FL Studio

FL Studio

File:FLStudioXXL8.png
File:FL Studio Screenshot.JPG FL Studio 8 Producer Edition XXL running on Windows XP
Developer(s)	Image-Line Software
Stable release	8.0.2 / Aug 11, 2008
Written in	Delphi
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Type	Digital Audio Workstation
License	Proprietary
Website	http://www.flstudio.com

FL Studio, formerly known as FruityLoops, is a digital audio workstation, developed by Belgian company Image-Line Software. FL Studio was originally the creation of Didier Dambrin, who is now the lead programmer responsible for the overall development.

FL Studio features a fully automatable workflow centered around a pattern-based music sequencer. The environment includes MIDI support and incorporates a number of features for the editing, mixing, and recording of audio. Completed songs or clips may be exported to Microsoft WAV, MP3, and as of FL Studio 8, the OGG Vorbis format. FL Studio saves work in a proprietary *.FLP format (Fruity Loops Project). This can cause confusion with Adobe Flash CS3, which also saves as *.flp (Flash Project).

The program is acclaimed for its professional DAW features at an attractive price point. Scoring to video is possible using the video-player plugin, but there is no support for traditional music notation.

FL Studio is written in Borland Delphi and thus there are no finalized plans develop a native Linux or Mac OS X port. As of September 2008, the Image-Line website indicates that the company will fully support users running FL Studio on Apple computers via Boot Camp.

Lifetime free user updates

Image-Line is unique among the popular DAW developers in providing lifetime free updates (via internet download) of FL Studio for users who have purchased the program online direct from Image-Line. Once a user purchases a version of the program, they receive all updates to that version free of charge for the life of the FL Studio product. This arrangement has been working for approximately 10 years. According to Image-Line, this discourages the user-base from downloading pirated versions, as is often the case when users are charged for updates, simplifying technical support in the process.

Editions

FL Studio is marketed with multiple versions, each representing a feature set at a specific price point. Basic features of FL Studio are available in the Express Edition, the use of which is reduced to a simple drum-machine. The Fruity, Producer, and XXL editions further introduce more features, such as the ability to use the DAW itself as a VST plugin. The most complete edition, XXL, comes with many bundled effects and synthesizers which Image-Line normally sells separately as VST plugins. A popular feature of the downloadable versions include lifetime upgrades to major updates (including new version releases) of the software. Complete comparisons of the various editions are provided at a link at the bottom of this article. Most of the editions of Fl studio also have a boxed version.

User interface

The FL Studio user interface is composed of five main windows. All windows are re-positionable to create a custom workspace. The use of dual-, tri-, and quad- monitor configurations are supported.

• Channel Window

allows the user to insert generator plugins(VST instruments, audio tracks, samplers etc.) and assign them to a mixer track. The channel window also contains the Step Sequencer which enables quick assembly of drum patterns and short melodic parts.

• Piano Roll

a two dimensional grid for composing purposes. The vertical axis represents pitch, and the horizontal axis represents time. There is also another grid for note intensity.

• Playlist

allows the arrangement of sets of patterns and audio files for assembling a complete song.

• Mixer

used for balancing audio levels, adding effects processors (VST plugins, etc.), and recording audio input.

• Sample Browser

allows for quick access of audio samples, plugins, presets, and other FL Studio song files (FLPs).

Functionality & features

FL Studio processes audio using an internal 32-bit floating-point engine. It can support sampling rates up to 192kHz using either WDM or ASIO enabled drivers. The audio engine in version 7 introduces limited multi-threading and multi-core support for some generators. Effects cannot be threaded in the present version.

The mixer interface allows for any number of channel configurations. This makes mixing in 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 surround sound possible, granted the output hardware interface has an equal number of outputs. The mixer permits audio-in, enabling FL Studio to act as a multi-track audio recording solution.

FL Studio comes with a variety plugins and generators (software synthesizers) written in the program’s own native plugin architecture. This API has a built in wrapper for full VST, VST2, DX, and ReWire compatibility.

An included plugin called Dashboard allows users to create full automation-enabled interfaces for their hardware MIDI devices. This allows FL Studio to control hardware from within the program.

FL Studio 8 includes a version of SynthMaker, the popular graphical programming environment for synthesizers. Support for the software is found in the extensive guides that are provided as HTML help documents. Users may also register for the official Image-Line forums, which are commonly recognized as a focal-point for the FL Studio community.

Recent Personification

A Japanese artist by the name Uruido created a moe anthropomorphism of FL Studio called FL-Chan. Image-Line has adopted the character as a form of mascot, providing an array of purchasable merchandise and a dedicated page on the Image-Line website.

The adoption of FL-Chan has generated significant turbulence in the community of users who feel the addition of the character stalls efforts to bring the perception of FL Studio into the range of professional sequencers & DAWs.

External links

• Feature Comparison of the different FL Studio editions available
• KVR User Reviews of FL Studio
• FL Studio Tutorials and Projects Community
• "producer: Super Dave Dangerous" examples of a hip hop artist that makes beats with fruity loops including orchestrated, ex. of adding, soundfonts