FL Studio (once called FruityLoops) is one of the most popular music-making software programs in the world. Whether you want to make beats, create songs, or just explore music production, FL Studio gives you all the tools you need to bring your ideas to life. This guide will help you understand what FL Studio is and how to start making your own music with it.
Created by a company called Image-Line, FL Studio has been used to make countless hit songs across all music genres. Its easy-to-learn design, powerful features, and regular updates have made it a favorite among music producers for over 20 years.
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Why Choose FL Studio?
Before we get into how to use it, here’s what makes FL Studio special:
- Free Updates Forever: Once you buy FL Studio, you get all future updates for free – most other software makes you pay for upgrades.
- Easy Pattern-Based Music Making: FL Studio’s design makes it especially good for creating beats and electronic music.
- Lots of Included Instruments and Effects: Even the basic version comes with many virtual instruments and sound effects.
- You Can Customize Everything: You can arrange the workspace however you want to match your style.
- Huge Community: Tons of other users means you can find plenty of tutorials, sound packs, and help online.
FL Studio Versions: Which One Should You Get?
FL Studio comes in several different versions:
Fruity Edition ($99)
The cheapest version has the basic tools for making beats and arrangements but can’t record audio (like vocals or guitar). Good for beginners who just want to make electronic music.
Producer Edition ($199)
This middle option adds the ability to record audio and includes more plugins. This is the best choice for most beginners who want to record instruments or vocals.
Signature Bundle ($299)
Includes everything in the Producer Edition plus extra special effects like Gross Beat (for cool time effects) and Pitcher (for vocal effects).
All Plugins Edition ($499)
The complete package with everything FL Studio offers, including all instruments and effects.
For most people, the Producer Edition gives you the best value, though the Fruity Edition works fine if you’re just testing things out and don’t need to record audio.
What Computer Do You Need?
Make sure your computer meets these basic requirements:
Windows:
- Windows 8.1, 10, or 11
- 4GB RAM (8GB or more is better)
- 4GB free space on your hard drive
- Sound card with ASIO drivers
Mac:
- macOS 10.13.6 or newer
- 4GB RAM (8GB or more is better)
- 4GB free space on your hard drive
- Intel or Apple Silicon processor
For the best experience, especially with bigger projects, try to have:
- 16GB+ RAM
- A fast processor (Intel i5/i7 or AMD equivalent)
- SSD storage instead of a regular hard drive
- An audio interface (a special sound card for music production)
- A MIDI keyboard (a piano keyboard that connects to your computer)
Getting Started: The FL Studio Layout
When you first open FL Studio, it might look a bit complicated. Let’s break it down into simple parts:
The Channel Rack
This is where you create your beats and patterns. Each row is a different sound (like a drum or instrument), and the grid lets you place notes at specific times to create rhythms.
The Piano Roll
This is where you write melodies and chords. It looks like a grid with a piano keyboard on the left side. You place notes on the grid to create music.
The Playlist
This is where you arrange your song. You take the patterns you made in the Channel Rack and place them here to build a complete track with intro, verse, chorus, etc.
The Mixer
This is where you adjust the volume and add effects to your sounds. You can make each part of your song sound just right and blend well together.
The Browser
On the left side of the screen, the Browser lets you find and use your samples, plugins, and saved files. Everything is organized into categories to make it easy to find.
Basic Steps: Making Your First Beat
Let’s walk through how to create a simple beat in FL Studio:
Step 1: Set Up Your Project
Start by choosing how fast your song will be. Look for the BPM (Beats Per Minute) at the top of the screen. For a normal hip-hop beat, try setting it to 90 BPM.
Step 2: Add Drum Sounds
Look in the Browser and find the “Packs” folder, which has lots of drum sounds. Drag some drum sounds (kick, snare, hi-hat, etc.) into the Channel Rack.
Step 3: Create a Drum Pattern
In the Channel Rack, click on the grid to add drum hits:
- Put kick drums on beats 1 and 3
- Add snares on beats 2 and 4
- Add hi-hats on every step or every other step
- Try adding other percussion sounds too
Step 4: Add a Bass Line
Add a bass instrument to the Channel Rack by clicking the “+” button and choosing a bass sound like FLEX or 3x Osc. Right-click on this channel and select “Piano roll” to open the editor where you can draw in bass notes.
