One of the most popular sound effects and loops programs, FL (formerly Fruity Loops) Studio has been releasing sound effect and loop-oriented recording equipment since 1998. FL Studio can record MIDI or live audio and translates recordings to a detailed visual interface for easy editing and customizable looping. If recording your own loops is not an option, the studio also comes equipped with hundreds of prerecorded drum loops. Additionally, more than 370 effects can be stacked on each track to create a near infinite number of sound variations. Built as a professional application, this software is designed to work on dual-core processors with Hyper-Threading technology and can lag or shut down on single-core processor computers.
Cakewalk is one of the original names in computer recording studio software. Its most comprehensive virtual studio to date, Sonar 8 makes looping recorded MIDI or live audio easy and fast. The Sonar 8 interface is designed for ease of use and includes one-touch loop buttons, an effects palate for dragging and dropping effects to a track and automatic quantizing. This program also includes hundreds of prerecorded drum loops (in MIDI format) and 40 effects with hundreds of variations. Additionally, the program’s loop functions can be augmented with several additional purchases such as Keyfax Future Beats, Pro Drum Works and the Keyfax Real Guitar Collection. Cakewalk Sonar 8 is a processor-friendly program and works well on a single-core system.
M Audio’s Pro Tools M-Powered 8 virtual studio is a professional quality studio and used by composers such as Gary Chang, musicians such as Herbie Hancock and Depeche Mode and disc jockeys such as DJ Battlecat and DJ Heather. While Pro Tools is an open source program, M-Powered 8 comes with hundreds of drum loops and hundreds of effects, all which can be sensitively fine-tuned to produce exactly the sound you want with no compromises. Pro Tools M-Powered 8 is a very advanced program and runs better on dual-core computers with Hyper-Threading technology.