Get a Mac! Then get a Logic setup ... if you want to stay PC - then Pro-Tools is the way.

Can you record guitars, drums, bass and stuff like that with FL?
Didn't now that...

i've been messing around with Reason 3 and an old midi keyboard i got from ebay, its pretty easy to get to grips with and you can make a lot of cool ****.

its the only program i;ve tried though, so cant say how good it is compared to what everyone else has suggested.

i've used a mac, they're horrible and expensive the only good thing about it was GarageBand being free and preloaded.


also try Sonar Producer Edition, its free to try (download.com)

also if you have a pc there should already be a program on there called Adobe Soundbooth, its not the best program but if you're just doing basic recording it should work just fine

well, my fav.recording program would have to be Audicity, its free, and very easy to use. All u need to do is plug your guitar/mic/drums(electric) into your computer, and there you go.

i can never get LAME set up properly.

If you can't get hands on Sound Forge or don't want to spend the money there, try Sony Vegas, it used to be a music program until they transformed it into video editing program, but left all the audio editing features in there. Pretty alright, definitely not the best, but good hybrid.

i like that one Kristal Program.

I am giong to have to try out cakewalk, i have heard a lot of good things about it.

Cakewalk Sonar... it is a BEAST.
Pro-tools pales in comparison, according to Sonar users. (including me)