A digital audio workstation in your hands

FL Studio Mobile is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) accessible on the Google Play Store for Android devices. Developed by Image-Line, FL Studio Mobile provides the tools to create high-quality music productions on the go. Users can also benefit from a desktop plug-in, enabling you to continue on your work when you’re back home. 

FL Studio Mobile is an excellent professional option for music makers and creators alike. If it seems like it can’t handle what you require from a DAW, you can try similar Android options like n-Track Studio 8 or Stagelight Audio.

DAW at your fingertips

Formerly known as Fruity Loops, FL Studio is one of the more well-known DAWs on the market. Beatmakers and music producers have been leveraging the desktop version of FL for numerous years. FL Studio Mobile condenses the plethora of tools available on the desktop version down into an easy-to-use interface on your mobile device.

FL Studio isn’t cheap. It’s actually on the expensive side as far as phone apps are concerned. We were worried about this price tag, alongside in-app purchases, which we’ll talk about later.

FL Studio allows you to play directly on a virtual piano to perform a sequence or add that sequence step by step, and this includes using other instruments and drum machines. You can then apply Reverb, various EQ options, filters, and more to your newly created track to get the desired effect.

Understanding the sequencer is the main hurdle standing in the way of creating an impressive track. Once understood, putting a song together is straightforward. You can then export your masterpiece as an m4a or wav file for immediate playback, or you can choose to export it as a midi file if you want to carry it over and import it to your desktop for further modification.

Getting to know your DAW

We don’t suspect that the FL Studio’s interface will be difficult to understand for veteran music producers, yet, newcomers may struggle initially. FL Studio models a significant portion of its UI after its real-world analog counterparts, creating instantly recognizable sections. The modern, clutter-free look greatly aids ease of use as options are quick to find, and the workspace never feels overwhelming.

That said, getting used to running a DAW on mobile can be unwieldy until you’re used to the smaller workspace, which is especially true if you’re working with a device that has a smaller screen than newer phone models. New users to FL Studio may need to spend an hour getting to grips with the interface and learning what tools are at their disposal.

We did notice one or two times that features aren’t easily accessible if you don’t know where to look for them. The main UI view does a great job at giving you overall access to all the essential features the DAW has to offer, but there is only a limited amount of space available. Meaning, you often have to click some track options to open entirely new ones that give you different settings you can alter.

Aside from various setting placements, FL Studio has a sleek, modern-looking interface that features relatively good-sized buttons, high contrasting colors to keep your sequence in perspective, and an accessible button layout. Colors appear bright but are ‘muted’ in the sense that they aren’t overtly blinding or as if you were managing a rainbow instead of a DAW.

FL Studio – noise for the eardrums

Interface and accessibility are great to dive into when first using, but the real reason you continued using a DAW is for the sound options available. Users have over 50 synthesizer voices at their disposal, including a solid amount of drum machine-specific sound packs.

We were pleasantly surprised by the instrument selection FL Studio offers, with over 20 instruments. Equally surprising is how high-quality these instrument sounds are, all utterly void of digital noise, static, or quality drop-offs.

Unfortunately, this DAW doesn’t allow you to edit these existing sounds and instead requires you to use them as they come. Having a limiting sound library might not appear that limiting at first, especially since you are given a decent amount of options. Still, the problem is that you can quickly exhaust the uniqueness of the sounds you have available.

Then suddenly, each piece of music you create slowly begins to sound alike, which brings us back to our original point about in-app purchases. FL Studio offers in-app purchases that enable you to buy new sounds to use. While it is a great option for producers with the additional income to splash around on new packs, it clarifies why the DAW prevents sound editing.

If you’re aware of what sounds you need, a quick one-time purchase isn’t as bad. But if you’re looking for additional sounds, you’ll be paying more, including what you paid for the app.

User thoughts on Fl Studio

The general userbase of FL studio seems torn on the app. On the one hand, people praise the app for its accessible interface and easy-to-use design. In contrast, others immediately recommend other options due to the lack of available sound packs with the core experience. 

It’s recommended to look at some user reviews yourself. If you’re curious on which side of the audience you sit, it will largely depend on your own experience with DAW’s in general. 

Will you be creating your next masterpiece?

FL Studio certainly provides ample opportunity and the tools required to create a great music track. Producers and experienced users will acclimate with the interface, buttons, and options reasonably quickly and start building their next masterpiece.

Due to the price tag and limitations on available sounds, it’s not a bad idea to consider what level of complexity your projects require. If complex sounds are necessary, FL Studio may not provide what you need. Similarly, there is no demo version, so understanding the app’s limitations is crucial before investing.