essential viewing
The best software for Mac Users
One of the most common debates when choosing a DAW is the old Mac vs PC argument. When it comes to Ableton Live vs FL Studio, this used to be cut and dry, due to the fact that FL Studio was PC only up to 2018, so FL users had no choice but to use a PC if they wanted a viable alternative to Ableton Live.
Some would say that the current FL Studio still isn’t just as compatible with Mac computers, but they are pretty well matched now.
Our Choice : Tie
Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik
What is the Best Software for Electronic Music Production?
So, if Ableton is better for performance, is FL Studio better than Ableton for making electronic music? Putting it simply, no, they are both pretty well suited to that genre. We always advise that you get hold of a free trial version and see which one suits you best, but here are a few pointers that might sway you either way.
Built-in Instruments and Effects
Ableton Live’s built in instruments like Analog, Operator, and Wavetable are brilliant for sound design, while its own board effects have lots of amazing reverbs, delays and compression options that are up there with the best sounding effects in any DAW.
FL Studio’s unique synths Harmor and Sytrus, are brilliantly versatile and can create sounds that will work with any genre. Gros Beat is another favorite of ours for creating amazing glitchy stuttered beats, a bit like Izotope’s Stutter Edit.
Our Choice : Tie
Sampling and Audio Editing
For sampling and audio editing, you can choose either FL Studio or Ableton Live, as they both have powerful on board tools for doing this. Ableton’s Sampler is legendary with its ability to multisample and allow endless shaping and sculpting of audio samples.
FL is no slouch, though, as its Edison device allows you import or record audio and then edit it with advanced envelopes, snapping, and editing functions.
Another even match, so to be honest, we’re not sure who wins the FL vs Ableton battle here; we think it’s a draw.
Our Choice : Tie
Image by pvproductions on Freepik
Which is better for audio recording: Ableton vs. FL Studio?
Back in the day when it was Fruity Loops vs Ableton Live, the question of audio recording wasn’t as big an issue, as both DAWs started off being more focused on working with MIDI and samples. Ableton Live was the first to really push audio recording and now has an amazing multitrack audio recording functionality and can easily create comps of different takes using the “take lanes”.
So, is Ableton better than FL Studio for audio recording? We’d say yes, but it also comes down to what you want to record and how you’re going to use that recording. FL’s Edison plug-in is great for recording short pieces of audio and manipulating them, but it’s a bit trickier to do multitrack recording and comping.
So even though we’ve progressed on from the era of Fruity Loops vs Ableton Live. Live still has the edge over FL studio when it comes to audio recording.
Our Choice : Ableton Live
Best for sound design
Sound design is one of those topics where Ableton Live vs FL Studio really comes into its own. There can be a tendency for people to be a bit sniffy about any DAW’s on board instruments and reach for the third party synth each time. But there are definitely instruments that come in the box for both DAW’s that are worth looking at.
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Max for Live: This one’s a no-brainer. If you’re paying for the full suite, then you get Max for Live, which is Ableton’s on board device and is a platform to build your own instruments and effects, as well as the tools for live performance and visuals. This is where Live really wins the old Ableton Live vs FL Studio debate, as FL doesn’t have anything like this. However, it’s not for the faint-hearted. It’s not an easy learning curve for beginners.
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FL Studio’s on board synths do a few tricks up their sleeves though. For example, the Harmor synth allows for images to be turned into synth patches by simply dragging and dropping. Also, the Sawer synth does a great job of emulating vintage synths from Moog and Korg, so that might save you from paying for all those vintage synth VSTs on the market these days. There are plenty of VSTs that would be a great alternative to FL Studio’s plugins, but they sometimes come at a hefty price.
So when it comes to sound design, FL is probably the less intense learning curve, with Max for Live probably being geared more towards the more experienced producer.
Having said that, Ableton also has its own synths - you do not have to use Max for Live for your sound design, letting you be as hands-on or hands-off as you want.
Our Choice : Tie
The best ratio of price and quality: Ableton vs. FL Studio
As we mentioned before, this can be easily settled when it purely comes down to price. Ableton’s full suite will cost you just under $600, with FL Studios coming in at just under $500. Also, with Ableton, you may have to pay for some mid-generation upgrades along the way, whereas FL Studio offers lifetime free upgrades to the version you purchased, so if you stick with that version, you’ll never spend another penny on FL Studio.
But if you look at some of the features we’ve mentioned, it might not be all that simple. Max for Live could be a deal breaker for some when it comes to choosing between FL Studio or Ableton. There’s simply no other tool like it in FL, so nothing to even compare it to. If you want to build your own synths and effects from scratch, then Abeton wins hands down here. On the other hand, some of FL’s onboard synths do a pretty great job of emulating those classic vintage synth sounds that never go out of date, arguably more so than any onboard synth in Ableton.
Our Choice : Tie
Ableton Live vs. FL Studio: the best DAW for you
Both pieces of software are suitable for beginner, intermediate and professionals, with Live having the edge for live performance and multi-track recording (for now).
FL isn’t just as traditional with its interface, so if you are coming from an existing DAW, you may be initially a little bemused by its user flow.
So, we can kind of forget about all of the “is Ableton only good for beginners” questions as both DAWs set out to achieve the same end goal and that is to make music.
Debating between Ableton vs FL Studio is kind of a moot point. They both constantly evolve with each upgrade, adding more and more unique features to entice beginners and seasoned professionals.
Before you make up your mind, make sure you do two things, check out our extensive range of FL Studio and Ableton Live tutorials on the site to see world class producers guide you through how to create amazing music, and download a free trial of both to try them out.
