There can be a lot of new information and data to process if you’re looking for a new Digital Audio Workstation or DAW for your music.
Those who have never used a DAW before could find this material daunting.
Luckily, FL Studio, formerly known as Fruity Loops, can help make that shift more seamless!
FL Studio is a suitable software program for any music producer, but is it the right DAW you need?
Let’s take a closer look at what this great software offers with its features and functionality.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- FL Studio is a great DAW for aspiring music producers to try their hand at music production.
- Even with the simplest package, you can find all the music-making essentials, plus free life updates!
FL Studio Review (Is FL Studio Worth Buying?)
Image-Line Software originally released FL Studio software in 1997.
Sound producers have praised FL Studio for periodically releasing new versions with enhanced capability, user interfaces, and musical trends.
FL Studio (the latest version) provides a wide range of capabilities to help any newbie get started with their musical composition.
It also offers native plugins that’ll help mix and master your tracks and is excellent for beginners.
Let’s examine a few of the FL Studio music platform’s various benefits and drawbacks.
Benefits
The following are just a few of the many benefits of FL Studio that place it among the top music software programs for your home recording studio.
- Very user-friendly interface – Compared to other music production programs, FL Studio has a far more customizable and intuitive interface, which is incredibly easy to use.
- You can resize and detach all of its panes to speed up your productivity and make utilizing the essential tools inside the interface more accessible.
- Great piano roll feature – Anyone who utilizes FL Studio for sampling will benefit significantly from this great feature. The vast majority of DAW are deficient in this particular capability. You can play various samples in separate notes very immediately.
- Lifetime free updates – The fact that FL Studio comes with lifetime upgrades is one of its best features. Additionally, you will receive all of these lifetime free updates! These improvements significantly enhance the music software’s performance.
Drawbacks
On the other hand, this music program has a few flaws you should be aware of.
- Some users have expressed dissatisfaction over the ASIO performance of FL Studio due to driver problems.
- Compared to other DAWs like Ableton, and FL Studio, it is notably slow in automation.
- Despite automation tools, FL Studio is inferior to its rivals.
Remember that these drawbacks are minor and shouldn’t prevent anyone from purchasing the FL studio.
Full Breakdown of Features & Capabilities
FL Studio is a top-tier DAW with native plugins that are fully featured and of a high caliber.
A genuinely excellent and the right DAW for both beginners and experts is produced due to its functionality, pricing, and user interface.
If you’re a novice, watching some tutorials can help you get a basic understanding of the layout and features of FL Studio.
It offers everything that every DAW offers but with its unique workflow. In this FL Studio evaluation, we assign a DAW score based on six different criteria:
- Plugins
- Design
- Functionality
- Ease of use
- Workflow
- Price
Availability of Stock Plugins & Sound Libraries (8.5/10)
The production industry holds FL Studio software as some of the best synth VST plugins and Audio Units because of its unmatched ability to build rich, immersive music from scratch.
One of the finest choices for newbies is their stock plugins due to the simple workflow. The “Fruity Reverb 2” plugin is an excellent illustration of this aesthetic quality.
User Interface (8/10)
The step sequencer is perhaps the most helpful function when using FL Studio. The step sequencer is one of the “staple” tools of this DAW, according to most users.
It makes a variety of intriguing functions and effects, such as time stretching, reversing, pitch shifting, and many others, available from within the step sequencer.
FL Studio encourages you to use your eyes in addition to your hearing because of how strongly it relies on visuals.
Therefore, if you’re unsure of how something sounds, you can discover that the proper auditory adjustment results from a visual adjustment.
Functionality (8.5/10)
FL Studio excels in its usability!
It is often regarded as one of the popular DAWs to use if you start as a music producer.
It preserves all of the steps from the previous pattern one sequence while allowing for expanding the earlier idea of the pattern two series without losing the original idea.
By combining these elements with the option to paint patterns directly onto the playlist, the user can quickly and easily construct a fluid and engaging beat progression.
Ease of Use (8/10)
Feeling overwhelmed when you first open FL Studio project files is expected.
The complete version includes an entirely created track inside a project file that lets you open up a finished song and pull it apart to figure out how things operate!
You can tell that the FL Studio team was really thinking about beginners and newbies with this feature!
There are many features right in front of you, and the linear aspect of sample searches and sound composition genuinely shine in this DAW.
It’s important to note how SIMPLE it is to record instruments into FL Studio.
It’s straightforward to sync up and create channels that record directly to the playlist through the floating mixer window, provided you know your interface.
Workflow (7.5/10)
The intuitive workflow of the native plugins makes it one of the best options for beginners.
The “copy to next pattern” functionality lets the user quickly construct a fascinating rhythm progression.
There are more tools at the top of the playlist. They virtually act like other tools in image editing software regarding how naturally they work with the user and the clips.
The step sequencer’s samples can be right-clicked to switch into a piano-roll format.
It enables the samples to syncopate drum strikes more heavily and to pitch-shift and play samples on the keyboard.
Price (8.5/10)
FL Studio has four pricing tiers, each with a one-time fee and free lifetime updates.
As a result, you need to make a single payment and receive the version with free updates each time the core program is updated.
Remember that you may purchase any individual plugins from the Image-Line website.
If you need a few extras, you can create your bundle and select only the items you believe you require.
The pricing for each version and its features are as follows:
Fruity Edition, Producer Edition, Signature Bundle, and All Plugins Edition are the four price categories for FL Studio.
