FL Studio

Last updated

FL Studio
Original author(s) Didier Dambrin
Developer(s) Image-Line Software
Initial releaseApril 26, 1998;26 years ago (1998-04-26) (as FruityLoops)
Stable release
2024.2.2 / February 5, 2025;57 days ago (2025-02-05) [2]
Written in Delphi, Assembly language [3] [4]
Operating system macOS, Windows
Available inEnglish, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese
Type Digital audio workstation
License Proprietary
Website image-line.com

FL Studio (known as FruityLoops before 2003) [5] is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed by the Belgian company Image-Line. It features a graphical user interface with a pattern-based [6] music sequencer. It is available in four different editions for Microsoft Windows and macOS. [7]

Contents

After their initial purchase, lifetime updates of the software are free to registered users. [8] [9] Image-Line also develops FL Studio Mobile for Android, iOS, macOS, and Universal Windows Platform devices. [10]

FL Studio can be used as either a Virtual Studio Technology (VST) or Audio Unit (AU) instrument in other audio workstation programs, and as a ReWire client. Image-Line offers its own VST and AU instruments and audio applications. FL Studio has been used by many notable hip hop and EDM producers, including 9th Wonder, Cardo, Basshunter, Metro Boomin, Hit-Boy, Porter Robinson, Alan Walker, Madeon, Soulja Boy, Southside, Martin Garrix, Avicii, Imanbek, Lex Luger, Deadmau5, and Pi'erre Bourne. [11] [12] [13] [14] The previous default tempo of FL Studio (140 BPM) has been credited as being the reason grime music is generally produced around 140 BPM. [15] [16]

History

The first version of FruityLoops (1.0.0) was developed by Didier Dambrin and was partially released on December 18, 1997. [17] Its official launch was in early 1998, when it was still a four-channel [18] MIDI drum machine. [19] Dambrin became Chief Software Architect for the program, [9] and it quickly underwent a series of large upgrades that made it into a popular and complex digital audio workstation.

Image-Line renamed FruityLoops to FL Studio in mid 2003, after the company's attempt to obtain a US trademark prompted concerns from Kellogg's. [20] and to improve the software's marketability. [5] [ failed verification ] Software piracy was a major issue in the company's early days, and it took nearly 5 years for the company to turn a profit from users purchasing legitimate licenses. [11]

A macOS-compatible version of FL Studio was released on May 22, 2018. [21]

Overview

Editions

FL Studio comes in several editions with different levels of functionality. The free trial version includes all of the program's features, all plugins, and allows users to render project audio to WAV, MIDI, MP3, FLAC and OGG. [7] Projects saved while in demo mode, however, can only be opened once FL Studio and its plugins have been registered. Also, instrument presets cannot be saved and the audio output of some instruments is cut out momentarily every few minutes until the program and its plugins have been registered. [22]

Fruity Edition

The Fruity Edition allows users to access the playlist, piano roll, and event automation features, which allow complex and lengthy arranging and sequencing. There is also VST/ReWire support so that FL Studio can be an instrument in other hosts such as Cubase, Sonic Solutions, and Logic. As of version 21.0.3, this edition includes 84 instruments and effects; it does not support audio recording and the use of audio clips. [23]

Producer Edition

The Producer Edition includes all of the features of the Fruity Edition, as well as full audio recording for internal and external audio and post-production tools. It allows hand-drawing point and curve based splines (referred to as "automation clips"). Plugins include Edison, Slicex (loop slicer and re-arranger), Sytrus, Maximus, Vocodex and Synthmaker. It also allows waveform viewing of audio clips and the ability to add cue points. [24]

Signature Bundle

This edition includes the Producer Edition plus a series of plugins such as the Fruity Video Player, DirectWave Sampler, Harmless, NewTone, Pitcher, Gross Beat, and the Hardcore Guitar Effects Suite. [24]

All Plugins Edition

The All Plugins Edition includes the Signature Bundle and extra plugins, particularly synthesizers.

FL Studio Mobile

On June 21, 2011, Image-Line released FL Studio Mobile for iOS and in April 2013 for Android. Both support the ability to create multi-track projects on mobile devices including iPod Touches, iPhones, iPads, [10] Android 2.3.3, and higher smartphones and tablets.

