Image-Line Software
Encyclopedia
Image-Line is a Belgian
software company best known for its digital audio workstation
program FL Studio
and related audio plugins such as Sytrus
. Founded in 1994, in 2007 Image-Line introduced Deckadance
, a virtual DJ console application. The company also produces EZGenerator
, a template-based web editing
program.
software for Pavell Software, decided in 1992 to branch into video games. Their first product was an adult video game
of Tetris
, which they then offered on floppy disks in the ad section of Computer Magazine. Around this time CD-ROM
games such as The 7th Sense were becoming popular, inspiring Van Biesen and Cannie to begin working with Private, one of the larger producers of adult video games at the time. Private released multiple Image-Line CD-ROM games including Private Prison and Private Castle. The company officially adopted the name Image-Line in 1994.
launched the "Da Vinci" contest where the first prizes were color laptops. Image-Line, which at the time had little money, won the contest in the multimedia category after reworking one of their game environments to fit the contest criteria.
Image-Line took an interest in Didier "Gol" Dambrin, the developer who won the overall Da Vinci contest as well as the Game category. They hired the 19-year-old to work for them, and his first game for the company was the game Private Investigator. Dambrin's next project for Image-Line was the platform game Eat This, a shoot 'em up
game that involved killing aliens.
Other Image-Line developers created products such as the invoicing
program Fact2000 and E-OfficeDirect, a content-based web tool that would a precursor to their later product EZGenerator
. Image-Line also topped the Belgian game charts 4 years in a row with their CD version of the Belgian TV game show
Blokken
.
in an effort to merge the two products into a step sequencer that utilized both rows and steps. Dubbed FruityLoops 1.0, the program didn't fit with Image-Lines other product lines of the time. However, the demo version released in December of 1997 became so popular that the number of downloads quickly overwhelmed the Image-Line servers. To gather income to support their servers, Image-Line had Dambrin develop an EJay
clone called FruityTracks. Image-Line then served as the program's OEM
for Mattel
. The program was released as Pro-DJ in France
and the UK, and Radio 538 Music Machine in Holland and Belgium
.
Image-Line continued to develop the FruityLoops application from a simple drum machine
into a large and complex digital audio workstation
. FruityLoops was eventually renamed FL Studio
for branding purposes and to avoid a prolonged trademark dispute in the United States
with Kelloggs. FL Studio is now one of the most popular software production systems in the world, and Image-Line's flagship program. A multitude of plug-ins have been developed by Image-Line to work with FL Studio, including synthesizers such as Sytrus
and effects plugins such as Maximus and Edison. In 2007 Image-Line released Deckadance
, a DJ mixing program developed by programmer Arguru. Deckadance works as both a stand-alone program and as a FL Studio plugin.
, a software program for website design and maintenance. EZGenerator has won multiple awards since its release.
Support
Developers
External Developers
External staff
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
software company best known for its digital audio workstation
Digital audio workstation
A digital audio workstation is an electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and playing back digital audio. DAWs were originally tape-less, microprocessor-based systems such as the Synclavier and Fairlight CMI...
program FL Studio
FL Studio
FL Studio is a digital audio workstation developed by the Belgian company Image-Line. FL Studio features a graphical user interface based on a pattern-based music sequencer...
and related audio plugins such as Sytrus
Sytrus
Sytrus is a software synthesizer included in the music production program FL Studio. Image-Line also released its VSTi and DXi versions.-Features:...
. Founded in 1994, in 2007 Image-Line introduced Deckadance
Deckadance
Deckadance is a DJ console and mixing tool developed by Image-Line software. Initially released in May of 2007, it operates on Windows and Mac OS X, and comes in a House Edition and Club Edition...
, a virtual DJ console application. The company also produces EZGenerator
EZGenerator
EZGenerator is a web design program created by Image-Line. The program is intended to be accessible to users with no experience in code such as HTML or CSS, and displays results in a WYSIWYG manner...
, a template-based web editing
Web development
Web development is a broad term for the work involved in developing a web site for the Internet or an intranet . This can include web design, web content development, client liaison, client-side/server-side scripting, web server and network security configuration, and e-commerce development...
program.