Step 5: Add Chords and Melody
Add more instruments for chords and melody. Use the Piano Roll to create these parts. Try to use notes that sound good with your bass line and drum pattern.
Step 6: Arrange Your Song
In the Playlist view, place your patterns to create a structure (intro, verse, chorus, etc.). You can right-click on a pattern in the Channel Rack and select “Send to playlist” or drag patterns directly from the Channel Rack to the Playlist.
Step 7: Mix Your Song
Press F9 to open the Mixer. Each sound from the Channel Rack can be sent to a mixer track, where you can adjust volume, panning (left/right position), and add effects like EQ, compression, and reverb.
Step 8: Save Your Song
When you’re happy with your creation, go to File > Export > MP3 or WAV to save your track.
Cool Tools and Plugins Included with FL Studio
FL Studio comes with lots of built-in tools for making music:
Instruments
- FLEX: A powerful and easy-to-use synthesizer with many preset sounds
- Sytrus: Advanced synthesizer for creating complex sounds
- 3x Osc: A simple three-oscillator synthesizer, perfect for beginners
- VITAL: A fancy synthesizer for creating unique sounds
- FPC: Drum pad controller for playing and arranging drum sounds
Effects
- Fruity Parametric EQ 2: Tool for shaping the tone of your sounds
- Fruity Limiter: Makes your music louder and more balanced
- Fruity Reeverb 2: Adds echo and space to your sounds
- Fruity Delay 3: Creates echo effects
- Maximus: Advanced tool for controlling the dynamics of your music
Using the Piano Roll: Basic Music Theory
The Piano Roll is where you create melodies and chords in FL Studio. Even if you don’t know much about music theory, you can still make great music:
Using Scales
FL Studio can highlight the right notes to use. Right-click in the Piano Roll, select “Helpers > Scale highlighting,” and choose a scale (C major is a good one to start with).
Making Chords
FL Studio has tools to help you make chords:
- Right-click in the Piano Roll
- Select “Chord > Major” (or another chord type)
- Click on a note to place the chord
Note Loudness
How tall each note is in the Piano Roll shows how loud it will play. Try making some notes louder and others softer to create more interesting music.
Fixing Timing
The “Q” button in the Piano Roll helps align your notes to the beat. This keeps everything on time, but don’t make everything too perfect or your music might sound robotic.
Creating Your Own Sounds
Making your own unique sounds is one of the coolest parts of music production:
Understanding Sound Creation
Most sound makers (synthesizers) in FL Studio work in similar ways:
- Oscillators: Create the basic sound waves
- Filters: Shape the tone by removing or boosting certain frequencies
- Envelopes: Control how sounds change over time (how fast they start, how long they hold, etc.)
- LFOs: Create effects that change over time
Making a Basic Sound
Try this simple exercise with the 3x Osc synthesizer:
- Open 3x Osc from the Channel Rack
- Set Oscillator 1 to a saw wave
- Set Oscillator 2 to a square wave and turn its volume down a bit
- Change the pitch of Oscillator 2 to +7 semitones (a fifth)
- Add a low-pass filter and adjust it
- Change the envelope settings to make the sound punchy or smooth
Working with Samples
FL Studio is great for using and changing samples (pre-recorded sounds):
- Drag an audio sample into the Playlist or Channel Rack
- Right-click and choose “Edit in audio editor” to open Edison
- Use Edison to trim, adjust volume, or add effects
- For more advanced stuff, load samples into Slicex or Fruity Slicer to chop and rearrange them
Mixing Basics
Good mixing can make your music sound much more professional:
Setting Volume Levels
Start with all volume faders down, then slowly bring them up in order of importance (usually drums and bass first). Try to keep the overall level around -6dB to leave room for mastering later.
Using EQ
Use Fruity Parametric EQ 2 to:
- Remove unnecessary low frequencies from non-bass sounds
- Cut out annoying frequencies
- Gently boost frequencies that make each sound special
- Create space by making different sounds occupy different frequency ranges
Using Compression
Compression makes loud parts quieter and quiet parts louder:
- Threshold: Sets the volume level where compression starts
- Ratio: Controls how much compression happens
- Attack/Release: Controls how fast compression turns on and off
- Gain: Adds volume back after compression
Start with gentle settings and listen carefully to how compression affects your sound.
