Less headline-grabbing tweaks in version 11 may prove the most exciting to those using FL for composition and production on a daily basis. The kick-synthesizing Bassdrum is another excellent new tool, easily producing deep, modern kicks. Stand-out effects include a metallic-sounding flanger, the stereo effect that enables you to sweep across the stereo field and a bitcrusher for making things momentarily lo-fi. The selectable effect types look like virtual pads, and the XY pad has a large surface area that makes it ideal for poking and swiping. Its main weakness? It seems a bit superfluous when you get to the performance-based Effector, a fabulous plugin with a variety of quality effects and an intuitive interface, evidently designed with touch input in mind. It's standard fare in the synth section, but there's also an inspiring effects section in which every selectable effect has an X/Y pad you can instantly modulate. Groove Machine Synth is a new hybrid wavetable Synth plugin adapted from the existing Groove Machine, and is an impressive inclusion. It is uncluttered and stylish, and even though you might not use it on every mixer bus, it is useful for complex chains that you want to be able to recall and adapt easily. Patcher, FL's effect chain construction tool, has had an impressive overhaul. FL is becoming more intuitive, and having to do things in such a way contrasts with the slicker approach it's aiming for in other areas. Hangovers from a clunkier era remain, such as having to prepare a project for Performance Mode by going through Tools > Macros > Prepare for Performance mode. Although the system works well, it would be difficult to sustain the workflow over a full set. It is a joy to perform a song with, but the required variation of loops and automation in just one track means that making a whole DJ set-length performance in this way would be a challenge. Performance Mode works well and has FL's customisably colourful visual flair, along with a handy clock-style 'fill' of the Track name as the clips you've pressed play through. It is now much faster to get going with a Launchpad, Maschine or other supported hardware. Extended controller support will also benefit a lot of FL-based performers.

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