Extremely powerful and capable of monstrous bass, artists like Skream and Skrillex found Massive a perfect weapon of mass dancefloor-destruction. By simplifying a traditional synth user-interface and focusing on usability, it quickly established itself as a go-to for bedroom producers everywhere. Now in its ‘X’ incarnation, Massive was a game-changer from the get-go. Suitably befitting a DAW renowned for encouraging modernism over classic emulation, Native Instruments’ Massive X has to rank highly in this list. Hitherto complex side-chain and Mid/Side compression operations are a piece of cake!

It’s powerful, clean and has one of the simplest interfaces imaginable. Add in a world class delay in Timeless, a simple and powerful Limiter in Pro-L and some exciting filter and rhythm tools like Simplon and Volcano, and you have a bundle of plugins that any producer would be delighted to own.Īnd I haven’t even mentioned Pro-C, their incredible compressor. Meanwhile, Pro-G might be the easisest to use Gate on the market. Saturn is a world-class saturator/distortion effect that can emulate classic sounds or create wild new textures. Pro-R is a reverb plugin capable of delivering a breathtaking range of reverb responses. Their Pro-Q EQ is clean, responsive and easy to use. Rather than attempting elaborate analog emulations, FabFilter focus on sound quality, usability and multi-disciplinary appeal. Put simply, if you want to create an effect, a FabFilter plugin might be the fastest and most intuitive way to get there. A first-choice for many professionals, their plugins offer an intuitive workflow, sleek design and comprehensive range of applications. It’s no exaggeration to say that without FL Studio, genres like Dubstep and Trap may never have come to fruition (pardon the pun).Īs the music created in FL Studio developed, so did the software itself, and it now boasts an impressive array of in-built VST plugins, excellent MIDI compatibility and enough power to host some serious 3rd-party plugins.Īdam Hignell takes a look at some VST Plugins every FL Studio Producer should lust after.įabFilter have become one of the most heralded name in VST Plugins.

Unencumbered by over-reliance on deep technical know-how, these young producers found FL Studio the perfect platform for adventurous experimentation. Yet, its highly visual and simple-to-operate workflow attracted increasing numbers of young, hungry producers.

Initially launched in 1998, and known as ‘Fruity Loops’ until 2003, it was considered more of a toy than a serious workstation. In competition with legendary names like Cubase, Ableton and Logic, that’s no mean feat. FL Studio is a serious player in the DAW scene, evidenced by MusicRadar crowning it the number 1 DAW in the world for 2020.

Fl studio 11 or 12