Creating Depth with Effects
Use reverb and delay carefully:
- Set up send channels in the mixer for efficiency
- Add more reverb to sounds you want to push to the background
- Keep bass and kick drum mostly dry (without effects) for clarity
- Use pre-delay on reverb to keep the initial punch of sounds
Helpful Shortcuts and Tips
These shortcuts and tips will help you work much faster:
Keyboard Shortcuts
- F5: Open Channel Rack
- F6: Open Piano Roll
- F7: Open Playlist
- F8: Open Browser
- F9: Open Mixer
- Ctrl+S: Save project
- Alt+C: Copy selected notes in Piano Roll
- Ctrl+B: Convert pattern to audio clip
Templates
Create project templates with your favorite instruments and settings already set up. This saves time and helps keep your music consistent.
Recording
If you have a MIDI keyboard:
- Connect it and set it up in FL Studio’s MIDI settings
- Select a channel in the Channel Rack
- Press Record and play
- For recording vocals or instruments, assign a mixer track to the input source and arm it for recording
Color Coding
Give related channels and patterns different colors to help organize your project visually. Group similar instruments (drums, bass, synths, etc.) by color.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learn from other beginners’ mistakes to improve faster:
Technical Mistakes
- Using Too Many Effects: More isn’t always better—be careful with processing
- Ignoring Volume Levels: Make sure all parts of your signal chain have proper volume
- Trying to Master Too Early: Focus on getting a good mix before worrying about mastering
- Using Too Many Plugins: This can slow down your computer and make things complicated
Creative Mistakes
- Getting Stuck in Loops: Making an 8-bar loop but never finishing a full song
- Trying to Be Perfect: Perfectionism can stop you from finishing—complete tracks even if they’re not perfect
- Comparing to Pros: Don’t compare your beginner work to professional productions
- Limiting Your Style: Don’t get too stuck following genre rules—experiment and have fun
Taking Your Skills Further
Once you’ve learned the basics, try these advanced techniques:
Advanced Techniques
- Sidechain Compression: Create pumping effects or make room for certain sounds
- Automation: Add movement to your tracks by changing settings over time
- Sound Design: Dive deeper into creating your own unique sounds
- Vocal Processing: Learn to record, edit, and mix vocals effectively
Working with Others
FL Studio offers several ways to collaborate with other musicians:
- Stems Export: Export individual tracks for others to mix
- FL Studio Remote: Control FL Studio from a phone or tablet
- Online Collaboration: Share project files using cloud services
- Recording Others: Use FL Studio to record other musicians
Conclusion
FL Studio opens up a world of creative possibilities. While it might seem complicated at first, the intuitive design and powerful features make it great for both beginners and professionals.
Remember that music production is both a technical skill and an art form. Balance learning the software with developing your musical creativity. Don’t be afraid to experiment, make mistakes, and develop your own unique sound.
Start simple, focus on finishing songs rather than making them perfect, and gradually learn new techniques as you go. With practice, FL Studio will become a natural extension of your musical creativity.
Whether you want to make hit songs, create music for videos, or just make music for fun, FL Studio has all the tools you need to turn your ideas into reality. The journey of a thousand songs begins with a single beat—so open FL Studio and start creating today.
Don’t forget to check out our Full FL Studio 4.5 Hour Course completely for free to accelerate your learning!
Frequently Asked Questions About FL Studio
How long will it take to learn FL Studio?
You can learn the basics in a few days, but like learning an instrument, getting really good takes time. Most people feel comfortable with the main features after 2-3 months of regular practice.
Do I need to know music theory to use FL Studio?
No, you don’t need formal training. While knowing music theory helps, many successful producers learned as they went along, using FL Studio’s visual tools to guide them.
Will FL Studio run on my laptop?
Most modern laptops can run FL Studio. If your computer is a bit slower, you might need to adjust some settings, but the program is designed to work on many different computers.
Is FL Studio only good for electronic music?
Not at all! While it became popular for electronic music, FL Studio can produce rock, jazz, classical, hip-hop, and any other style. Its recording and editing tools work for all kinds of music.
What makes FL Studio different from other music software?
FL Studio’s pattern-based workflow and easy-to-use Piano Roll make it special. While all professional music software can create great results, FL Studio is often praised for its creative workflow and beginner-friendly design.
Start your music production journey with an open mind, patience for learning, and excitement for creating music. The FL Studio community welcomes you, and with each project, you’ll discover new techniques and develop your unique sound.
