Hello mates,

I just had a reflexion concerning FL Studio, which I use, and some features that are really good but proper to another DAW.
Like, to make an example, I really love many of Max for Live racks (Ableton) but don't use Ableton. Also, even though I'm not using Ableton, the sister site helps us by providing them. I can get it, but not run it. It's like having an installer for Max on your Windows' PC.

I prefer asking because there's infinite possibilities thanks to programming and technology as a whole, and also many many people here who can answer me if a thing is possible or not.

Is there a way to make a bridge between FL and Ableton, or something to use one's plugins with the other ? I say plugins but it's more specific than that because plugins as VST are usable anyway, with FL or Ableton. But for the "specific" features like Max for Live rack ?

I'm looking forward the Virtual Riot's collection for M4L and I'm really sad that it's not in VST format. Either you have Ableton, or you can just sip your tears

Thanks a lot for all informations comrades, glory to our Legion !

 

Spoiler: ReWire, Connecting to external software This feature is available only in Fruity Edition and Producer Edition.

ReWire, Connecting to external software
NOTE: ReWire was discontinued by Propellerheads / Reason Studios in 2020. Consequently, FL Studio as a ReWire device is also now deprecated in FL Studio. Official support ended with FL Studio 20.7. Please use FL Studio as a VST/AU to use it in other DAWs.

ReWire is a communications protocol originally developed by Propellerhead Software & Steinberg. It enables instruments, sequencers and DAWs to connect and share 'sample accurate' audio and transport functions. A Rewire video tutorial is available.

FL Studio supports both client and host mode for all ReWire applications. The following pages describe how FL Studio implements ReWire and contain step-by-step guides on how to use ReWire to connect FL Studio with Cubase™ SX, Live™, Sonar™ (client), ReBirth™ and Reason™ (host).

NOTE: FL Studio can also be used as a VST plugin. If your DAW software supports VST, we recommend loading FL Studio as a VST inside the host, rather than using ReWire.

Host & Client Modes
Host Mode



Client Mode





NOTE: FL Studio can also be linked in client mode as a VST synth.

Spoiler: Using FL Studio ReWire with Live This feature is available only in Fruity Edition and Producer Edition.

Using FL Studio ReWire with Live This feature is available only in Fruity Edition and Producer Edition.

NOTE: ReWire was discontinued by Propellerheads / Reason Studios in 2020. Consequently, FL Studio as a ReWire device is also now deprecated in FL Studio. Official support ended with FL Studio 20.7. Please use FL Studio as a VST/AU to use it in other DAWs.
The following guide covers the steps required to use the FL Studio ReWire device with Live.

The guide assumes you have read and understood the general information and guidelines about using FL Studio as a ReWire client (see Client Mode).
https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/rewire_client_live.htm

 

That explicitly says that Rewire is discontinued, and it's discontinued in Ableton as well.

 

Your poll should have an option for "easy, but involves some work". You are looking for an auto-magic solution to how terrible using Rewire for anything can be. That is a 20+ year old club. There are easy solutions but they are all choices to make about your workflow. A lot of people these days fear committing stuff to audio too much; or reimporting bounced files from outside the DAW is "too much work" for them.

If you want to use M4L devices in your production, you could just learn Ableton enough to do it, bounce and then bring your files back into FL. Or work in FL, bounce a "trackout" i.e. multi-channel or stems, or just loops; and then bring that material back into Ableton.

The biggest danger you face doing this, is that you will learn Ableton and ask yourself why you are even doing anything in FL in the first place. Or at least your mixing process.

 

Look into audio/MIDI loopbacks to feed audio/MIDI into Max, I've only used LoopMIDI to send MIDI triggers though, but I hear Voicemeeter works well, but I've not used that so can't comment.

Max's RNBO is probably the feature you want, it lets you export patches to plugins. I've however used it only for simple patches of my own creation so I can't comment how it'd work with others.

*edit:* Ableton Link is a great way to sync apps together generally, but it doesn't look like FL Studio supports that. Maybe in the future.

