FL Studio is a fantastic piece of software for musically creating any song in any genre. Those who say that FL Studio is 'just' a tool for creating EDM don't know what they're talking about. FL Studio is great for any genre!
FL Studio was named the world's #1 DAW by MusicRadar for 2020. That's no small feat when competing with legendary names like Cubase, Ableton, and Logic. FL Studio, which debuted in 1998 as 'Fruity Loops' until 2003, was regarded as more of a toy than a serious workstation. Nonetheless, its highly visual and simple-to-use workflow drew an increasing number of young, hungry producers. Without the constraints of deep technical knowledge, these young producers discovered FL Studio to be the ideal platform for daring experimentation.
It is not an exaggeration to say that genres such as Dubstep and Trap would probably not have existed without FL Studio.
As the music created in FL Studio developed, so did the software itself, and it now boasts an impressive array of in-built VST plugins, excellent MIDI compatibility, and enough power to host some serious third-party plugins.
The user interface is flawless, fast, lightning fast, intuitive, and cutting-edge. Above Pro-Tools, which is an old and boring dinosaur, FL Studio is one of the best on the market. FL Studio makes it so simple to create a good-sounding track, cut it, and edit it! The editing and sound modules, compressors, limiters, etc. are excellent!
FL Studio takes about 3 seconds to open, Mixcraft takes three times as long, and Studio One takes nearly 30 seconds or more.
Something that really boosted my love for this DAW is the lifetime free updates!Many people argue that a DAW has no sound of its own, but when you add editors, compressors, and other effects, the sound improves dramatically. In Mixcraft, it sounds flat and muffled, just like in Studio One or Bitwig. FL Studio's sound is fat, creamy, and dense, modern and elegant all at the same time, giving producers a clear picture of what the final master will sound like.
Some of the built-in synthesizers are mediocre sounding and unintuitive, not all of them… Directwave has the same sound as Kontakt, and Sytrus sounds incredibly clean and analog at the same time, like having a Korg Chrome inside FL Studio. FLEX excels at pads and atmospheric sounds. The Patcher, which allows you to mix anything you can think of, responds like an alien tool! The piano-roll that works here works wonders, and no current DAW comes close in terms of performance and versatility, making it a marvel for composing well and quickly. If you haven't used a DAW yet and are considering it, don't hesitate with FL Studio. Is it a dream DAW. Is it perfect? NO, but it will make you smile in every song you compose, produce and listen to with it.
Let's have a closer look at FL Studio.
Features and Capabilities
- Plugins
- Design
- Ease of use
- Workflow
- Price
Plugins
FL Studio software is second to none and is widely regarded throughtout the production industry as some of the best synth VST's on the market, capable of creating rich and immersive sounds from the ground up.
Let's have look at some VST Plugins every FL Studio Producer should lust after.
Click here to check out all of the Plugins in the FL Studio store.
FabFilter
FabFilter has become a household name in the world of VST Plugins. Many professionals prefer FabFilter plugins because they provide an intuitive workflow, a sleek design, and a wide range of applications. Simply put, if you want to create an effect, a FabFilter plugin may be the quickest and most intuitive way to do so.
FabFilter prioritizes sound quality, usability, and multi-disciplinary appeal over elaborate analog emulation. Their Pro-Q EQ is simple, responsive, and simple to use. Pro-R is a reverb plugin that offers a stunning range of reverb responses. Saturn is a world-class saturator/distortion effect that can create wild new textures or emulate classic sounds. Meanwhile, Pro-G may be the most user-friendly Gate on the market. Add in a world-class delay in Timeless, a simple and powerful Limiter in Pro-L, and some exciting filter and rhythm tools like Simplon and Volcano, and you have a package that any producer would be happy to own.
I haven't even mentioned Pro-C, their fantastic compressor. It's powerful, clean, and has one of the most user-friendly interfaces available. Previously difficult side-chain and Mid/Side compression operations are now a piece of cake!
