FL Studio 8 also adds FL SynthMaker, an FL Studio native version of the plug-in development application SynthMaker. Users can now create their own virtual instruments, effects and MIDI dashboards, use them in FL Studio, and share them with other SynthMaker users, all without the need to write basic code. (FL SynthMaker is included in Producer and XXL editions.)

The Producer and XXL Editions also include Slicex—a powerhouse drumloop slicer and rearranging tool. And free to all users, FL Studio 8 includes a suite of new and creative plug-ins, including Fruity Limiter, a single band compressor/limiter; Wave Candy, a flexible audio analysis and visualization tool with oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer and peak meter; and Soundgoodizer, a stereo maximizer-enhancer plug-in based on the Maximus sound-processing engine.

FL Studio is available in four editions: Express ($49, download only), FruityLoops ($99 download, $139 boxed), Producer ($199 download, $269 boxed) and XXL ($299 download, $399 boxed). Download versions come with lifetime free updates. Get it all at www.flstudio.com.