reason. before i started using reason, i had done some equilazation in cool edit, "remasters". that's it. every production software has a steep learning curve in that while you don't know how to use the application, the terms used in it are also new to you. hundreds of knobs and buttons saying decay, attack, lfo, and such mean shit to you - which is why software samplers/sequencers often looks more advanced than they really are.
i say give reason a shot. an fl user is gonna say start with fruityloops, but i maintain that reason > fl. that is, of course, an opinion and not really a proven fact.