FL Studio Signature Edition

4/23/2019 Update:The good folks at FL Studio just announced that they'll be releasing a newly developed free synth - FLEX. This thing looks amazing! It will be included in the soon-to-be released version 20.2 of FL Studio. Check out the youtube videos - there's a very comprehensive first look video on the 'In The Mix' channel, for example. One more reason to give this DAW some serious consideration.Oh, and I was able to connect my external monophonic synth (Roland SE-02) to FL Studio over USB-MIDI, control the synth via software, and record synth output. I ended up purchasing the SE-02 editor and VST/AU plugin from Studio Electronics and followed their guide for installation and use of the VST plugin to control the synth. Totally cool. FL Studio lets you integrate your hardware with reasonable ease.Lastly, I installed the freeware VCV Rack modular synth system and, using VCV Bridge, was able to record output directly into FL Studio. Another seriously cool toy and definitely one worth exploring if you're into digital music production and are curious about Eurorack type modular systems but don't have $10K - $20K to drop on a basic hardware rig. Check out the 'Modular Curiosity' youtube series if you're interested. Again, FL Studio plays nicely with other software systems.All good. Enjoy and good luck!----Original Review:It's hard to know exactly where to begin with reviewing a product as expansive and intricate as a digital audio workstation (DAW) software product - all I can say is that after using FL Studio 20 for the past several months I am happier and happier with it as I discover its potential.The executive summary is: if you're interested in digital music production, you need to give FL Studio serious consideration.For me, here are some of the primary PRO's:- permanent licensure - unlike the current trend in software licensing, FL studio gives you a permanent license and does not force you into a subscription model- lifetime free upgrades - this alone is worth the price of admission! If you're planning to use your DAW software for more than a couple years, you need to factor in the cost of upgrades- rock solid stability - FL Studio has been in continuous development for 20 years (hence, the designation of FL Studio 20) and it shows: no piece of software is completely bulletproof, but I've thrown some pretty ancient and wacky VST plugins at it and it (mostly) stands up to tremendous abuse- solid support for 32-bit VST plugins - there are still a tremendous number of older plugins in 32-bit format that some of the new DAW's simply don't support or force you to go through contortions to run; FL Studio supports them pretty much transparently- a solid set of stock plugins that include effects, synths, mastering plugins, etc - I opted for the $300 Signature Version, which includes a pretty full set of plugins- a very active community with _hours_ of instructional videos available on YouTube - personally, I really like the "In The Mix" channel, which includes a large number of basic to intermediate level tutorialsCONS:- unlike Ableton Live, there is less native support for hardware- unlike Ableton Live and Bitwig Studio, the application layout is pretty old school - you have a number of "child windows" that you can dock or let float around the main window - Ableton and Bitwig (as examples) have a more unified appearance and approach - personally, I really like Bitwig's designOverall, I have really enjoyed working with FL Studio and youtube videos make learning a pleasant experience. The fact that this is a "purchase once and get free lifetime upgrades" makes it an absolute killer deal. And although $200 for the Producer version and $300 for the Signature version is expensive, you need to shop around and see what the going rates are for Standard versions of other DAW's such as Ableton, Bitwig, ProTools, Studio One, etc.Keep in mind that there are a number of free DAW's that are under active development as well as products like Reaper, which is an amazing product and also a killer deal at $60.One fairly strong suggestion - if you're thinking serious about investing in FL Studio, avoid the $100 entry-level product as it (currently) does not support audio recording. If you don't think you'll ever want to record audio - vocals, guitar, instrumentals, etc. - then all good, but it's something to keep in mind.The last point is - there are so many options available for digital recording now that, within reason, you can't go wrong. Almost any of the commercial products will let you create amazing music - it's mostly up to you to bring the disciple to learn the software, discipline to hone your skills, and creativity to the table. Almost any decent DAW on the market today will support you in this.Good luck. Have fun. Make music!

FL studio is an amazing recording software, so many controls, effects, full mixing ability, track editing, equalizing, and the ability to export to a plethora of different file codecs. It's such an overwhelming program at first if you aren't used to the controls but FL studio is very well put together and makes for a very productive work environment.Included in the packaging was a flash drive to install the program instead of a cd which I thought was neat; but when I tried to install it I did find out the data on the install file was corrupted and after trying to install it on multiple operating systems and running it through command prompt trying to negate the error message I deemed that the flash drive arrived busted. None-the-less I just installed the demo and activated the license key that was included in the packaging through an account. Mild inconvenience but if it happens to you know that it's no big deal, either way you would still have to update it.What I will say about the sellers "Everything Music"... they shipped out the package without a box, quite literally sticking a tracking label on the software packaging and mailing that. Not only did the box arrive to me rather mangled, but I could only imagined if it had been stolen. There wasn't even a manila envelope or anything for goodness sales. I can understand shipping certain things like this... but not expensive software. My fault for picking the cheapest seller I presume.Anyway, FL studio, I highly recommend it for anyone, even aside from some mild inconveniences and head shaking moments. Everything Music, be wary of though, if you like to keep the box intact and don't want your package stolen.

I've been using FL Studio since it was Fruity Loops...Thanks Pirate Bay...but I decided to man up and purchase myself a legit copy so that my music making experience can be hassle free and legal. I am extremely pleased with my decision as I now have free upgrades for life and a DAW that I am familiar with that has endless possibilities. Everyone has their preference and this has been mine since I started my attempt at making music many years ago. Highly recommended for both new and old music creators alike!

Wow. I was missing out all these years.This is a powerful software with unlimited potential. I’ve been using it for about 1 year now and I can’t get enough of this production power house!

Words can not even begin to describe how much I hate this program. I'd give this negative stars if I could.I have spent the last nine months spending 5-6 hours a week working with FL Studio, and it is without a doubt one of the worst programs I've ever used. 10% of my time is spent writing music while the other 90% is spent dealing with technical issues. Want to use 3rd party VST/plugins? Good luck. The compatibility is garbage. The programs defaults to settings that no one in their right mind would want. Surely if I manually change the mixer level on a track, I want you to auto undo my work as soon as I push play. Surely when I push play to listen to my track, I want you to mute all my notes in the piano roll. The quantizing tool is an absolute joke, no matter the snap setting you set it to, it's not even close to accurate. I regularly use complex programs like AutoCAD, photoshop, etc. with no issue. Go with literally any other DAW, you'll save yourself from a massive headache.

FL Studio is one of the best DAWs for beginners to get into, and the Signature Edition provides the perfect selection of effects and digital synths for anyone to create tracks with. I've used it for over 3 years now, and have yet to experience any major issues or overall bugs that would impact the usability of the product. Alongside this, the USB Installer is stylish, and the instruction booklet feels quite high quality. Would definitely reccomend for anyone wanting to break into the music scene but doesn't know where to start.