Testing Lemon Studio, an open-source FL Studio clone

Key points

• Lemon Studio is a completely open-source clone of FL Studio, written in Rust, and the speaker says none of FL Studio's source code was copied into it. 0:00
• The speaker argues the clone is legal because copyright protects images and trademarks, not how an app works, so ideas like the sequencer, piano roll and mixer can be copied. 1:00
• The clone is not a download-and-install app: it must be built from GitHub, and the speaker says AI can be asked to do the build for you. 0:41
• Basic tools work in the clone, including undo, select all, Shift+Q quantize, the Alt+A arpeggiator and VST plugin loading, while slide notes, the Alt+P shortcut and the double-click note menu are still missing. 1:09
• The speaker says the clone is nowhere near FL Studio's functionality and is at the alpha stage, so it should be judged as early-stage work. 2:09

Tour of the clone, step by step

• Lemon Studio is a completely open-source clone of FL Studio that anyone can contribute to. 0:00
• Cloning the app is allowed because copyright covers images and trademarks but not how an app works. 1:00
• Long patterns can be recorded into the playlist and play back correctly. 3:00
• Users building their own DAW could push the industry to add the features they have asked for. 4:58
• Several shortcuts are missing and slide notes do not work yet. 5:50

Small things on screen worth a look

• Piano roll randomize dialog — A randomize dialog with pattern, key and level settings open over the piano roll.
• Parametric EQ plugin window — A parametric EQ plugin window with band nodes sits in the mixer view.
• Metronome options menu — A dropdown menu lists metronome and count-in choices near the transport.
• Loaded synth plugin window — A synth plugin window with oscillator controls and a keyboard is open over the project.

Questions to check yourself