5 great alternatives to FL Studio to use on Linux
FL Studio is a robust digital audio workstation and musical creation tool for the Windows and Mac platforms. It’s commercial software and considered one of the best musical production programs available today. However, FL Studio does not work on Linux, and no support is planned in the future. So, if you’ve just switched to the Linux platform and want to create music, you’ll need a good alternative. Here are 5 great alternatives to FL Studio to use on Linux!
1. LMMS
LMMS is an open-source music creation tool that allows users to produce melodies, beats, and other types of music, much like FL Studio. The LMMS tool supports MIDI sequencing, sampling, has support for musical hardware, and is the perfect free replacement for FL Studio users switching to Linux.
Notable features
- LMMS has a very similar user interface to FL Studio and supports a lot of the same features, such as an easy beat-maker, and lots of virtual instruments to work with.
- LMMS has excellent support for hardware, including MIDI keyboards.
- LMMS comes with built-in support for VST instruments, including a 32-bit VST bridge.
- LMMS includes 16 built-in synthesizers, including the Nintendo Gameboy, the NES, Commodore 64, and much more.
Download – LMMS
LMMS is open source, and as a result, is available for installation on every single Linux distribution out there. To get it working on your Linux PC, open up a terminal, and search for “LMMS” with your package manager. If you need help installing the LMMS app, check out Pkgs.org. They’ve got LMMS packages for all Linux Oses.
2. T7 Daw
T7 Daw is a freemium digital audio workstation that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. The app (when purchased) offers up some seriously competitive music creation features and tools that will be familiar to FL Studio veterans, such as various synths, digital instruments, MIDI support, and a spectacular audio editing suite.
Notable features
- T7 Daw is cross-platform, and users will get the same digital audio workstation/music production experience on Linux, Mac, and Windows.
- T7 Daw has support for unlimited audio and MIDI tracks.
- Can sync audio with video tracks.
- Comes with automation tools to make your music creation process much easier.
Download – Tracktion
T7 Daw is a paid piece of software. So, if you’re interested in using it on the Linux platform, you won’t be able to install it through traditional means. Instead, head to the official Tracktion website to purchase and download the software.
3. Bitwig Studio
Bitwig Studio is a commercial music tool that can be used for music creation. Bitwig Studio comes with over 150 music modules and is packed with features that sound designers and artists love. Additionally, Bitwig Studio also offers up DJing features, which is useful, especially for those who perform their music live.
Notable features
- A full-featured digital audio work station that supports Windows, Mac, and Linux, ensuring that you get the same experience no matter what OS you run it on.
- Comes with over 10 GB of sounds to work with during musical creation.
- Ships with over 80 instruments and effects to aid your creativity in the music production process.
- Bitwig Studio supports sound design, recording, and live performances.
Download – Bitwig Studio
Bitwig Studio is not free software, and users much purchase it to use it. To get your copy of Bitwig Studio, go to the official website, and click the “Download” button. After selecting the “Download” button, you’ll see options to get the app for Linux, and instructions on how to register a license.
4. Ardour
Ardour is a digital audio workstation for Mac, Linux, and Windows. With it, users can record audio, mix audio, and the like. Generally, Ardour is more focused on mixing and recording rather than the creation of beats or work with digital instruments, synths, and such like FL Studio, but it has robust plugin support and can be used in that way if the user chooses.
Notable features
- Ardour has excellent support for the JACK audio system on Linux, which is robust and allows users to do more advanced things with recorded audio.
- Ardour has support for unlimited multichannel tracks, ensuring your editing and production can be as large or as complex as you like.
- Ardour can import videos and extract sound directly.
- Ardour has support for plugins so that users can add in features similar to FL Studio.
Download – Ardour
Like a lot of the other programs talked about in this list, Ardour is open source and free of charge. Since it is open-source, Ardour is widely available to all Linux operating systems through traditional software sources. To install Ardour on your system, open up a terminal window, search for “Ardour” and install the software the way you typically install apps. Or, head over to our guide to learn about how to get Ardour installed on your system.
5. Rosegarden
Rosegarden is a general-purpose audio/MIDI sequencer, and musical score editor. It is a free app for Linux platforms only and has a simple, easy to learn user interface that is sure to attract beginners. If you primarily use FL Studio to produce and score music, Rosegarden is one to check out.
Notable features
- Rosegarden has an easy to use interface, which is welcoming to new users.
- Rosegarden supports editing, creating, and modifying musical scores.
- The app comes with included synths which can be used to play MIDI tracks through.
Download – Rosegarden
Rosegarden is open source and only available to Linux users, so packages to install it are carried in all popular Linux operating systems. To install it, launch a terminal, search for “Rosegarden,” and install the software the way you typically install things on your OS. Or, check this page on Pkgs.org for more information.
Conclusion
FL Studio is a well-designed music program, and one of the best of its kind. Sadly, Linux users will never get to experience the great features it offers. Thankfully, there are tons of other useful digital audio workstations and musical creation tools to use on Linux that offer up similar features.
What’s your favorite digital audio workstation or musical creation tool to use on Linux? Let us know in the comments below!