Output: Substance
Surprisingly, Substance provides filter and FX controls for each voice in the sound patch, giving you a lot of flexibility.
There are additional controls for motion, multi-fx, compression, saturation, and more, meaning you don’t need a costly arsenal of plugins to create fully-formed, knee-shaking bass.
Captain Plugins
You can generate ideas quickly by selecting chords, creating melodies and basslines, jamming with all out-of-scale notes removed, or crafting beats with per-channel rhythm templates. Captain plugins are a unique, fun, and fast way to improve your workflow, allowing you to spend more time on what matters most, making music.
Conclusion
What I am trying to demonstrate is the fact that there is a huge range plugins available in the market for use with FL Studio. The availability and capabilities of plugins are very good. To be honest, I can't think of any requirement in the Christian music genres that can't be addressed with plugins that are currently available for FL Studio.
Design / User Interface
I have the habit of just starting to use a product after (maybe) viewing one of two quick-start videos. One of my slogans is: "If at first you don't succeed, read the manual!".
FL Studio has:
Context sensitive help - Pressing the F1 key, while running FL Studio, the help will open at the correct page for the currently focused item.
Internal hot-linking - All program features related to the current topic. If you are asked to 'see page X' it will be hot-linked. Fast, efficient, and easy.
Searchable text - Key-word and key-topic searches based on common language questions asked by customers on the Image-Line forums and Technical Support lines.
Also, if you want lots of videos, articles, and support, then FL Studio is your best option. Simply due to the popularity of the DAW within the electronic music world, it's got the history and support of a lot of users. It's also been out longer than products such as Ableton Live.
But I'm sidetracking now... because I hardly have to use the manual. That is how intuitive FL Studio is (for me). If you are completely new to DAWs, then you may want to watch a few videos to get you started. There are many videos on YouTube covering every feature that FL Studio has.
FL Studio's highly visual nature allows you to use your eyes in conjunction with your ears. So, if you're not sure about the sound of something, the right audible adjustment may come from a visual adjustment.
Ease of Use
When you open a blank FL Studio project file, you may feel a little overwhelmed, which is a good thing. The linear aspect of sample searching and sound creation really shines in this DAW, and the full version comes with a fully produced track inside a project file, allowing you to open up a finished song and pick it apart to figure out how things work.
It should be noted that recording instruments into FL Studio is extremely simple. If you understand your audio interface, it's extremely simple to sync up and create channels that record directly to the playlist using the floating mixer window.
Workflow
Any sound or sample can literally be dragged directly onto the playlist (as with the step sequencer) and placed anywhere along the timeline.
I personally find the workflow to be very flexible. I can easily switch between pattern or linear workflow as needed.
There is a piano roll, with enhanced (native plugin) per-note automation, per-note MIDI channels and per-note slides.
The playlist window is a multi-track free-form Playlist that allows you to place Audio, Automation, and Pattern Clips to arrange music, audio and control data.
The tools listed at the top of the playlist window, such as the slice tool, can be used directly on the audio to chop up patterns, sounds, or samples you've added into smaller bits for arrangement or differentiation.
In the way they interact with the end user and the audio clips, the tools along the top of the playlist almost behave like similar tools found in image editing software.
Samples on the step sequencer can also be right-clicked and converted to a piano-roll format, allowing for heavier syncopation of drum hits as well as pitching and playing of samples on the keyboard that would otherwise be impossible.
Price
FL Studio is currently available in four different pricing models, each with a one-time payment and a lifetime of free upgrades. This means you only pay once and you get the new version for free whenever they update the core software.
Is FL Studio Right For You?
Overall, FL Studio is a one-stop shop for anyone interested in diving deep into the world of music production and recording.
Still on the fence?
Grab a demo version of FL Studio to see if you vibe more with that. It ultimately all boils down to personal preference.
Try for Free: https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-download/
Tutorials: Here is a series of videos that get you up to speed with downloading, installing, setting up, and using FL Studio. https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/
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