The price scales with each tier and begins at $99 for a one-time purchase.
- FL Studio Fruity Edition – $99/one-time (83 Instruments & Effects, Playlist Features are partly included, Effects are partly included, Full MIDI Support & Scripting included, Included Full Content [Sample, Loops, Presets], Full Lifetime Free Updates)
- FL Studio Producer Edition – $199/one-time (2 Audio editors, 89 Instruments & Effects, Full Audio recording, Full Audio clips, Full Playlist features, Effects are partly included, Full MIDI Support & Scripting, Included Full Content [Sample, Loops, Presets], Full Lifetime Free Updates)
- FL Studio Signature Bundle – $299/one-time (3 Audio editors, 96 Instruments & Effects, Full Audio recording, Full Audio clips, Full Playlist features, Effects are partly included, Full MIDI Support & Scripting, Included Full Content [Sample, Loops, Presets], Full Lifetime Free Updates)
- FL Studio All Plugins Edition – $499/one-time (3 Audio editors, 107 Instruments & Effects, Full Audio recording, Full Audio clips, Full Playlist features, Full Effects, Full MIDI Support & Scripting, Included Full Content [Sample, Loops, Presets], Full Lifetime Free Updates)
FUN FACT: The FL Studio trial version that is available for free includes the All Plugins Bundle edition as well as the Producer version. You can use all the plugins, VST samples, native plugins, and signature bundle effects for free during this trial period.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can refer to the following section for some commonly asked questions to learn more about FL Studio.
Is FL Studio Good for Beginners?
Yes!
It has a simple, contemporary style and rapidly enables new users to become familiar with all of its functions.
Due to the popularity of FL Studio, online content is available to individuals new to music production and the software program.
Which Version of FL Studio Is Best?
Among the four, we would recommend the “Signature” edition of FL Studio as the best version as it would be the most helpful for most seasoned music producers.
What Is Better, FL Studio or Logic?
While FL Studio is available on all platforms, Logic Pro X is only for Macs.
The latter provides a more adaptable setup that accommodates any musical genre, whereas FL Studio favors electronic music. It also comes with free unlimited updates.
Logic has a more profound learning curve than FL Studio because of its simple UI.
What Well-Known Artists Work in FL Studio?
A lot of the top producers in hip-hop use this software program.
Many prominent hip-hop and EDM producers, including Porter Robinson, Alan Walker, Madeon, Soulja Boy, Southside, Martin Garrix, Avicii, Imanbek, Deadmau5, Lex Luger, etc.
What Is Included in FL Studio Producer Edition?
The producer edition is the full version of FL Studio. More than 80 instrument and effect plugins are included in FL Studio Producer Edition.
It also includes automation, synthesis, compression, delay, equalization filtering, flanging, phasing, chorus, reverb, distortion, bit-crushing, and more.
When you download the producer edition, you can access many tools that will cover ALL the essentials you may need to make music.
All you have to do is pay the additional cost of the signature edition, and you can avail its features.
Is FL Studio Capable of Music Production?
FL Studio is one of the best DAWs capable of music production and mixing and mastering the production.
What Are Examples of a Digital Audio Workstation?
Some famous DAW software examples are Ableton Live, Adobe Audition, Audacity, Cubase, FL Studio, Garageband, Logic Pro, and Pro Tools.
How Do I Unlock FL Studio Plugins?
Click “Unlock Products” after entering your Image-Line account email and password. Not just FL Studio, but all your products, will be unlocked.
Can You Download an FL Studio Trial?
Yes!
PC and Mac users can download the FL Studio trial version. With this trial, there is no time restriction.
But the catch is FL Studio projects that have been saved cannot be opened again.
Whatever the case, the trial version is a fantastic opportunity to determine whether FL Studio is to your taste or not.
How Many Tracks Does FL Studio Allow You to Have?
You could utilize up to 199 audio tracks in FL Studio 12; however, FL Studio 20 now supports up to 500 playlist tracks!
Both producers who prefer to use distinct tracks for each task and those who adore automation clips will be happy to hear this.
Can You Quickly Transition Between FL Studio and Ableton?
Generally speaking, most DAWs have comparable functions but are aesthetically organized in various ways; thus, changing your workflow would probably take some time.
Some people may find it easier than others to switch DAWs. How easily you can switch between DAWs may also be significantly influenced by how long you have used each one.
Does FL Studio Ever Go on Sale?
Image-Line occasionally discounts FL Studio on popular shopping holidays like Black Friday.
It is advisable to check frequently to see whether it is on sale, as they typically do not publicize when it goes on sale.
Final Verdict: Is FL Studio 20 Right For You?
Imagine you are a dedicated music producer who wants to make the most of the software. In that instance, FL Studio is unquestionably cost-effective.
Having FL Studio 20 with the best plugins is vital. It comes with unlimited updates. It is the best DAW and a viable option for music producers of all skill levels.
A new look and feel, an updated plugin suite, and affordable package prices have allowed it to retake a place among the top 3 best DAWs for both beginners and experts.
Overall, FL Studio is a one-stop shop for anyone wishing to delve deeply into recording and music production.
Conclusion
Is investing in FL Studio the correct move for you?
It has all the necessary components to build a dynamic workflow. Because of its straightforward user interface, it is one of the best DAWs for beginners.
Make sure you first research and consider the key features of all FL Studio editions. That will enable you to decide which one best meets your musical requirements.
If you want to jump on the music-producing bandwagon, FL Studio is your best chance. That much is certain.
