Are you looking for the benefits of using FL Studio over other DAWs? Maybe you are a beginner, and you’re just looking for a good place to start. In this list, I’ll go over some key advantages that FL Studio has over the competition so that you can get a feel for what makes it unique.
1. Built in Audio Visualizer
Unlike its competitors, FL Studio has a built-in audio visualizer. It’s called game editor, and it lets you make cool sound-triggered animations in no time. It’s also really easy to put in the name of the artist and the track name.
Although the plugin ships with tons of presets, and a wizard that makes it super easy even for a beginner to make a cool video. You can get into the nitty-gritty if you wish, and create your own unique animations.
There are actually not that many good audio-visualizers around and most have to turn to expensive software such as AfterEffects to make something that looks as cool as zGameEditor.
2. Can be Used As a Plugin
FL Studio has a unique feature that many producers love. It’s that, you don’t have to choose between FL Studio and other DAWs. Because FL Studio is available as an AU and VST. What this means is that. Whether you’re using Logic, Reason, Reaper, Ableton, or Cubase, it doesn’t matter.
You can load FL Studio up in almost any DAW and basically have a two-in-one. So you will never have to lose the functionality of FL Studio if you want to switch to other software.
3. Great Speed
No, I’m not talking about the speed at which a producer can make a track. I’m talking about start-up times as well as loading projects. I tried opening Ableton, clean, no project, just opening Ableton. It took 25 seconds, while FL Studio opened in just 5 seconds.
This may not be a dealbreaker making anyone switch DAWs. But it’s certainly a benefit, and I’m not the only one who notices this. Many other producers who use different DAWs notice that FL Studio starts, and opens projects quicker than the competition.
4. Windows Interface
When I showed an FL Studio project of mine, to a couple of friends who use Ableton, they were shocked. They couldn’t believe how many windows, modules, and boxes I had open at the same time.
In many ways, other DAWs look much cleaner. But that’s because they don’t let you customize the interface very much. In FL, everything is built around windows, such as the ones you will see when you use Mac or Windows.
There are buttons at the top of every module so you can minimize or go fullscreen, and you can move the windows around to wherever you want. They are free-floating, instead of being stuck like a rock as they are in pretty much any other DAW.
You can also open unlimited tabs of plugins, which I personally think is great.
5. Free Life-time Updates
At the time of writing this list, FL Studio has provided 23 years of free updates. Imagine buying the software 23 years ago and not paying a penny since, and still have the latest version.
If you didn’t know this, I hate to break it to you. But when you buy a DAW, you will have to buy it again, and again, and again. This is because other software makers charge for every major update, such as if you go from Ableton 11 to Ableton 12.
It’s always optional to buy new versions. But do you really want to sit around with that old version, with the old features, when everyone else is running the latest fancy and shiny version? Don’t think so.
FL Studio, however, stands out from the rest. Somehow, it’s simple but mind-blowing. You get free lifetime updates when you pay once for FL Studio. Whenever they release a new version full of goodies. You get them, and you don’t have to think about opening your wallet again.
6. Easy and Feature Rich Piano Roll
The Piano roll is absolutely fundamental in music production. It’s a virtual MIDI controller present within every DAW. You use it to control any instrument or synthesizer within your audio workstation. Even if you use a real MIDI keyboard, you’re going to want to open the piano roll to edit your recorded notes. That’s why this module is hugely important.
Producers constantly praise FL Studios piano roll for being feature-rich and easy to use. Unlike its competitors, it also has slightly larger keys and lines displaying every note, making edits very easy.
7. Big Community
If you use FL Studio and run into a problem. There’s no reason to worry. FL Studios has perhaps the largest or second-largest userbase (Rivaled by Ableton). So you will always have access to up-to-date tutorials, and people even personally helping you out on the forums.
This is actually great if you’re starting out because no matter what DAW you go with. You’re never going to know everything from the beginning. Tutorials, manuals, and helpful people are crucial for a smooth experience.
8. Beginner Friendly
In fact. I wasn’t going to put this on the list, because in my experience. Learning FL Studio takes quite some time.
But the truth is. Producers constantly talk about how easy FL Studio is to learn, some even managing to get songs and beats done in just 1 day from picking it up. It’s also very pleasant to the eyes for a user starting out. There’s not really anything in the software that looks too intimidating, and the workflow is intuitive.
9. Incredibly Popular for Making Beats
While you can create, mix and master music for any genre within FL. Over the years, the community of people using FL to create beats for HipHop and Rap music has exploded. Many years ago, FL was known for being the DAW of EDM artists, but I must admit. Beatmaking has taken FLs popularity to totally new heights.
Some pros beat producers mention with FL Studio. Is that it’s very easy to get great-sounding beats with minimal effort and that the workflow is perfectly suited for the purpose. Some even attribute FL Studio to just making beats bang harder, which many like.