Groove/GMM

Groove, a standalone Groovebox-style application optimized for touch-based music creation, was released for the Windows 8 store on September 2, 2013, as FL Studio Groove. [25] It was later released on mobile devices as Groove Machine Mobile and temporarily available as a plugin in FL Studio. As of now, it is no longer available for purchase.

FL Cloud

FL Cloud is a sub-brand launched by Image Line on October 26, 2023, encompassing online products and services for music production, with tools for mastering, music distribution, and accessing a curated selection of audio samples. Its features include:

  • Sounds: Similar to FL Studio FLEX, FL Cloud allows seamless integration of audio samples directly within FL Studio. Content can be downloaded directly into the FL Studio project, eliminating the need for external libraries or manual file management. There are free and subscription options. The subscription option provides access to a wider range of sounds compared to the free version. Alternatively users can purchase non-expiring Download Credits to access the same sample library as available while subscribed.
  • Mastering: FL Cloud offers both free and paid options for professional-grade mastering. The free tier provides basic tools, while the paid subscription unlocks advanced features and additional mastering effects.
  • Music Distribution: Included with the subscription offering, music distribution allows users to directly upload their music to major streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and more.
  • External Plugins: FL Cloud now includes 65+ plugins from UVI, Native Instruments, Minimal Audio, Baby Audio, and more. 10 Plugins are available for free, and 20 with the Plus tier.

[26]

System requirements

FL Studio processes audio using an internal 32-bit floating point engine. It supports sampling rates up to 192 kHz using either WDM- or ASIO-enabled drivers. [9]

Windows 7/8/10/11 or later (32-bit or 64-bit versions), MacOS Version 10.13.6 (High Sierra) or later. [8]

Note: More powerful CPU, more Instruments and Effects you can run.

Program features

The mixer interface allows for any number of channel configurations. This allows mixing in 2.1, 5.1, or 7.1 surround sound, as long as the output hardware interface has an equivalent number of outputs. The mixer also supports audio-in, enabling FL Studio to record multitrack audio. [38] [ non-primary source needed ]

FL Studio supports audio time stretching and pitch scaling, beat slicing, chopping, and editing of audio, and as of version 12.9 it can record up to 125 simultaneous audio tracks. [39] [ non-primary source needed ] Other key features include a digital piano roll. Audio can be imported or exported as WAV, MP3, OGG, FLAC, MIDI, ZIP, or the native project format with an .FLP filename extension. [9]

The trial allows users to save projects, but does not allow reopening them. Tracks may be exported to any of the available file formats. [40]

Plug-ins

FL Studio comes with a variety of plugins and generators (software synthesizers) written in the program's own native plugin architecture. FL Studio also has support for third-party VST and DirectX plugins. [41] The API has a built in wrapper for full VST, VST2, VST3, DX, and ReWire compatibility. There has also been support for the CLAP plugin format since FL Studio 2024. [42]

Although FL Studio's own plugins are set to be available only in their native format in the future, some of them also function independently as standalone programs and can be purchased in VST format for use with other DAWs.

Virtual effects

FL Studio is bundled with a variety of sound processing effects, including common audio effects such as chorus, compression, distortion, delay, flanger, phaser, reverb, gate, equalization, vocoding, maximization, and limiting.

Gross Beat

Gross Beat is an audio effect plugin that is included with the Signature Bundle of FL Studio. Gross Beat performs real-time audio stream playback, pitch, position, and volume manipulation. Gross Beat includes multiple envelope mapping controls, which can alter time/pitch and volume. Gross Beat can be used to provide beat-synced glitches, stutters, repetitions, scratches, and gating effects. [43] [44]

Synthesizers

FL Studio's install contains the entirety of native software synthesizers, internally labeled as "generators". Depending on the edition of the program, some will be locked in trial mode until the synth itself or a software upgrade is purchased.

Harmor

Harmor is Image-Line's flagship synthesizer. Initially released in late 2011 as a successor to Harmless, it was envisioned as a way to work with additive synthesis through an interface typical of subtractive synthesizers. It also includes many functions previously found within individual FL Studio utilities. such as the ability to produce sounds from pictures fed into the synth (known as image resynthesis).

