“FL Studio’s duty is to get more people to stick with music-making”: CEO Constantin Koehncke on FL Studio 2025 and beyond

[KingsOfKings]

How many DAWs are getting 30,000 downloads a month? Not many, right?

FL Studio is hitting that figure every single day, according to its maker Image-Line. Even CEO Constantin Koehncke admits that number is “pretty staggering” and “definitely insane”.

But it’s not downloads alone that put it among the world’s most popular DAWs. Myriad music fans with even a passing interest in music production have heard about it. That includes the millions of viewers who watch FL Studio users “speedrun” beatmaking on TikTok, plus fans of Grammy-winning producers like Mustard, Kaytranada, Hit-Boy, and the late Avicii, who’ve all expressed their reliance on the software. Known as FruityLoops before 2003, the DAW has long been the gateway to music-making for millions of beatmakers, producers and engineers.


But as Image-Line prepares to unleash the newest version, FL Studio 2025, it’s once again out to prove that FL Studio is more than just a toy for newcomers. Keen FL Studio users may have even noticed a few teasers of fresh innovations appearing on the Image-Line forums


We have a pretty close engagement with the community,” says Koehncke in our video call. “Typically, in the teaser thread on our forum, we’ll say, ‘Hey, we’re building this; here’s an idea of what the UI could look like’. It gives us some feedback in the development process, which is helpful, and it’s a part of the DNA of the company to build FL Studio in this way.”


Koehncke joined as Image-Line’s CEO in October 2022. Over those 30 months, he’s overseen some pivotal launches in FL Studio: FL Cloud, the integration of software developer UVI, and the rollout of innovative AI features such as in-DAW stem separation and chord progression assistance.

The German-born CEO is used to such grandiose releases by now. Before his role at Image-Line, he was CEO at Native Instruments, having climbed the ranks from 2010 as a marketing manager. During that time, Native dropped products such as Maschine+ and hundreds of bleeding-edge plugins. And before he was coordinating major product releases, he wrote about them as a music tech journalist and publicist for a German magazine.

“FL Studio’s duty is to get more people to stick with music-making”: CEO Constantin Koehncke on FL Studio 2025 and beyond

Image-Line’s CEO gives us a conceptual overview of what’s in store for FL Studio 2025 and beyond, with AI and video game music-making chatter still looming.

musictech.com

 

[JQ Legend]

Is this better than pro tools? Also is the lowest price ($180) good enough?

 

[ROBEEZYKILLA]

I’m curious to try it been using ableton for years

 

[Awesome Wells]

Is this better than pro tools?

Nah, it's not.

It's still the remedial DAW for beginners and wack bedroom producers. If you want to actually learn about production and/or mixing, it's best to stick to DAW's like Logic and Pro Tools. MPC and Ableton too. FL's workflow is all about making it easier, but without the user developing more skill and knowledge. That's not gonna work if you ever have to hit a real studio to work or have an artist that needs a lot of adjustments to the production.

 

[JQ Legend]

Nah, it's not.

It's still the remedial DAW for beginners and wack bedroom producers. If you want to actually learn about production and/or mixing, it's best to stick to DAW's like Logic and Pro Tools. MPC and Ableton too. FL's workflow is all about making it easier, but without the user developing more skill and knowledge. That's not gonna work if you ever have to hit a real studio to work or have an artist that needs a lot of adjustments to the production.

I rap myself and wanted to play around with making my own beats to rap on. Also was looking into something where I can record myself at home with at least decent quality

Plus last time I looked into pro tools they was trippin where they don’t even sell it anymore, you gotta pay a monthly fee

 

[Awesome Wells]

I rap myself and wanted to play around with making my own beats to rap on. Also was looking into something where I can record myself at home with at least decent quality

Plus last time I looked into pro tools they was trippin where they don’t even sell it anymore, you gotta pay a monthly fee

Yeah, Avid f*cked up with the monthly subscription thing for Pro Tools.

Back in the day, it was a one shot cost, so once you copped it, you didn't need to spend any more money. They want to keep getting money now, so they're making people spend monthly for something that they don’t even own. It's wack. But if you're recording at home and making your own beats in a DAW and want to have basically the same tools, I always say Logic Pro is really good for that.

A lot of studios and engineers are working in Logic too now, so if you wanted to send your work out for mixing and mastering, you could get a lot of work done and not have to worry about being charged monthly.

 

[spliz]

Is this better than pro tools? Also is the lowest price ($180) good enough?

FL is better for production. Pro Tools is better for recording. It depends on ur aim.

 

[spliz]

Nah, it's not.

It's still the remedial DAW for beginners and wack bedroom producers. If you want to actually learn about production and/or mixing, it's best to stick to DAW's like Logic and Pro Tools. MPC and Ableton too. FL's workflow is all about making it easier, but without the user developing more skill and knowledge. That's not gonna work if you ever have to hit a real studio to work or have an artist that needs a lot of adjustments to the production.

U literally have no idea what ur talking about and I say this with utmost seriousness. U sound like a nikka who never made beats before. I can show u production from FL Studio that u would NEVER guess. All of these DAWs have their strengths and weaknesses. For instance Pro Tools is industry standard for recording but Cubase been better than that shyt for years.

 

[Goat poster]

I know its cool to shyt on FL

But I know a lot of people that make FIRE with it

the low barrier of entry is a double edge sword as many folks especially kids can't afford the more advanced programs.

My favorite Hip-hop album was made on FL ( The listening)

 

[spliz]

I know its cool to shyt on FL

But I know a lot of people that make FIRE with it

the low barrier of entry is a double edge sword as many folks especially kids can't afford the more advanced programs.

My favorite Hip-hop album was made on FL ( The listening)

Mostly anyone who shyts on FL is either stuck on analog or never made beats before. Bottom line.

 

[YakSpiller]

Some good things in FL Studio.

Lot of hits have been made with it but I never really liked the work flow.

I like Logic Pro with some AU synths and a MPC one.

 

[Awesome Wells]

U literally have no idea what ur talking about and I say this with utmost seriousness. U sound like a nikka who never made beats before. I can show u production from FL Studio that u would NEVER guess. All of these DAWs have their strengths and weaknesses. For instance Pro Tools is industry standard for recording but Cubase been better than that shyt for years.

You're trying too hard, bro. As usual.

Dude is working from home. Why should he be spending monthly for a DAW, when he's just trying to make his own beats and record himself? If he wants to actually learn more about production and be able to take his work to other studios, he needs a DAW that's being used widely by pros. I've been in the game forever, nobody with common sense would be telling someone working from home to cop Pro Tools monthly or anything that wouldn't allow them to learn more about music and how to take their show on the road if they want to get to that level.

 

[spliz]

You're trying too hard, bro. As usual.

Dude is working from home. Why should he be spending monthly for a DAW, when he's just trying to make his own beats and record himself? If he wants to actually learn more about production and be able to take his work to other studios, he needs a DAW that's being used widely by pros. I've been in the game forever, nobody with common sense would be telling someone working from home to cop Pro Tools monthly or anything that wouldn't allow them to learn more about music and how to take their show on the road if they want to get to that level.

Son what the fukk are u talking about? I literally have my own recording studio. Do u make beats? Are u an engineer? What do u do?

 

[Awesome Wells]

Son what the fukk are u talking about?

Exactly.

One of does this at a certain level, one of us doesn't.

I was speaking to dude about his specific situation. Your opinion wasn't needed.

 

[Ol’Otis]

Go back to using instruments