Early development
Image-Line was founded by Jean-Marie Cannie and Frank Van Biesen, who after seven years of creating stock marketStock market
A stock market or equity market is a public entity for the trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded privately.The size of the world stock market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion...
software for Pavell Software, decided in 1992 to branch into video games. Their first product was an adult video game
Adult video game
An adult video game is a video game which has significant sexual content , and are therefore intended for an adult audience. Adult games can fall into many genres and have diverse gameplay.-PC and console:...
of Tetris
Tetris
Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
, which they then offered on floppy disks in the ad section of Computer Magazine. Around this time CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
games such as The 7th Sense were becoming popular, inspiring Van Biesen and Cannie to begin working with Private, one of the larger producers of adult video games at the time. Private released multiple Image-Line CD-ROM games including Private Prison and Private Castle. The company officially adopted the name Image-Line in 1994.
Didier "Gol" Dambrin
Around the time they released the games for Private, IBMIBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
launched the "Da Vinci" contest where the first prizes were color laptops. Image-Line, which at the time had little money, won the contest in the multimedia category after reworking one of their game environments to fit the contest criteria.
Image-Line took an interest in Didier "Gol" Dambrin, the developer who won the overall Da Vinci contest as well as the Game category. They hired the 19-year-old to work for them, and his first game for the company was the game Private Investigator. Dambrin's next project for Image-Line was the platform game Eat This, a shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
game that involved killing aliens.
Other Image-Line developers created products such as the invoicing
Invoice
An invoice or bill is a commercial document issued by a seller to the buyer, indicating the products, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services the seller has provided the buyer. An invoice indicates the buyer must pay the seller, according to the payment terms...
program Fact2000 and E-OfficeDirect, a content-based web tool that would a precursor to their later product EZGenerator
EZGenerator
EZGenerator is a web design program created by Image-Line. The program is intended to be accessible to users with no experience in code such as HTML or CSS, and displays results in a WYSIWYG manner...
. Image-Line also topped the Belgian game charts 4 years in a row with their CD version of the Belgian TV game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
Blokken
Blokken
Blokken is a Belgian quiz show broadcast by Eén, based on the Tetris video game, and is hosted by popular Belgian television personality Ben Crabbé. The show is currently the longest running quiz show on Belgian television ....
.
Audio software
In 1997 Dambrin gained an interest in music applications of the time such as Hammerhead and Rebirth 338, and developed a simple MIDI-only drum machineDrum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
in an effort to merge the two products into a step sequencer that utilized both rows and steps. Dubbed FruityLoops 1.0, the program didn't fit with Image-Lines other product lines of the time. However, the demo version released in December of 1997 became so popular that the number of downloads quickly overwhelmed the Image-Line servers. To gather income to support their servers, Image-Line had Dambrin develop an EJay
EJay
eJay is a series of musical arrangement software and games, primarily for Microsoft Windows. The first edition, Dance eJay, was released in , supports eight tracks of audio and, as with its successors, permits the arrangement of sound bites by a drag-and-drop interface...
clone called FruityTracks. Image-Line then served as the program's OEM
OEM
OEM means the original manufacturer of a component for a product, which may be resold by another company.OEM may also refer to:-Computing:* OEM font, or OEM-US, the original character set of the IBM PC, circa 1981...
for Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
. The program was released as Pro-DJ in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the UK, and Radio 538 Music Machine in Holland and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Image-Line continued to develop the FruityLoops application from a simple drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
into a large and complex digital audio workstation
Digital audio workstation
A digital audio workstation is an electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and playing back digital audio. DAWs were originally tape-less, microprocessor-based systems such as the Synclavier and Fairlight CMI...
. FruityLoops was eventually renamed FL Studio
FL Studio
FL Studio is a digital audio workstation developed by the Belgian company Image-Line. FL Studio features a graphical user interface based on a pattern-based music sequencer...
for branding purposes and to avoid a prolonged trademark dispute in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with Kelloggs. FL Studio is now one of the most popular software production systems in the world, and Image-Line's flagship program. A multitude of plug-ins have been developed by Image-Line to work with FL Studio, including synthesizers such as Sytrus
Sytrus
Sytrus is a software synthesizer included in the music production program FL Studio. Image-Line also released its VSTi and DXi versions.-Features:...
and effects plugins such as Maximus and Edison. In 2007 Image-Line released Deckadance
Deckadance
Deckadance is a DJ console and mixing tool developed by Image-Line software. Initially released in May of 2007, it operates on Windows and Mac OS X, and comes in a House Edition and Club Edition...
, a DJ mixing program developed by programmer Arguru. Deckadance works as both a stand-alone program and as a FL Studio plugin.