 

Last edited: Mar 24, 2025

Reaper's ReaStream (VST plugin) can send and receive audio and MIDI (between DAWs),
Vienna Ensemble Pro (server, "free" if you don't save) has VST to send and receive audio and MIDI (not sure if it can operate reliably with multiple DAWs simultaneously),
MacOS offers built-in virtual device/ports to provide MIDI over network, on Windows you can use RTPmidi to achieve same thing (so you could for ex. send MIDI from DAW to standalone Kontakt or another DAW),
with any of those solutions, I'd highly suggest having two separate computers, because running multiple different DAWs within one system doesn't usually give reliable enough operation for (low latency) audio

 

Yea, The Reaper connection might be the best 'modern' option but depends on how it meshes with what you've got it hooked to... I have tried many MIDI/Sync Hookups & it's a crapshoot for sure but when it works it's good as gold...

Sadly the best tools for such have gone by the wayside... SonicBytes Phrazor one of the best but is 32bit windows only but even then the plugin scanning & usage beats Reaper, old or new... Using Phrazor one can load VSTi-VST inside it & just use as a buffer for hosts that can't digest certain plugs or setup to run clips inside it all synced up like a 'MIDI Ableton' In this way one can save a project inside Phrazor & load it up into any DAW, Sequencer or Tracker that accepts plugins & I mean anything it even loads/syncs as a VSTi or VST in H8 Tracker...

Another is VSTforx where you can hookup plugs in a schematic enviro & save out... It was a commercial product but then released as free is 32-64bit... Also has a 'Remote Channel Sender' DLL that you can hook up in another DAW & send audio to VSTforx which would be in a totally different DAW... A friend tested it & says the latency beats anything else out there even Reastream & Elevayta StreamBoy...

Some images from other sites I have posted thus the bizarre annotations as these are usually a form of tutorial-

Using Phrazor as VSTi inside Aodix 4.2 But syncing transport & composing inside Phrazor (think rewire) Also Aodix cannot handle EGO Pad but Phrazor can-


Here Phrazor as VSTi inside BeRoTracker kinda same as above but this is the non-expiring beta version... In this case BeRo does not have plug sync so sync is off & BPMs matched manually...


Here VSTforx inside Ultrano Dreamer... MIDI CCs can be freely hooked up inside as well as to VST Params nice that the little knobs all animate so you can see connections working-



Normally I would provide links but SunVox forum has been down all morning... Well, if interested in any let me know....

 

Thanks for the info mate, I've heard about Rewire before posting my message but didn't hold this solution because I've heard it's discontinued.
I'll try and see if an older vesion could work !

The option you're talking about is the third I put "Possible but complex to setup" lol but I get what you're saying.
Howerver, I never said I looked for a magic solution. As you say it's all about workflow. Don't get me wrong, I initially thought about simply bouncing between DAWS for this purpose. I don't "fear committing stuff to audio too much". And I don't think bouncing between DAWS is too much effort, but I wanted to know if there was a tool specifically for this purpose, as we never now, there is tool for almost anything on internet.
And I get your last point lmao, fair enough I should have seen the DAWS-war-arguments coming ahah
To be fair I already tested Ableton and Pro Tools by the time I began. I only went for FL because it was the one I had the most chemistry with. In this hypothetic "war", I always say "test them and choose your fav". I kinda found mine back in the days. But I get you, many (MANY) things are easier with Ableton, that's undeniable.
I'll try Rewire if it's a hardworking task to setup either way, and yes, I'd listen to your advice and bounce between DAWS if nothing else works ! Thanks mate !

Honestly thank you a lot mate ! I'll try Max's RNBO too if it serves this purpose. I was actually thinking about something like that, something to turn Ableton's feature onto VST's or something. Even if it's poorly exported or not optimal, it could be cool.
Maybe your guesses about MIDI/Audio sends could work too. It would ask me to run both DAWS simultaneously but nvm it could do the job
Thanks again !

