What was once primarily known as a step sequencer and softsynth host has over the years grown into a unique and massive DAW in its own right. Image Line FL Studio 9, the latest version of this award-winning audio production suite, has been just been introduced this September 9, 2009, continuing on a heritage of 10 years as one of the dominant digital audio workstations. Added value comes in the way of more instruments, more effects, and a whole lot of other features for music production.

FL Studio 9 touts itself as the complete software music production environment that represents focused and sustained development. It is now capable of recording up to 99 simultaneous tracks of audio through its updated 105 mixer and the playlist workspace can now contain an unlimited amount of audio tracks. The user can also arrange discrete audio tracks in any order or position with complete flexibility. Audio tools allow time-stretching, pitch-shifting, beat-slicing, chopping, edits and creative destruction of audio. FL Studio 9 also includes 25 software instruments that cover all of your sound needs from acoustic/synthetic basses to a range of synthesizers featuring major synthesis techniques.

FL Studio 9 has over 370 new additions. Examples are as follows:

• General FL Studio Changes
• Sidechaining - The FL Studio Mixer 'Track Send' now has an additional 'Sidechain' mode to support multiple-input mixer plugins.
• Multi-core CPU (Hyperthreading) - Improved multithreaded generator & added multithreaded effects processing.
• Multiple controllers - Can now control multiple independent instrument channels, assigned by MIDI number.
• New volatile linking feature.
• Wrapper - Aligned tick lengths checkbox for greater plugin compatibility.
• Revised Playlist
• Playlist track naming & icon - Tools for better song organization.
• Playlist track mute controls.
• Piano Roll
• Riff Machine - Automatic sequence generator tool.
• Note Grouping- New feature (works on selecting, moving, resizing, deletion, muting, shifting using mouse-wheel).
• Mixer
• More tracks - Now has 99 Insert tracks (up from 64).
• Multi-core CPU support - Added 'multithreaded mixer' tracks processing for improved multi-core performance.
• New Plugins
• Autogun (free) - Sonic adventure, Based on Ogun.
• Sakura (demo)- String physical modelling instrument
• Ogun (demo)- Additive metal simulation synthesizer
• Gross Beat (demo) - Real-time, audio-stream playback, pitch, position and volume manipulation effect
• Stereo Shaper (free) - Mid / Side stereo processing
• Vocodex - The last word in vocoders (free with Producer Edition).

• Revised Plugins
• SimSynth Live, DrumSynth Live, DX-10, WASP and WASP XT are now included in FL Studio (Fruity edition upwards).
• Fruity Reeverb 2 - Added Mid vs Side input signal processing.
• Fruity Wrapper - Now supports multiple inputs/outputs (free).
• Wavecandy - Visualization & analysis tools (free).
• Fruity Limiter - Compressor section now has sidechaining (free)
.
• Browser
• Presets - Drop effect presets onto mixer tracks & channels, mixer track presets onto effect slots and channels, channel & generator presets onto mixer tracks & effect slots.
• Windows file shell menu - Available from Browser (right-click) item menu.

FL Studio 9 supports a variety of formats such as VST/VSTi/VST2, DXi, DXi2, MP3, WAV, OGG, MIDI, ASIO, ASIO 2, REWIRE, REX 1 & 2. All FL Studio 9 versions can be purchased via download or in boxed form through various outlets. Giving more value for your money, the download versions include lifetime free updates are included in the price so you no longer have a need to shell out money each and every time the software is updated. For those who will buy the boxed version, virtual cash amounting to 49.00 USD is included which can be used to purchase lifetime free udates and other downloadable products. A fully featured demo version is available for you to try and pricing for various FL Studio 9 versions is as follows:

• FL Studio 9 Express Edition = 49.00 USD (download only)
• FL Studio 9 Fruity Edition = 99.00 USD (download) / 139.00 USD (boxed)
• FL Studio 9 Producer Edition = 199.00 USD (download) / 269.00 USD (boxed)
• FL Studio 9 Signature Edition = 299.00 USD (download) / 399.00 USD (boxed)