Other software
Beyond audio products Image-Line developed and distributes EZGeneratorEZGenerator
EZGenerator is a web design program created by Image-Line. The program is intended to be accessible to users with no experience in code such as HTML or CSS, and displays results in a WYSIWYG manner...
, a software program for website design and maintenance. EZGenerator has won multiple awards since its release.
Products
| Software | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FL Studio FL Studio FL Studio is a digital audio workstation developed by the Belgian company Image-Line. FL Studio features a graphical user interface based on a pattern-based music sequencer... |
1998-present | Image-Line's flagship digital audio workstation Digital audio workstation A digital audio workstation is an electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and playing back digital audio. DAWs were originally tape-less, microprocessor-based systems such as the Synclavier and Fairlight CMI... . The most recent version is FL Studio 10, released on March 29, 2011. |
| FL Studio Mobile FL Studio Mobile FL Studio Mobile is a digital audio workstation available for iOS devices such as the iPad, the iPhone, and iPod touch. There is a separate HD version for iPad 1 and iPad 2... |
2011-present | Released June 21, 2011, a version of FL Studio for iOS |
| Deckadance Deckadance Deckadance is a DJ console and mixing tool developed by Image-Line software. Initially released in May of 2007, it operates on Windows and Mac OS X, and comes in a House Edition and Club Edition... |
2007-present | A DJ console and mixing tool, similar to Scratch LIVE Scratch Live Scratch Live is a vinyl emulation software application created by New Zealand based Serato Audio Research, distributed by and licensed exclusively to Rane Corporation... and Traktor Traktor Traktor is a DJ software package developed by Native Instruments. The most recent version, Traktor Pro, offers seamless looping, effects, automatic beat-gridding of tracks, advanced beat detection and Sync Lock for automatic synchronization of tracks, a 4-channel mixer, emulating the Xone:92... . Version 1.9.3. is the most recent release. |
| EZGenerator EZGenerator EZGenerator is a web design program created by Image-Line. The program is intended to be accessible to users with no experience in code such as HTML or CSS, and displays results in a WYSIWYG manner... |
- | A template-based web editing Web development Web development is a broad term for the work involved in developing a web site for the Internet or an intranet . This can include web design, web content development, client liaison, client-side/server-side scripting, web server and network security configuration, and e-commerce development... program, and a natural progression of their earlier E-OfficeDirect program, EZGenerator has won numerous software awards. |
| Fact2000 | - | An invoicing Invoice An invoice or bill is a commercial document issued by a seller to the buyer, indicating the products, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services the seller has provided the buyer. An invoice indicates the buyer must pay the seller, according to the payment terms... and contact management program. No longer sold. |
| FruityTracks | - | A track mixing program. No longer sold (was integrated into FL Studio). |
| Video Games | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Porntris | 1992 | An erotic Adult video game An adult video game is a video game which has significant sexual content , and are therefore intended for an adult audience. Adult games can fall into many genres and have diverse gameplay.-PC and console:... version of the popular Tetris Tetris Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic... game. |
| Private Investigator | 1996 | Awarded 1996 1996 in video gaming -Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters.... Best Interactive Game at the AMEE Award Show in Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... . |
| Eat This | 1998 | A side-scrolling "run and gun" shooter Shoot 'em up Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what... computer game that involves killing aliens with machine guns. While the original release was 2-D, the later version had 30 minutes of 3D animated video. |
| Blokken | 1998-2001 | A CD-ROM CD-ROM A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data.... equivalent to the Belgian Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... quiz show Quiz Show Quiz Show is a 1994 American historical drama film produced and directed by Robert Redford. Adapted by Paul Attanasio from Richard Goodwin's memoir Remembering America, the film is based upon the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s... released in Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... . The game topped the Belgian game charts 4 years in a row, and was released in four versions. It has sold over 50,000 copies. |
| Virtual Effects | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Beat | - | A time-, pitch-, and volume-manipulation effect. |
| Maximus | - | Maximus is a multi-band audio limiter and compressor for mastering projects or tracks. It also serves as a noise gate Noise gate A Noise Gate or gate is an electronic device or software that is used to control the volume of an audio signal. In its most simple form, a noise gate allows a signal to pass through only when it is above a set threshold: the gate is 'open'. If the signal falls below the threshold no signal is... , expander, ducker, and de-esser, |