Oh thanks for the info I didn't know about that. ReaStream may take the job to Rewire if I'm understanding its features correctly.
For the Vienna Ensemble VST I can't find it unless having the whole library but I'll try.
TRPMidi seems cool too. Thanks again with all those answers I have many options !

Thanks mates !

 

The old way with different computers used to be a MIDI timecode generator where one is the host and the other syncs/slave. In those days you purchased a hardware box and connected both via a 5-pin DIN.

I have no idea whether this works now because I have not tried it and a lot has changed since then. There are vst timecode generators and again I have not tried them but I do not imagine the principle has changed unless a DAW application has no facility to be a slave.

 

Oh man that's gold but oh my all those are so old looking that's a shame such tools aren't kept as modern solutions.
However, the 2 options are impressive if they work.
The only final option I have is to get a tool not only to root but to "recreate" M4L features or a way to properly clone it with FL Patcher or so

Thanks a lot mate

 

I have used JACK (in Windows) to connect Nuendo with Bitwig. Spent most of an afternoon figuring it out, but when I did, it worked fine. I maybe only tried it out for a couple weeks and opted for a different workflow. Now, Nuendo is my arranger and anything I happen to make in other programs, I import into Nuendo. Splitting duties like this works better for me mentally.

 

It's not Max (more like a sibling), but there's always Plugdata, an implementation of Pure Data by Miller S. Puckette (the MSP in Max/MSP), which runs nicely as a VST.

While it's got some pretty wild patches out there like EB-Diøne it's probably the best for your own patchers from the ground up, so if you're starting out patching then it's a great option.

 

Here is a tutorial with the JACK Kit... coincidentally also for FL Studio to Ableton and back to FL!

 

don't confuse it with virtual instrument library, I talk just about the server/client host,
no need for sister site share - it's outdated version 5/6, and the new legit version 7 trial/demo limitation is just saving feature (which you totally don't need for a test)

 

Thanks a loooot fam, you're all awesome !

I'd go test with the Jack and Vienna Server method.

Much love !

 

Bitwig proposed the DAWproject: an Open exchange format for user data between Digital Audio Workstations

 

Since 2024 Many of DAWs support .DAWproject... read infos for your DAWs...

although, dawproject exist for earlier.. but...

 

I used ReaStream for a couple of years between Reaper on my main Linux computer and laptop running Reaper in Windows, connected through a network switcher (wireless has huge latency). It was easy to setup and aside from still somewhat big latency it was great. I used Windows Reaper mainly for additional FX when mixing. It worked very well for mixing, when additional latency is not that important.

 

FL Studio loads as a VSTi. For instance you can load FL Studio on a track in Cubase. There is an old rewire method. However using Midi tools like midi ox, or a custom built app you can control midi messaging. It takes time to setup - and there may be latency matching issues. Building a midi router app with AI is not super complex. I've build controller apps that show up as virtual midi devices. Bridging midi that way should let you route the actual notes. You can user fl studio's mixer to have outputs - with an audio interface with multitrack support you can send mixer track audio to an audio interface mixer track - or use a console emulation like Mixbus to have i/o routed. From my experimentation you can do it but you will experience CPU overhead and it is much easier to route audio on an audio interface with lots of i/o channels. I don't use live too often so I am not familiar with how it routes audio but most daws have audio tracks that can be linked to an audio interface input channel or output channel. Midi channels often can be routed outside a DAW to and from other points in a midi thru chain this lets midi transfer between daws. FL Studio also works as a multi VSTI for I think up to 16 channels. You need to manually assign midi links on FL Studio's channels in Channel rack. If using it as a VSTi this is more challenging. When Multiclient support for midi devices is brought in in MIDI 2.0 roll out it will be much easier to share MIDI devices and hopefully ASIO devices between software, until then you either need to bridge things with virtual interfaces or routed from one daw to another. For FL Studio it seems it works much better as a slave farther than a master.

 

Somewhat recently found this project, and it sortof solves the problems with DAW crossover. Dunno how much you'll be able to get out of it, not all format conversions are created equal with the program, but when I used it I got positive results. https://github.com/SatyrDiamond/DawVert