Introduction
A digital audio workstation (DAW) is something every musician works with today. Being blessed to live in the 21st century, plenty of DAW software are available. FL Studio is one of them.
“The fastest way from your brain to your speakers” is their motto. It sends a strong message about this software’s simplicity in turning ideas into realization. Numbers say 30,000 downloads are made every day.
And there is no doubt that FL Studio is one of the most popular music software available today. However, the reason for its popularity is not that simple. Some people are frustrated with it, some others absolutely adore it.
So, what exactly a DAW can do for you? In this article, I will try to explain to you what FL Studio is really capable of. I have been working with FL Studio for over 10 years now so I know it all pretty well from the inside out (haha). And although this article will be based on my own experience with FL Studio, I’m pretty sure it still can be used as a guide for getting started with DAW in general.
How did FL Studio get to that point, and is it as simple as it sounds?
A Brief History of FL Studio
A 19-year-old programmer named Didier ‘Gol’ Dambin released the first version of FL Studio in 1997. He was a programmer in the Belgian company Image-Line Software. Jean-Marie Cannie and Frank Van Biesen founded the company in 1995.
The official launch happened in 1998. According to Gol’s interview, the software was never meant to be for musicians. He said that it should be a kind of video game. He was
Unofficially, a thing that launched FL Studio in the commercial music space was a song made by a sixteen-year-old boy. In 2009 he made a song using nothing but Fruity Loops. A trial version. The boy’s name was DeAndre Way, known as a Soulja Boy. His first single, “Crank That”, made it up the top of the Billboards List.
At that time, the name of FL Studio was ‘Fruity Loops’. The name originated from Kellogg’s breakfast cereal product name. In 2003. Kellogg’s threatened a lawsuit, so they named the software to FL Studio.
The name was changed to FL Studio.— In early 2006, the number of downloads and the number of registrations in FL Studio reached 2 million per month. It effectively became the most popular DAW in the world.
In 2008, Image-Line released FL Studio 10 (studio 10). It adds a new “Interface” to mixers, audio interfaces, and generators. Sound Storage, as well as a hard disk recorder, are also included in this edition.
FL Studio (FruityLoops) was popular in the hip-hop community as a cheaper and simpler DAW compared to MPC.
Evolution of FL Studio
Timeline of FLStudio versions:
1997 – version 1.0 and 2.0 – VST and LAME support, IL plugins introduced, Automation and LAME Support
2001 – version 3.0 and 4.0 – Piano roll introduced, ASIO support, Program can be VST and DXI, the name changed to FL Studio
2001 – version 3.0 and 4.0 – Piano roll introduced, ASIO Support, Program can be VST and DXI
2004 – version 5.0 and 6.0 – Automation in playlist, Loop recording
2007 – version 7.0 and 8.0 – AIFF and OGG support, ASIO4ALL is the default, Multi-link controller
2009 – version 9.0 and 10.0 – Playlist revised, Performance mode added, FL Studio Mobile release
2013 – version 11.0 and 12.0 – FLAC and Side chain support, Multi-touch support, New user interface, 64-bit plug-in support
2018 – version 20.0 – AUDIO and MIDI consolidation, Live preview
FL Studio Today
FL Studio became one of the best DAWs out there. A lot of world-famous musicians use it.
DJs like Martin Garrix, DeadMau5, Afrojack.
Producers like Mike Will Made It (Jay Z, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus), Cardiac (Eminem, Lloyd Banks,Rick Ross), Hit Boy (Kid Cudi, Eminem, 50 Cent, Jay Z, Jennifer Lopez, SnoopDogg, Justin Bieber). 9th Wonder even won a Grammy for beats he made on FL Studio.
And the list goes on and on.
The new features in FL Studio 2022 are:
New sounds: New effects: New Playlist Pre-Fader effect format for tracks with real-time fader control, a “Playlist” effect that creates drums and bass from DnB samples, a “Bitcrush” effect that generates distorted fast metal sounds, an EQ with time-based filters as well as a mastering limiter to create an atmospheric end of the mix effects.
What makes FL Studio so popular?
Let see…
FL Studio is Easy to Learn
“We tricked people into thinking they have musical skills” – Jean-Marie Cannie.
From this sentence, we see the idea of making FS Studio handling as easier as possible.In the end, it was never meant to be DAW for musicians.
Its interface and channel rack simplify beats production. There is no need to program drums or create a melody. Instead, just clicking the box is enough.
FL Studio workflow is mouse-and-keyboard friendly. Therefore, a lot of tutorials can be found everywhere on the internet.
Piano Roll is a thing that represents the simplicity of the FL Studio. The displayed built-in keyboard makes it easy to use and play it. Synth sounds like this software product is divine.
It is most popular with Hip-hop and Electronic producers, but it’s suitable for every music genre.
There is no doubt that FL Studio is one of the most popular music software available today.
