It’s a good day! ☀️
You just got your new copy of FL Studio.
But what plugins should you get to support and complement the many great FL stock plugins? 🔌
There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to choosing the right plugins for your FL Studio toolbox.
It all depends on your needs, workflow and sounds you are looking for.
In this blog post, I’ll cover some of the essential plugins I use all the time when producing music in FL Studio.
I will cover both free and premium plugins. There will be something for every level of music production experience.
Ready? Let’s go!
Spitfire LABS
I can’t believe that this sample-based plugin is free!
Spitfire LABS is a must-have plugin for any FL Studio user looking for sounds ranging from classic synths & organic textures to guitar harmonics & GRANULAR WHALESONGS! 😆
LABS has an infinite series of software instruments that can spark instant inspiration in any studio session.
It’s easy to use and works well with any DAW (including FL Studio).
You only need to tweak a couple of sliders and knobs to sculpt the sound - EASY!
I love to use the Tape Piano instrument. It has that LoFi sound, that I can’t get enough of haha! 😍
Seriously, I give this plugin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5! It’s so good!
The perfect plugin companion for FL Studio.
Xfer Serum
This modern beast of a synthesizer can re-create almost every desired sound you could think of.
That’s why Serum is my go-to plugin in FL Studio.
Serum has a very user-friendly layout. It’s not hard to twist some knobs and actually hear what the plugin is doing to the sound.
Beginner and advanced sound designers will find this plugin a joy to use.
It also comes packed with a bunch of cool presets.
However, because this soft synth plugin is so popular, FL Studio users will have no trouble discovering Serum presets tailored to their specific needs.
You can find a lot of Serum preset packs on the internet (my go-to is Splice) 😁
Consider getting Serum? Download the demo and you will be amazed.
Get ready to add another plugin to your FL Studio toolbox.
Watch my Serum tutorials on YouTube:
Link to the Serum tutorial YouTube playlist 👈
XLN Audio RC-20 Retro Color
Oh boy, this creative effect plugin is added to so many of my channels in FL Studio 😇
I almost feel a bit guilty - but the RC-20 Retro Color plugin does what it's best at: adding that warm feeling of vintage recording equipment!
With its 6 powerful effect modules, RC-20 can add noise, wobble, saturation, bit crushing, reverb and much more.
The thing I love about this plugin is the wear and tear it can add to polished synth chords and make them LOFI!
The Digital module is so cool! It degrades the sound in a really fantastic way!
You can twist the 6 big knobs for an instant vintage vibe or dial in detailed changes with the different settings for each effect module.
Full flexibility at your fingertips 💪
A very useful plugin for FL Studio users - myself included!
Cableguys ShaperBox
Sound manipulation en masse!
That’s what awaits in the powerful ShaperBox plugin from the fine folks at Cableguys.
This multi-effect plugin offers ways to modulate and sculpt your sound in almost an infinite number of possible ways ♾️
You can add modulated filter movement combined with random auto-panning to your synth pad. Delicious!
See it as a motion and rhythmic effect tool 🔄
With an LFO approach, you can draw different patterns that affect each ShaperBox component.
My personal favourites are the Pan-module, Filter-module and Volume-module.
The reason why I recommend this plugin for FL Studio users is that it will take some time to re-create the same effects from ShaperBox with FL Studio stock plugins.
And then you get a heap of creative presets for an instant vibe to your sounds.
There are so many benefits of adding this tool to your FL Studio plugin library.
Native Instruments Battery 4
This drum sampler is a beast!
With a lot of one-shot slots available and built-in effects, you have the power to spice up your drum patterns in the all-mighty Battery 4 by Native Instruments!
Man, I love this plugin 🙏
It comes packed with a huge library of different drum kits and creative one-shots. Like, you will never need new drum kits for your FL Studio projects again (almost haha 😅)
One thing I need to highlight in Battery 4 is the vintage sampler emulation feature. It basically means that you can emulate the bit-reduced sound of analogue hardware. I use it a lot on my hi-hats to give them a bit more grit.
And of course, it has all the other effects like EQ, compressor, saturation and transient shaper, that you need to sculpt your drums directly in the plugin.
That’s pretty handy 🙌
Get a grip on this high-quality plugin for FL Studio.
Oeksound Soothe2
Okay, I know this is an expensive plugin 💰
But hear me out, please!
Soothe2 is a fantastic plugin for fixing harsh resonances in any sound.
It is a dynamic resonance suppressor that helps identify problematic resonances. Pretty handy!
I love to load this up in FL Studio, especially on my drum bus 🥁
Wow! - this just makes my drums sound more polished and less harsh on the ears.
It then makes me able to push the drums with a bit more processing without boosting those resonance frequencies. Thanks a lot, Soothe2!
This is a high recommendation for your FL Studio plugin toolkit.
