Add-ons for FL Studio

Most of my work in FL over the past, geez, 16 years (!?!) has been made with various free VSTs. It can be clunky (sometimes buggy) to do things this way, since you frequently have to really pad things out via effects, blending and layering, etc. if you want a more "pro" sound. But there are lots of great, trustworthy sources. I haven't gone on a downloading spree in a while, but here are just a few of the many I've found useful: - GTG synths (the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zwk4xHf1B4 is dead simple, great for 80s-style sounds, and something I end up using on virtually every tune; I also like the weirder http://www.pluginboutique.com/product/4-Synth/322-GTG-Sputnik-2000) - FX/filters from http://www.betabugsaudio.com/plugs.php. Particularly the Crayon filter. - http://www.krakli.com/krakli-free-synths/ synths, which tend towards the strange (see Cygnus, Vurt/Mini-Vurt). They also do some units that can make more classic dance-y sounds (FL3A, Lizard, and S3K), but still with a unique feel. - http://www.interruptor.ch/vst_donationware.shtml, for your dubby needs. A range of old-school tape delays, etc. - The included reverbs in FL are pretty useful, but for something a bit more interesting, try http://www.kvraudio.com/product/ariesverb_feedback_delay_network_processor_by_ariescode, or http://www.kvraudio.com/product/glaceverb_by_dasample. Sure, you can't exactly just use these sorts of things and expect lush, complex results out of the box, but doing the extra work to build good sounds out of some quirky piece of freeware can really help build your skills. I've been pretty stubborn on this point, for many years. ... Until recently, when I finally started buying some of the paid software that FL sells alongside the DAW. And, y'know what? Some of these are pretty sick, and it's nice to sit back and let the software do some of the work. I'd suggest that if you want to go the paid route, just try out some demo versions of whatever and see what excites you. And don't forget that, just as there's a mess of freeware out there, there's also a niche that sits between the free VSTs and the super-expensive stuff. Some of those might be worth checking out, too (e.g. the Audjoohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzLtLlAJqLo, the early free version of which I've loved for years, and which eventually grew up into a slick paid version. Hmmm... Maybe I should grab that, actually...)

There was a MeFi thread wherein several people talked about their favorite VST synths http://www.metafilter.com/147085/Music-Workshop-FEZ. As far as third party free FX go, I lurve http://destroyfx.smartelectronix.com/ by DestroyFX (scroll down) but it is a very specific type of distortion which may or may not be up your alley.

I mostly want to isolate out the parts from existing songs and assemble them into something new, Do you mean remixing via MIDI or audio? Because the latter is way, way harder than you'd think (unless someone is giving you access to the stems--individual parts--of a track). Your best bet is probably to learn FL inside and out, and how its native instruments (pun not intended sorry) work--they basically cover the gamut. Sytrus, for example, is a hell of a synth and I know from elsenet a producer who frequently challenges himself to do an entire track (trance)--including the drums--with nothing but Sytrus and plugin FX. Harmor/Harmless is pretty rad, too. My personal favourites for plugins are Spire (which is just incredible) and Sylenth. The latter is very lightweight, CPU-load-speaking, and amazingly popular; people are releasing soundbanks for it all the time, and it's very very easy to use it for generating everything from crunchy virtual-analogue leads to airy pads to whatever your ears want. Also, http://www.kvraudio.com is an excellent resource for free (or not-free) plugins; you're looking for the VST standard.

Thanks all for your responses! I hadn't explored the world of VST -- I am amazed and a little daunted to see just how many free things there are for me to try. Special thanks to Credible Hulk for the Interrupter Bionic Supa Delay -- that's one of the things I was hoping to find, and have been needing already for my first project-ect-ect-ect-ect.