Sytrus

Sytrus is an FM synthesizer with an internal effects module and additional wavetable capabilities. Its architecture can let it interface directly with patches from Yamaha DX7 units, allowing it to import original SYSEX data. [45]

Sakura

Sakura is a virtual modeling synthesizer that is included with the All Plugins Edition of FL Studio. [46] Sakura utilizes virtual modeling, an 8-stage modulator, and a variety of acoustics and effects, such as delay, chorus, and reverb to create stringed sounds. Virtual modeling in Sakura includes a 5-stage process referred to as the hanami-go method, including Touch, Vibration, String Interaction, Resonance, and Acoustics. [47]

Morphine

Morphine is an additive synthesizer and resynthesizer that is included with the All Plugins Edition of FL Studio. [48] [49] Morphine uses a 4 Voice Generator with 128 harmonics per voice to achieve additive synthesis. Morphine includes the ability to generate samples from snapshots of the synthesized harmonics, known as Breakpoints, which can be used to create any sound. [49]

Sawer

Sawer is an analog modeling synthesizer that is included with the All Plugins Edition of FL Studio. [50] Sawer utilizes a saw shape oscillator for subtractive synthesis, as well as a sub-oscillator with level, phase, detune, and octave shift controls, sync and ring modulation, multiple audio effects, such as chorus, phaser, delay, and reverb, and a multimode arpeggiator. [51] Sawer pays homage to the 1980s analog synthesizer Polivoks, which was manufactured and marketed in the Soviet Union during the late 20th century.

Dedicated hardware

As with other DAW developers, Image-Line has collaborated with hardware manufacturers on two occasions, resulting in the release of products branded and compatible with FL Studio. [52]

The first was the Akai FIRE, a MIDI controller with touch and pressure-sensitive buttons modelled after the software's channel rack pattern editor. Released in 2018, it can be used as a pattern editor, keyboard, drumpad, multi-colour peak visualizer and performance controller. A distinctive feature of the Akai FIRE is that up to 4 units can be connected to a single instance of FL Studio, chained together or with a different mode set for each. It is sold in two variants, one coming without extra software (aimed at existing FL Studio users), and one bundled with an exclusive version of the Fruity edition called the Fruity Fire Edition.

The latter of these involvements is currently the Novation FL Key line of controllers. It consists of two redesigned MIDI Keyboards – dubbed the FL Key Mini and the FL Key 37, the latter being larger in keybed and size – originally from Novation's own Launchkey line, modified to have a grey case and an FL Studio-themed RGB lighting palette. They later released the FL Key 61, a larger version with the same features.

Despite some initial traction regarding the Akai FIRE's unusual velocity implementation, both units have gone on to receive broadly positive reception from the professional press. [53] [54]

