I like this one. Unobtrusive, but still holds my attention. Good background noise.

It was interesting. I'm not sure the kit really added a lot too it.

It was more of an experiment than anything else (but more than a scrap or demo).

I think you oughta work a lot on some more like...benign normal music. lame dance and stuff. I mean this and the other track sounded really near lame at first just because they seemed kinda presetish (the percs on this and the strings on the other). I mean your composition is solid, I guess it's just one of those things where sometimes you just don't wanna know exactly how someone did something.

"Benign normal music". While I do not mind listening to such music, I am not sure how capable I am at creating it. Years ago (around 2000-2002), I started creating electronic music in areas such as techno, etc. But the problem with 'more popular genres', such as techno, trance, and other similar permutations is that more people are creating the exact same thing that you are, more people are willing to negatively criticize the choices that you make in creating the music. "You didn't gate your drums properly", "Your lead sounds do not sound original enough", "You didn't put enough chorus in the bass", etc, etc. In other words, from my experience and the communities I originally submitted to, creating 'easily consumable' music meant having your work dissected by 'pro producers' who had the money to spend thousands of dollars on any sort of DAW and soft-synth, along with the snobbish 'credentials' to put down anyone who either does not have the equipment and or 'production know-how' that they have. Mainly because, yes, I use FL Studio. Sometimes people would flat out state things like "I don't care who you are; you're a shit musician because you use FL", but sometimes they would be more subtle, such as "Well, I mean, I use Abelton and Reason for my work".

In other words, the time and effort that I could spend creating 'lame dance/techno music' would not have the same effect as the work I typically create now. I KNOW that my music will probably not appeal to a very wide audience, I accept and understand that. Sometimes things will sound 'presetish', like the "Honor Code" track, because it was (as this track is), more of an experiment than anything else, and because I cannot afford to purchase a Native Instruments rompler which would make the strings sound 'authentic'.

If I could, I'd develop my skills to where I could claim to be good at creating beat-based industrial, hip-hop, heavy metal, rock , techno/trance, etc. But at this point I only have the time/interest to continue developing musical skills towards directions I believe I am semi-decent at. Any deviations from which, will, at times, sound somewhat undeveloped by comparison.

ANYONE can create 'normal music' (especially techno/trance). You see it everywhere (especially on FA): people who download FL Studio (or something similar) and put in just enough time to let people know that they are basically familiar with every single preset in the Styrus plugin. My ambitions go somewhat beyond this, hence the flood of additional VSTs and FXs I use in a given composition. If having this somewhat narrow stance means I am elitist (as opposed to creating 'more accessible' works), than I apologize in advance. But I do not create music for everyone; I create it for whoever is ready to hear something different. Strange. Unique.

Hopefully this answers everything. Sorry for the wordiness.

I'm not saying you should like make more consumable music for the sake of being consumed. I'm saying do it so you can develop your production skills so a broader palette of sounds are available to you. I <3 fl studio. People who bitch about are just being assholes, you can download all the same VSTis for FL that you can for ableton or any other program.

Like I'm sure this recording tech at a music store was of the opinion that I should use pro tools etc. For me, if I can record exact audio and run it through an EQ, what the hell do I need pro tools for? I can layer it, eq it, mix it automate it etc. in damn near any program as long as it has the tools.

FL is my preferred interface. I'd LOVE to learn to use a fucking tracker, but they are like a foreign language and I'd love to have a teacher but no one has ever offered to help me. I mean I just wanna make cheezy techno and hip hop on gameboys so I can play at conventions, and maybe get a little money.
anyone goal 1 for me right now is recording equipment for my rock music.

/ramble

I was just saying I believe in cross training as a fantastic method to increase skill and technique.

Yeah. Sorry for the long-winded rant.
If I could afford Pro Tools, I could afford anything else (although, I have to admit, if you ever check out their website, you'll be almost forced to admit that it looks pretty boss).
I've yet to find anything even remotely user-friendly as FL. I tried using a tracker once, but I couldn't even begin to understand it.
Hopefully, I'll branch out. It just might be a while until I can get the massive amounts of free time needed to develop it properly.

hopefully so.

I'm going to invest very soon in two large double diaphragm mics so I can record a metric fuck load of live instrumentation. I may also buy some guitar effects since I have none, and they really are a massive increase in possible tone. Mmmm digitech whammy and digidelays....