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What is fl studio and what is reason
Fl Studio is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) from Image-Line that has been around since 1997. It is one of the most popular DAWs available and can be used for music production, mixing, mastering, recording audio and much more. Reason On the other hand is a Digital Audio Workstation made by Propellerhead and is a more recent product (created in 2000) compared to fl studio. Reason has many more features than fl studio, however the User Interface is a lot simpler and easier to work with.
I have been using Reason for some time now and have many of the plugins but never knew a lot about the program. So I decided to ask questions to some of the more knowledgeable people in this forum and I hope they can help me understand exactly what is Reason’s purpose and how it can achieve what I want out of it. I am very open to any input. So it’s great to see some real people in this forum who are willing to help.
I mainly want a program that can play bass guitar, drums and use my synths on the same track and have it sound full and loud but not distorted. Reason can do this, while fl studio cannot. Reason is also far more powerful than fl studio. The only issue with reason is that it’s User Interface is a little to simple. I’m used to dealing with a more complicated User Interface and i simply don’t want to relearn how Reason works.

The history of fl studio and reason
When fl studio first came out in 1997, it was an already trusted piece of software and Reason took a somewhat different route by taking a lot of ideas and info from previous producers like nuendo (Nuendo, which was another DAW made by Steinberg), FL Studio and Cubase. The original version of fl studio was not as large as what it is today; however many of it’s current features were added later on by Image-Line (when they bought fl studio from Steinberg). Reason had the same release date as Fl Studio. The previous versions of Reason were very similar to mini versions of Reason 6(which was the first major release). However, it was not until Reason 6 that Propellerhead changed this by making it a lot more user friendly. Both programs have had many many updates and changes, making them the best they can be.
In order to have both programs working together well(as they used to before, it was not very compatible), you had to have certain plugins that could be used by either program. For example, Reason had to be set up with Auto Filter, Delay and Compressor (or a combination of those) while Fl Studio would need a few more plugins and racks. However, it wasn’t until Reason 8 came out that Propellerhead finally made this kind of compatibility with fl studio possible. It is true that both programs can be different in many ways. However, by knowing the history or both programs, you will be able to get the most out of both programs.
I just recently got a new computer and installed Reason 6 as well as Fl Studio 9 Pro (they are very similar to one another). I was surprised by how easy it was to get started with Reason. After a while, I ended up not being able to quit the program and I didn’t really have time for it because of my other computer uses. So I decided to take a break from it. However, I picked it up again when I got a new computer and was able to install Reason 7. So far, things are working great and I am very satisfied with how everything is going.
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-the author of the article: “fl studio vs reason” : “The history of fl studio and reason”.

How they are both made
Both fl studio and reason are made by making use of VSTs (Virtual Studio Technology). VSTs are essentially plugins that can be added to each program, in a similar way to Adobe Photoshop. VSTs are the pieces of the DAW puzzle that can be used to make instruments and effects for each program. Reason and fl studio both use VSTs to create their sounds, however, fl studio uses a more complicated system than reason in order to create such high quality sounds. Reason on the other hand has a very simple operation – this is what makes it easier to make your own music. However, this is not necessarily an advantage so much as a disadvantage, since the structure of each program is very different to make use of the best of both worlds.
In addition to standard VSTs, you can also buy instruments either in Reason or in fl studio. However, this will not be obvious at first, since Reason only comes with a very limited selection and fl studio’s instruments will also have copyright protection attached to them (a good idea but as I said it makes it harder to make sounds that are your own). Nevertheless, with these instruments you have a much larger selection of instruments available to you than in either Reason or fl studio.
Which one is better for you
There is no definite answer to this question, it depends on what you are looking for. Here is a brief list of the similarities and differences between fl studio and reason.
Similarities:
-Both are digital audio workstations (DAWs)
-Both have virtual instruments
-Both have synthesizers and drum machines
-Both offer MIDI recording/editing features which are identical in function.
Differences: – Reason has a built in sampler while fl studio does not. – Fl studio allows you to use almost any VST plugin whereas reason only allows those that come with the program at purchase. – Reason has separate audio and MIDI editors while fl studio can only edit MIDI. – Fl studio doesn’t have a drum machine like reason.
-Both have recording booths (Reason has more, however)
-Both allow you to make music in combination with other software within the program itself.
Other factors to consider: – Reason is cheaper than fl studio, especially if you purchase all of it apart from the included plugins.
-Reason’s user interface is easier to use and understand.
-Reason has a Spotify integration feature which allows you to use the program with another computer.
I hope this article has helped clear up the differences between fl studio and reason, so that you can make an informed decision about what software is for you.
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