> I got fruityloops earlier this year but am not sure what I think > about it yet...I sometimes feel that I don't have complete control over > what I am writing because I stick with the fruity defaults. It's the > tweeking that will make tracks less 'cheesy'. Yup ... I recommend a keyboard and knob or slider box of some kind. They are SO cheap now ... that Oxygen 8 keyboard is only $139 US NEW, and it has 8 knobs AND a 1 octave keyboard ... You can get used Phat Boys for less than $100.00 and they work good with FL. I mostly use my keyboard for auditioning samples at different pitches, (just select the channel and "play" the note on the keyboard) and banging out three-note riffs or something .. Latency doesn't even matter, since I can just tweak it out in the piano roll later ... And my knob box is awesome for mixing down or finding great tones on the synths ... If anybody wants to buy a used knob box, I could be convinced to part with my Doepher Pocket-Control for $100 US . I'm going to buy that Oxygen-8 keyboard as soon as the local music store is restocked.. I'll even throw in my ancient Quickshot midi-keyboard (it works!) for nothing, if you want it. Peace!