I use this all the time since I got it - so this has to be one of my best plugin investments ever 😍
Kilohearts Essentials
Ever wanted a plugin with a simple interface and few knobs to twist?
Want quick sound design results?
Enter: Kilohearts Essentials 👀
In this huge collection of 33 FREE audio effects, you get everything from a:
- Flanger
- Pitch Shifter
- Trance Gate
- Comb Filter
- Transient Shaper
- And much more
These are the perfect collection of plugins for FL Studio. They will be a very useful addition to your existing plugin library.
My personal favourite is the Stereo effect - a very simple plugin with just a few settings.
It gets the job done: increasing or decreasing stereo width in my project 😃
What are you waiting for?
Try out these plugins in your FL Studio projects!
Video: How I use plugins from Kilohearts:
Arturia V Collection
This is the ultimate music-making experience if you ask me.
Arturia V Collection comes with hand-picked high-quality instruments. Moulded after the past and future 🚀
- Analog synths
- Digital synths
- Keyboards & organs
- Acoustic & Electric Pianos
- And much more
You will find anything, that you need in this huge sound library.
If you are a “preset-lover” like me, you will love the V Collection! It comes with over 9.000 presets!
And if that can’t satisfy your preset cravings, you can also download dedicated preset packs for the Arturia suite.
My favourite instrument in the collection has to be the Stage-73 V electric piano. WOW! Simply wow!
Treat your FL Studio library with these insanely awesome plugins!
Discover Arturia V Collection here 👈
Acustica Coral Baxter EQ
Want an analogue modelled EQ?
This EQ shelf plugin is the boss!
The Coral Baxter EQ is an emulation of the classic Baxandall shelves from the 1950s 🎛️
With its wide and gentle sloping curves, this EQ plugin can add a more natural sound and minimal phase distortion to your FL Studio projects.
I’m really fond of smacking this plugin on my drum bus and lifting the upper frequencies - making them cut through the mix a bit better.
And the best part? - This EQ plugin is FREE! 🤩
Swing by Acustica’s website and grab yourself another magical plugin for your FL Studio suite.
iZotope Neutron
Missing a plugin in your FL Studio toolbox, that has everything you need to get a great mix?
Neutron from iZotope is my go-to plugin for mixing my FL Studio projects.
This mixing suite is so powerful and flexible.
Neutron is made up of several mixing components like:
- EQ
- Compressor
- Transient shaper
- Exciter
- Gate
- And much more
I love to use this plugin. It has a user-friendly interface and sounds amazing. BIG UPs! 🤩
Output Arcade
A playable sampler with so many possibilities?
Let me shine a light on a creative plugin: Output Arcade 🕹️
This nifty sampler plugin is packed with everything you need to craft unique music projects in FL Studio.
With Arcade, you get your hands on a huge library of playable sampler instruments that can be tweaked, tempo-synced and key-modified.
Arcade is subscription-based and not that expensive if you ask me. Check out the different pricing plans 💸
When writing this blog post, Arcade has a stunning 64,000+ royalty-free samples and continues to add sounds. Wicked! 🤩
I love the chopped vocal samples. They just fill my projects with dazzling life and character.
You can also load your own samples into Arcade and use the powerful built-in FX and modulation features.
Output offers a free trial for Arcade - I think you should try out this plugin.
I highly recommend this plugin to all my fellow FL Studio producers 🤓
Sugar Bytes Effectrix
Want to chop up your sounds in a playful and powerful way?
Enter: Sugar Bytes Effectrix ✅
This multi-effect sequencer plugin is essential for every FL Studio producer looking for creative ways to flip their sounds.
In the plugin, you will find a 32-step sequencer accompanied by 14 top-quality effects, like Looping, Stuttering, Reverser, and stretch to name a few.
Effectrix comes with a lot of great presets.
However, the power of this plugin comes from its “Chaos” button.
This randomizes the step-patterns added for each of the effects within Effectrix. It can help loads if you encounter a creative block (trust me haha 😄)
If you want an intuitive plugin for your FL Studio tool kit, then Effectrix is something you should check out.
BTW - they also have a demo version, so you can try out the plugin before you buy it.
Sum up
These are some of my favourite plugins to use in FL Studio.
Before I get a new plugin, I usually think about how it will aid me in my music production process.
I don’t want to get a plugin just for the sake of it - this will quickly clutter up my tidy FL Studio plugin library.
I recommend you to read plugin reviews, watch videos and even download the plugin trial.
I hope this blog post was useful to you! 😃
What to do next?
📺 Subscribe to my YouTube channel
🤓 Become a member of my Discord producer community
💽 Browse my sample & preset packs
Other cool resources:
7 FL Studio House Sample Packs for Beginners
+4 Hours Full UK Garage Online Production Course
