Essentially, a collection of sound sources (Generators in FL‑speak - samples or virtual instruments) can be used to build individual patterns within a simple step‑based grid or a MIDI sequence (within a piano‑roll editing environment). The same core principles still remain at the heart of the software in the latest release. For those unfamiliar with the software, providing you have access to a suitable Windows 32‑bit host, running an early version in trial mode would soon make FL Studio’s roots very obvious. Rather wonderfully, there is also a pretty comprehensive archive of version downloads spanning all the main versions. Helpfully in that regard, Image Line’s website has a fascinating ‘history’ timeline page charting the FL Studio development. Given that the last full SOS review of FL Studio was quite some time ago (v9 back in the March 2010 issue), it’s worth providing a bit of background here and considering the over‑arching features FL Studio provides before going on to dig into what’s new within the latest release. So, with the recent arrival of FL Studio 20.8, is this now a DAW/sequencer that has moved beyond its electronic music roots? History Toys
The subsequent 20‑plus years have obviously seen some considerable changes. Fruity Loops’ MIDI‑only step sequencer simplicity and modest cost gave it an obvious appeal to the electronic music maker on a budget a DIY EDM tool for the masses.
By this date, the likes of Cubase and Logic offered a combination of both MIDI sequencing and hard‑disk‑based audio recording (albeit still in its infancy). That’s undoubtedly true of FL Studio, which launched as Fruity Loops in 1998. However, not all DAW/sequencers are created equal and one of the key reasons the market is so diverse is that many of today’s (seemingly generic) DAW/sequencers started life as somewhat more specialist tools. And, while you could have a very entertaining Friday night pub‑style philosophical conversation about the relationship between the rise of the DAW/sequencer and the quality of the music we now experience, the impact is undeniable.
Second, by emulating the complete studio experience in modestly priced software, it has played a very significant part in democratising the music recording and production process. First, it has, to a very large extent, placed itself at the very heart of (almost) everyone’s recording process. Famed for its speed of use, the latest version of FL Studio is a highly sophisticated music production environment.
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