Easy to Use FL Studio offers a powerful and revolutionary way of working. It’s so easy to use, that even the noob can jump on the bandwagon and produce music out of a beat-up laptop.
The interface is intuitive and simple enough that even a child can do it. But ease of use doesn’t mean that you can’t make good music with it. The mouse is your best friend!
FL Studio (Fruity Loops) was popular in the hip-hop community as a cheaper and simpler DAW compared to MPC. Ease of Use for Amateurs”We tricked people into thinking they have musical skills” – Jean-Marie Cannie.
So, what exactly a DAW can do for you? On this article, I will try to explain to you what FL Studio is really capable of. I have been working with FL Studio for over 10 years now so I know it all pretty well from the inside out (haha). And although this article will be based on my own experience with FL Studio, I’m pretty sure it still can be used as a guide for getting started with DAW in general.
Budget-Friendly
This especially refers to beginners. Someone who is starting to dive into music-making doesn’t have to spend lots of money to see if it’s his cup of tea.
After purchasing FL Studio for a price as low as $199, you will get lifetime updates. No monthly or yearly payments. Pay it once, and every future update will be free for you.
Most of the other companies will charge between $150-200 for future updates. So, there isn’t another DAW company that gives this privilege currently.
Assuming money is always an issue, it’s good to know that most FL Studio features are free.
(FL Studio also includes a free version)
Interface Aesthetics
The interface is eye-friendly and has a variety of colors. It gives FL Studio an appealing look.
It doesn’t look official like other kinds of DAW out there. This colorful graphical style makes it easy to understand how everything works.
If you are not a fan of flashy colors, you can turn them off in settings (and make minimal CPU use). In FL Studio, options like changing wallpapers, choosing dancing mascots, and colorful visuals are available. For beginners, the first impression could be decisive – go further or uninstall and bury the idea of becoming a musician. UI is five-star rated.
FL Studio has divided workspace sections. Sections for creating, arranging, and mixing are broken into separate windows. Fortunately for some, there is always an option to hide each separated window or resize it.
The Sidebar design will help you speed things up. Drag and drop whatever you want from a plugin to a folder stuffed with steams into your session. This option saves time. Combined with a separate mixing environment spares you from a hard-work.
FL Studio Interface
Exporting File Possibilities
In FL Studio you can export your project in .aiff, .wav and .mp3 files. Most DAWs don’t have the option to render projects directly into .mp3 files. This kind of file will slightly lower the quality of audio but make it noticeably compressed.
Virtual Studio Technology
Virtual studio technology (VST) is more powerful and has many native plugins compared to other DAWs. It has a rich library of synths. Most of the synths are found to be the best on the market. Automatization of any parameter also comes in handy.
Free VSTi Plugin collection
FL Studio provides a very good and complete set of VST plugins for any style of music. But it lacks many things like midi controllers, drums, loopers etc. There are lots of great free VST plugins available on the internet that simply replace those missing elements.
I have picked up some of my favorites from here and you can pick up anything that suits your needs. You can get the entire list here.
A lot of VST plugins are available for download here. Some FL Studio plugins are also available on DAWs like Native Instruments Maschine, Ableton Live, and Logic Pro X.
One can get free VSTi plugins in the following ways. The first option is downloading the plugin from an FL Studio user who has already downloaded it. The second way is to have a copy of the original FL Studio plugin on your hard drive and then go to the website of the software developer and download the plugin from there. The third way is downloading directly from its official website – Image-Line where you will get many other free samples as well. A lot of VST plugins are available for download here.
Cross-Platforms Accessible
From version 20,FL Studio is Mac-compatible. Plenty of users in the past admitted to using PCs only because of FL Studios. In 2021. they can choose which one to use. It’s important to say that licenses are shared between Mac and PC versions.
It is also worth mentioning that FL Studio is available as a mobile app FL Studio Mobile onAndroid, iOS, and Windows. This allows taking projects while on the move or whenever you feel bored.
Stable Software
FL Studio is lightweight and stable considering the fact of how powerful it is. It is considered the fastest one of DAWs.
But does FL Studio have some cons?
1). Shortcut problems When compared to other software like Logic Pro or Cubase, FL Studio has a high learning curve. This is why some users are ready to quit in the middle of it. There are not many keyboard shortcuts available so it takes time to memorize each one of them. If you are looking for a real-time DAW, this isn’t your thing.
2). Lack of storage FL Studio 20 will remove the possibility to store files alongside your projects. For now, you can choose one of three things:
- a) Storage on Dropbox or Google Drive, or
- b)SoundCloud (completely free), or
- c) Store all synths and effects in files on a computer that is not connected to FL Studio.
To add to that Image-Line also has a piracy issue.
Piracy Issues
“People were happy to download or steal and use it, just not pay for it” – once said Scott Fisher, COO of Image-Line.
