Musicians and production professionals alike know how important it is to have competent software that makes working easy, fun, and, most of all, inspiring. FL Studio is a great option for that cohort if they are looking to optimize their workflows and up the quality of their output at the same time.
Offering industry-leading features, a world-class user interface, and an options list that covers all of the important bases, FL Studio is one of our favorite programs for mixing and mastering music on your PC.
How to Download FL Studio
To download the program, click on the Download button that you will find located at the end of this review.
The Program Review
FL Studio comes with a range of user options but some of our favorites include the mixer, music browser and playlists, piano roll, and instruments/sound effects. Before we delve into specific feature areas, it is worth noting that the software’s user interface is clean if somewhat difficult to navigate at first.
It doesn’t break the mold as far as mixer software is concerned and, indeed, hews to many of the standard conventions found in this niche. That said, it would have been nice for some innovation or optimization in this area as it will be as immediately inaccessible to people unfamiliar with sound production software as it will be accessible to those who are.
The mixer portion of the software gives you options such as effects chains, audio sends, sidechain control, advanced automation, plugin delay compensation, among others, while the browser and playlist work to help you organize your data to prep it for a final product.
The piano roll feature is one of FL Studio’s most acclaimed as it is essential in sequencing notes and makes this process as easy as it can possibly be. Basically, the piano roll sends notes and automation data to any plugin instruments you might have installed. It also helps you with the final scoring, editing, and manipulation of your production.
As for instrument plug-in support, the app can work with VST standards 1, 2, and 3, giving users a huge array of instrument and plug-in options. Towards this end, FL Studio also deploys a number of synths and effects as well as integrated options for sharing your work on the Internet. All told, the app is geared towards complete workflow control and optimization as well as giving end users vast integration options with the web and popular online publishing formats.
Not only does this make the producer’s job easier, but it also makes it a lot more comprehensive in terms of relevant features.
Speaking of relevant features, FL Studio has a range of ownership options that unlock various options as you move up the totem. There is the Fruity, Producer, Signature, and All Plugins Edition with the Fruity tier setting you back some $99 and the ultimate coming in at $499. If you think that pricing is quite confident, you’re not the only one; but the software backs it up with performance and near-universal platform integration.
The Producer tier tends to be the most popular as it delivers the most features that the average user will ever need or expect to have while the higher tiers make more sense for people who know what they’re getting into and have experience with audio editing software.