Reception

FL Studio has been praised for its simplicity, power, and ease of use. [55] [56] Jamie Lendino of PCMag wrote that "While [FL Studio is] still clearly geared for electronic music production 'in the box,' as opposed to recording live musicians playing acoustic instruments, you can record or create just about any kind of audio project with it." [57] Criticisms include a difficult audio recording system. [58] [59]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Evolution of the FL Studio logo". May 13, 2021 – via Facebook.
  2. ↑ "History | FL Studio". image-line.com. Image-Line Software . Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ Deahl, Dani (May 23, 2018). "Music production software FL Studio is now available for Mac". The Verge . Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Image-Line Software Case Study". Embarcadero Technologies . Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  5. 1 2 "History". FL Studio. Archived from the original on October 26, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Working with Patterns in FL Studio 20". MusicTech. September 5, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "What is FL Studio?". image-line.com. Image-Line Software . Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "FL Studio Overview". image-line.com. Image-Line Software . Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "FL Studio Video". OVGuide. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  10. 1 2 "FL Studio Mobile". image-line.com. Image-Line Software . Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  11. 1 2 Weiss, Dan (October 12, 2016). "The Unlikely Rise of FL Studio, The Internet's Favorite Production Software". Vice. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Power Users". www.image-line.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  13. ↑ Read, Chris. "Pi'erre Bourne Takes on the Rhythm Roulette Challenge". www.whosampled.com. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  14. ↑ Mass Appeal (September 14, 2022). Rhythm Roulette: Pi'erre Bourne | Mass Appeal . Retrieved March 12, 2025– via YouTube.
  15. ↑ McGlynn, Declan (April 20, 2020). "How FL Studio changed electronic music forever". DJ Mag . Archived from the original on April 25, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2025. While Ableton Live and Logic Pro's default bpm is 120, FL Studio originally opted for a rapid 140bpm, something that immediately resulted in a different approach to four-four nature of other genres.
  16. ↑ Finamore, Emma (September 12, 2018). "Behind the beats: How UK producers created grime". PSN Europe. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Grime's instantly recognisable 'magic number' of 140 bpm finds its origins here too, as the preset tempo in FruityLoops. 'Godfather of Grime' Wiley has said this standard tempo in the programme meant he created most of his earliest tracks at 140 bpm, and as one of the genre's first success stories – other producers followed his lead.
  17. ↑ "FL Studio 1.0". www.image-line.com. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  18. ↑ Silva, Joe. "Review: Image-Line FL Studio 8". Music Tech Magazine. Archived from the original on April 21, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  19. ↑ Ahmed, Insanul (June 12, 2010). "Review: Producer Lex Luger Talks About Working With Rick Ross & Waka Flocka". Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2020. All I needed is Fruity Loops, my laptop, and my headphones, and I'm going in.
  20. ↑ McGlynn, Declan (April 20, 2020). "How FL Studio changed electronic music forever". DJMag.com. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  21. ↑ Deahl, Dani (May 23, 2018). "Music production software FL Studio is now available for Mac". The Verge. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Limitations in demo version". image-line.com. Image-Line Software . Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  23. ↑ Studio, F. L. "Compare Features and Pricing - Editions". FL Studio. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  24. 1 2 "Editions". image-line.com. Image-Line Software . Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  25. ↑ "FL Studio Groove App". image-line.com. Image-Line Software . Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  26. ↑ "FL Cloud". www.image-line.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  27. ↑ FL STUDIO by Image-line (September 18, 2009), FL Studio 9 Introductory video, archived from the original on November 10, 2021, retrieved January 12, 2018
  28. ↑ "FL Studio 10 is here!" . Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  29. ↑ "FL Studio 11 Out Now!" . Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Announcing FL Studio 12". April 22, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  31. ↑ "FL STUDIO 20 Released!". www.image-line.com. May 7, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  32. ↑ "FL STUDIO 21 Released | What's New?". FL Studio. December 7, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  33. ↑ "FL Studio 21 is out now, offering faster and more precise audio editing". MusicTech. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  34. ↑ "FL STUDIO 21.2 | What's New?". FL Studio. October 26, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  35. ↑ "FL Studio 21.2 with stem separation and AI mastering is now available". DJ Mag. October 27, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  36. ↑ "FL STUDIO 2024 | What's New?". FL Studio. July 1, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  37. ↑ "FL Studio 2024 welcomes new plugins, AI tools and expands FL Cloud library". MusicTech. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  38. ↑ "Mixer Explained". www.image-line.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  39. ↑ "FL Studio 12.9 BETA 1 [Expires 15th Jan 2018] - Image-Line". forum.image-line.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  40. ↑ "Version Features". www.image-line.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  41. ↑ Kirn, Peter (March 31, 2010). "Image-Line FL Studio 9: Creative Jump-Starter Like No Other". Keyboard Magazine . Future Publishing. Archived from the original on May 12, 2011.
  42. ↑ "FL STUDIO 2024 | What's New?". Image Line. July 1, 2024. Archived from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  43. ↑ "Gross Beat". www.image-line.com. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  44. ↑ Au-Yeung, Joshua (2023). The Music Producer’s Ultimate Guide to FL Studio 21 : From Beginner to Pro. Second edition. Packt Publishing Ltd.
  45. ↑ "Sytrus - Instrument". www.image-line.com. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  46. ↑ "Sakura". FL Studio. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  47. ↑ "Sakura Instrument". www.image-line.com. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  48. ↑ "Morphine". FL Studio. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  49. 1 2 "Morphine Synthesizer". www.image-line.com. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  50. ↑ "Sawer". FL Studio. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  51. ↑ "Sawer". www.image-line.com. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  52. ↑ "MIDI Controllers". FL Studio. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  53. ↑ Truss, Si (February 4, 2019). "Akai Professional Fire review". MusicRadar. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  54. ↑ Jones, Hollin. "Novation FLkey 37 & FLkey Mini review: Excellent controllers for FL Studio with deep project integration". MusicTech. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  55. ↑ "How FL Studio changed electronic music forever". DJMag.com. April 20, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  56. ↑ "How to Use FL Studio | Sweetwater". inSync. April 23, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  57. ↑ "Image-Line FL Studio Review". PCMAG. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  58. ↑ August 2018, Si Truss 19 (August 19, 2018). "Image-Line FL Studio 20 review". MusicRadar. Retrieved May 12, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  59. ↑ "Image Line FL Studio". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
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