Image-Line FL Studio 20

it means there’s a lot going on within
the FL Studio interface. Fortunately,
things are very flexible, so each
window element can be hidden as
needed. The DAW got a major visual
upgrade for version 12, with a switch
to vector graphics throughout, and the
ability to smoothly resize windows is
great. I must admit though, I still find
FL Studio’s pop-up heavy interface
somewhat stress-inducing.
From a workflow point of view
though, it can prove inspirational in
certain situations. It’s no coincidence
that FL Studio is popular with hip-hop
and dance music producers. Its focus
on Patterns, acting like building
blocks to arrange with, really suits
genres with an emphasis on loops,
builds and breakdowns. It encourages
a workflow focused on grooves and
riffs more than long recordings.
There are certain elements of the
workflow that those used to rival
DAWs may find clunky. The need to
load up new windows for many
sequencing and editing duties, for
Editor – which makes a welcome
return for this version, having been
dropped from FL Studio 12. These
are just a few features from a
comprehensive list though.
So what’s new? Most of the
headline features for version 20 come
to the software’s Playlist section. The
highlight here is the addition of
multiple Arrangements. This gives
each project an unlimited number of
alternative versions of the Playlist,
which users can flip between to use
as sketchpads or create variations on
their current track. It’s a really nice
bit of functionality that makes it very
easy to experiment with arrangements
example, rather than simply make
edits within a timeline. There’s a
heavy emphasis on toolbars and
menus too, so those not fully
schooled on their keyboard shortcuts
might find tweaking and editing a
little slow to begin with.
Workspace aside, FL Studio is a
very well-equipped DAW. The
selection of included effects plugins
is excellent, with highlights including
the Convolver convolution reverb and
a strong selection of delay tools. New
users will find a lot to like in the great
sequencing and MIDI creation
touches too, such as the inspirational
Riff Machine, and the neat Graph
GOING NATIVE
The Mac version of FL Studio is 64-bit only, and requires OS 10.11 or later – not great for
older Macs, but a fair compromise at this point in time. Stability wise, FL ran solidly on my
mid-2015 MacBook Pro, though I noticed some playback glitches when changing plugin
presets. Setup and registration was easy. On Mac, FL supports VST and AU plugin
formats, and I had no problems with any of the third party instrument or effects.
There are a few elements of FL Studio yet to be ported across for the Mac version. At
the time of writing, Mac users can’t load FL Studio 20 as a VST client in a third party host,
unlike on Windows systems. Rewire support is absent too. Image-Line say the former is
currently being worked on.
Several plugins are
currently unavailable.
Some, like the FL Studio
Mobile plugin, Dashboard
and Blood Overdrive are
being worked on; other
older tools, like Fruity LSD
or the WASP synth won’t
be making the jump at all.
Some other Image-Line
plugins are available on
Mac within FL Studio, but
are yet to be made
available as standalone
VSTs. For details of what
is/isn’t available, head to:
bit.ly/image-line_comp
THE ALTERNATIVES
Propellerhead
Reason 10 £299
Reason is probably
FL Studio’s closest
rival, with its
separate Rack and
Mixer sections and
broad range of
hardware-style tools
propellerheads.se
Ableton Live 10
from €79
With its individual
Session and
Arrangement views,
Live is similarly
geared towards
experimenting with
loops and patterns
ableton.com
Native
Instruments
Maschine Mk3
£469
With a similar
emphasis on loops,
patterns and grooves,
NI’s Maschine
ecosystem is a
good alternative
for beatmakers
native-instruments.com
The Arrangements
feature, in particular, is
a bit of a revelation
Reviews | Image Line FL Studio 20
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FMU334.rev_imageline.indd 94 11/07/2018 11:43