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FL Studio developed by Didier Dambrin
Didier Dambrin, a developer who originally made small games, develops a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) only drum machine and semi-releases it in 1997 with an official release coming later in 1998. Was originally called Fruity Loops (FL) and featured on Image-Line's website quickly overflowing the servers with the amount of downloads it recieved. -
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FL STUDIO
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Management
Dambrin becomes Chief Software Architect for the program and it quickly undergoes a series of large upgrades that eventually make it into a popular and complex digital audio workstation (DAW). -
Fruity Loops 2.0
The first version to branch out from a drum machine: Microsoft Direct X plugin support, live recording, 32bit .WAV rendering, -
Fruity Loops 3.0
More important features added such as the Piano Roll, effects for each track, a basic mixing board, and the first Fruity Loops native VST's (Virtual Studio Technology) like Fruity Delay and Stereo Enhancer. Demonstration -
Monetary & Marketing Concerns
Image-Line renamed Fruity Loops to FL Studio in mid 2003, after the company's attempt to obtain a US trademark prompted concerns from Kellogg's (Fruit Loops) and to improve the software's marketability. Software piracy was a major issue in the company's early days, and it took nearly 5 years for the company to earn money from users purchasing legitimate licenses. -
FL Studio 4.0
A fully developed mixer with 64 tracks is added with routing between tracks along with a new playlist design. -
FL Studio 7.0
The biggest update yet. The most comprehensive UI update and staple native plugins like Edison and Parametric EQ 2 are added (still used today). Demonstration -
Philosophies
FL Studio was different at the time with it being more modular than other more industry standard Digital Audio Workstations. There were 3-4 different ways to do the same task to fit different types of consumers. On top of this FL Studio gave its users free lifetime updates meaning you could purchase any version of the software and get free updates as long as you owned it. -
FL Studio 9.0
The free flowing version of the playlist was finally center stage and has since remained the main way to arrange the music, though it has become even more functional now. This form of playlist allowed the user to put MIDI patterns, .wav files, and automation all in the same place rather than having different playlist for each. You could also now customize each track with labels, coloring, and icons. -
Official YouTube Channel
FL Studio further wanted and managed to put itself ahead of its competition by appealing to a newer generation of music makers. They saw the opportunity to do so in a new blossoming website called YouTube where they would post videos on new updates as well as demonstrations of what those updates could do in collaborations with music artists. Official 9.0 Reveal Video
Official 10.0 Reveal Video -
Mobile
FL Studio Mobile is launched featuring a somewhat simplified version of the software for Android IOS. Original Official Tutorial Series -
FL Studio 11.0
Though not bringing as many updates as some previous releases. This was the version of FL Studio which became the first to be used by the new generation thanks to YouTubers and professional producers such as Metro Boomin and Avicii public showing that they used it to make their music. Metro Boomin Making Beats
Avicii Making Song On FL Studio -
Didier Dambrin Steps Down
Didier Dambrin steps away from day-to-day activities on FL Studio to pursue other projects like designing Lego sets. -
FL Studio 12.0
The year of visual changes. FL Studio is brought into the 21st century with numerous visual overhauls. Faster, more colorful, more dynamic, the program now ran better and at a higher resolution. Visual representations of connections between mixer tracks were added. Every stock interface was now scalable up to 8K resolution and every window of the program got revamped. This was not initially to the benefit of the program; however, as many people did not switch to 12.0 as it was too different. -
Further Success
FL Studio becomes the most searched DAW on Google surpassing industry standard competitors. -
FL Studio 20
FL Studio skips versions 13-19 in order to celebrate their 20th anniversary with version 20 of the program. Mac support is added in order to entice users to switch over from Logic Pro (another DAW). The ability to produce in different time signatures was added along with the ability to have multiple arrangements in one session. Users could also now convert their MIDI into .wav files on the fly. Official Reveal Video -
Original Intent
In an interview conducted by Genius Didier Dambrin revealed the software that FL Studio, was never intended to be used by musicians. In fact, the original idea was for it to be more like a computer game, with "Gol" admitting that he had, pretty much, no musical background whatsoever. -
New CEO Concerns
Former CEO of a popular plugin Native Instruments becomes CEO of FL Studio and users express worries over the future of the software in regards to its free updates and its integration with other plugins. -
FL Studio 21
Themes are added to FL Studio allowing users to customize how their program looks. An improved file browser is added along with new native plugins such as a new reverb and a new phaser. Multiple language support also helps FL Studio globalize. -
FL Studio 2024
The latest brand update comes in the form in which updates will be named going forward. Now updates will be named based on the year they release rather than a version number. The FL CLOUD is introduced which allows indie developers to upload their own plugins for people to download, though an additional cost is added in order to get full access. A chord progression tool is added as well as numerous updates to well known native plugins.