| Hardcore | - | A multi-effects suite of plugins designed to resemble guitarists' stompboxes. |
| Juice Pack | - | A collection of Image-Line proprietary plugins ported to VST Virtual Studio Technology Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software... format for use in other music hosts. The contents of this pack has changed since its release; at the time of this writing it includes the Delay, Delay Bank, EQUO, Flangus, LovePhilter, Multiband Compressor, Notebook, Parametric EQ, Parametric EQ 2, Spectroman, Stereo Enhancer, Vocoder, Wave Candy, and Wave Shaper plugins. |
| Edison | 2007-present | A wave editor in VST format that also function as a standalone program. |
| Vocodex | 2009-present | A digital vocoder Vocoder A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder... developed by Didier Dambrin. |
| Fruity Stereo Shaper | 2009-present | A stereo processor with a mixer for left/right channels and their inverted equivalents, and controls for channel delay and phase offse |
| Virtual Instruments | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sytrus Sytrus Sytrus is a software synthesizer included in the music production program FL Studio. Image-Line also released its VSTi and DXi versions.-Features:... |
2003-present | A hybrid, semi-modular synthesizer combining subtractive, additive, and FM synthesis. |
| DirectWave | 2005-present | A software sampler Software sampler A software sampler is a piece of software which allows a computer to emulate the functionality of a sampler.In the same way that a sampler has much in common with a synthesizer, software samplers are in many ways similar to software synthesizers and there is great deal of overlap between the two,... that provides sample recording, waveform editing, and DSP effects. |
| SliceX | 2008-present | A beat-slicing sampler for processing and re-arranging recorded drumloops. |
| Harmless | - | Simplified additive synthesizer with a unique signal chain. |
| Harmor | 2011-present | Advanced Version of Harmless along with waveform views, envelopes, LFOs, and and modulation mappings from Sytrus. |
| Toxic Biohazard | - | A virtual FM synthesizer similar to Sytrus. |
| Sawer | - | A vintage-modeling synthesizer; Sawer attempts to emulate old Soviet Union Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.... -era subtractive synthesizers. |
| Morphine | - | An easy-to-program additive synthesizer. |
| PoiZone | - | An easy-to-program subtractive synthesizer. |
| Ogun/Autogun | 2009-present | Ogun is An advanced additive synthesizer specialized in creating metallic timbres, while Autogun - A free version of Ogun limited to semi-random preset generation. |
| Sakura | 2009-present | A physical-modeling synthesizer designed to emulate string instrument String instrument A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones... s. |
| Drumaxx | 2010-present | Percussion synthesizer. |
Staff
Management- Jean-Marie Cannie - Managing Director, CTOCTOCTO may refer to:* Cancelled-to-order, a postage-stamp cancelled by the postal administration before sale to stamp-collectors* Cape Air Transport, Australia * Caribbean Tourism Organisation* Central Telegraph Office, London UK...
- Frank Van Biesen - Managing Director, COOChief operating officerA Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
- Jean-Philip Cannie - Director
- Erika De Mulder - Director
Support
- Ief Goossens - Support and Administration
- Myriam Dupont - Support and Administration
- Scott Fisher - Communications
Developers
- Didier "Gol" Dambrin (FL StudioFL StudioFL Studio is a digital audio workstation developed by the Belgian company Image-Line. FL Studio features a graphical user interface based on a pattern-based music sequencer...
) - Fréderic "Reflex" Vanmol (VSTVSTVST is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings:* Voice Systems Technology, Inc. - A Delaware corporation that sold Prepaid and Voicemail products based on Voice Systems Technology, Inc.'s software [VSSI] to landline and wireless carriers from 1991 until sold to Boston Communications...
implementations) - Miroslav Krajcovic (EZGenerator)
- Galina Gospodinova
External Developers
- Peter Segherdahl
- Juan "Arguru" RiusJuan Antonio Arguelles RiusJuan Antonio Arguelles Rius , also known as Arguru , was a prolific music software programmer and electronic musician, producer and songwriter, responsible for such applications as NoiseTrekker and Directwave...
(DirectWave, Deckadance) - Deceased June 2007 - Maxx Claster (Toxic, PoiZone)
- Luis Serrano
- Nam Kennic
- Robert Conde
- Stan Vassilev
External staff
- Blake Reary - Sound DesignSound designSound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking, television production, theatre, sound recording and reproduction, live performance, sound art, post-production and video game software...
- Ammeris "Buckskin" Gill - Sound DesignSound designSound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking, television production, theatre, sound recording and reproduction, live performance, sound art, post-production and video game software...
- Kannan