FL Studio 10.0

FL Studio Editor's Review

Create professional sounding music tracks with this awesome production tool!

Everyone who plays music wants to figure out some way of using their computer as a mixing tool. Many of us have been looking for such a tool over the years and now, we've finally found it. FL Studio 10 is one of the best tools available to amateurs and professionals alike wanting to put a professional finished touch on their music projects.

FL Studio is a full-featured music production environment capable of audio recording, composing, sequencing and mixing. FL Studio allows you to "free your audio and free your mind." With the right connectivity, you can record any number of instruments on any mixing track. Instruments, tracks and other audio input can be linked to any number of tracks and outputs. You can create submixes, effect chains, or complex mixes.

FL Studio allows you to work the way you want to. You can start with workflow, the step sequencer or piano roll, for example. You can insert audio in any number of ways, and then arrange your ideas in the free palette playlist. The Playlist presents timeline as a virtual ‘canvas’ where each Playlist track can simultaneously hold any number of score, audio and automation events.

You really have to see it to believe it. The application allows you to do multi-track recording on your computer, provided you've got the right supporting hardware (microphones, sound cards, drivers, etc., all found at the FL Studio Product page.

Pros: Vast array of options and tools, 32bit & 64bit support, Free lifetime upgrades to new versions.

Cons: The software requires some familiarity with mixing and audio input, and the more complete editions are expensive.

Conclusion: With the ability to create music from any connected instrument on any available track, with any number of effects and filters, FL Studio is by far one of the most complete music composition applications available. With purchase options from $50 to $300, there's a version available for just about everyone.

version reviewed: 10