In the 90s, FLStudio became so popular that people were downloading it all the time. Unfortunately for the Image-Line, the majority of downloads weren’t paid.
The situation is similar today. According to the internet community, it is still easy to pirate/crack.
But Image-Line doesn’t complain about that. They understand that by keeping FL Studio free, they get more customers. And with every release, they do their best to provide the users with better quality and more options.
MAJOR update: FL Studio 12 is out now! It’s a major update for FL Studio 12 that requires you to uninstall your current installation of the software and download a fresh installer from www.image-line.com/flstudio/downloads.
1) Improved audio engine: lower latency and higher maximum possible notes per track (ie higher polyphony).
2) MIDI engine updates: support for more controllers, CC91/CC106 sustain pedal (info), MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) and extended coarse pitch bend ranges.
3) From the FL Studio Browser, you can now drag MIDI Clips directly into the playlist. This makes it easy to create tracks that swap parts, such as verse/chorus and is also great for live performance.
4) VST plugin scan time is reduced from over a minute to about 10 seconds – meaning there is less delay when loading your plugins and you can work more efficiently that way.
The piracy of FL studio is an issue, but luckily, Image-Line doesn’t complain about this issue and accepts it. The reason is that it’s free to download, and all the developers do is protect their work by keeping the price low. For a person who is just starting out with music, FL Studio saves him money and time.
The Image-Line team was forced to take several measures in order to protect the FL Studio ecosystem.
1). Hiding most of the features within paid plugins. This way, people won’t download every plugin and will buy the ones they need.
2). Confusing the program with fake updates. When you open FL Studios, it will show you an error message that says: “FLStudio is not responding. Please Restart this software.
The Transition from Another DAW
The workflow in FL Studio is kind of unique. Everyone who learned to work with other DAW will need to spend some time getting used to FL Studio. It may appeal as confusing to new users.
But the tutorial Wiki is a great help for learning.
FL Studio is not only a DAW, it is the best one! The workflow of FL Studio is also unique. Everyone who learned to work with other DAW will need to spend some time getting used to FL Studio. It may appeal as confusing to new users. But the tutorial Wiki is a great help for learning.
To transition from other DAWs, One can go from another DAW like GarageBand or Logic into FL Studio and get familiar with the interface, so that’s helpful too. And part of the fun of using FL Studio is how much you can learn about music production without having to buy studio monitors or other expensive equipment.
Live Audio Recording
Compared to some other DAWs, FL Studio is not the most reliable one. There is an opinion that other DAWs do live recording in a faster and better way. If you make only EDM, then it’s not a thing to worry about.
FL Studio will give you the opportunity to ‘record vocals’. However, it’s not the best option for voiceovers, but you can try it out. In the beginning, you may have some problems that are related to latency and will be kind of tricky to solve. But after some time getting used to FL Studio and its plugins, any problems will be gone!
FL Studio is also known for recording real instruments besides synthesizers.
When you look at FL Studio, you will notice that the interface has a central area for your “groove,” and another one around it in which everything you need to record a song is located. 3D Audio Editing
If you like to be creative, then this may be an option for you. It is much like any other music-making software, but if you are an art and audio lover, it will add life to your music and give it more visual appeal.In this section of FL Studio, if you want to add some effects in your mix or add some sound effects (or anything else) before putting the track together with other tracks (editing), that’s possible as well.
Playing live instruments on FL studio is a great choice. The interface is not similar to other DAWs, so if you are looking for something in particular (like playing live instruments) and you think this will be the best option, it might actually be.
Check out: 8 Ways to Make Money as a Music Producer in 2023
Conclusion
After 20 years of developing this DAW, Image-Line knows what will do the work for musicians. Accumulated experience makes Image-Line capable of making DAW that is both suitable for beginners and professionals.
There are no barriers to producing top-notch tracks with FL Studio. All you need is to unlock your creativity.
FL Studio has a mild learning curve, so shortly, you will find out how everything works. Earlier, we mentioned how Soulja Boy as a teenager made it.
Afrojack also. He started making his first beats in the FL studio (at that time, Fruity Loops) when he was 11 years old. These examples tell us how user-friendly this DAW is.
FL Studio made its way into hip-hop and electronic music, but no one said you can’t make any other genres.
For anyone new who would like to give it a try, there is a free demo version of FL Studio. If it becomes addictive and wins heart, then you could buy it. For a reasonable price.
It has outstanding features – a step sequencer, multiple arrangements, and consolidating tracks. These features combined with a well-known Piano Roll and intuitive interface make the Studio a legit leader in DAWs.
Brian Transeau (BT), one of the first electronic music producers, created all his tracks in FLStudio. He even said that this DAW is – “the most open-ended, incredible DAW that has ever been made.”
Before committing to FL Studios just consider all the things about it.
Available free on the internet is available for free.
Many free plugins are available for download. They are all professionally made.
