Who is using FL Studio? If you want to have an idea of your possibilities with FL Studio 20, you can take a look at some of the artists using Image-Line's software. One of them is the young DJ Martin Garrix, which is one of the top DJs in the world right now. Garrix says FL Studio 20 os the easiest music production software, with fast results. Haha I knew this would be the question I was a2a! As a person who pirated Fl studio for 3 years (Image Line I'm a changed man please forgive me!!) I must say you're setting yourself up for failure by trying to get it for free.
If you're looking for an FL Studio tutorial to get started making music with this powerful DAW, then you're in the right place!So where do we begin?
With what seems like a million buttons, getting started can seem intimidating.
But there's no need to fear! This article will guide you through the menus and tools in FL Studio's interface, so you can learn everything you need to get started without opening up the manual!
The Menu Bar
The menu bar contains many useful functions and panels. You will find yourself using these windows frequently, so be sure to become familiar with the features and their locations.
File
File is an important section in FL Studio. Like most programs, the File tab is where you can create a new project, open a project, save a project, import/export a project, and quickly access recent projects.
While all these operations are standard ones that are easy to use, there is one important button you should know more about.
The one we're referring to is called 'New from template'. Clicking this will open an additional window. In this additional window, you can open a blank project with specific pre-determined features.
These pre-determined features include a kick, clap, hi hat and snare and the type of master output you'd like. Each template includes a description, so you can read through the different templates and select the one that best suits your needs.
Since you'll be using this feature and the others located in the File tab frequently, we've laid out some of the hotkeys below for you to memorize:
This way, you'll be able to save time throughout the creation process. It might not seem like much time, but when you're constantly using these keys, you'll be thankful for these shortcuts.
Open = Ctrl + O
Save = Ctrl + S
Save as = Shift + Ctrl + S
Save new version = Ctrl + N
Recent Projects = Alt + 1
Edit
The Edit tab is relatively brief but does contain very important controls. Undo, cut, copy, and paste are all incredibly important tools to use in FL Studio.
Using undo will erase your most recent action, which comes in handy when you make a mistake.
Cutting a selected object ‘cuts' it off of your screen so that you can paste it somewhere else. You'll use this often when you feel as though a piece of your track, like a snare or vocal, sounds better in another part of the song. It takes a lot of tries to get your track sounding completely cohesive, so this will be done regularly.
Using the copy function will simply allow you to duplicate a selection. This is great for when you finally create a beat you like and want to spread it throughout the entire track. All you would need to do is simply copy the beat and paste it throughout your song.
While using the Edit tab to implement these controls is acceptable, memorizing the hotkeys will be more favorable for your efficiency and workflow.
Undo = Ctrl + X
Cut =Ctrl + X
Copy = Ctrl + C
Paste = Ctrl + V
Add
The add menu is very important, because it is where you can select VSTs to add to your composition. In other words, if you want to load a virtual instrument, this is one way you can load VSTs into your project.
Note that you'll be able to do the same thing by clicking the '+' in the channel rack.
And to help you find the VSTs you're looking for faster, toggle between categories, simple, and tree. This will change the way the VSTs are organized. Using the simple option keeps everything in alphabetical order, which is most helpful when hunting for a specific VST to select.
You can also click 'More plugins.' to search for newly-downloaded VSTs.
Patterns
The patterns section will allow you select different patterns that you create from the channel rack, which we will talk more about later in the article.
Alternatively, you can select patterns from the drop-down window above the playlist.
View
The View tab in FL's menu bar will allow you to choose which windows are visible. This will help you keep things organized as you're producing.
The first thing you need to know about this tab is that the windows that are currently open will have a black checkmark next to them.
You'll also notice that there's a toolbars section in the View tab. This will allow you to select which tools to include in the toolbar. This means you have the ability to remove certain sections from the toolbar should you want to make more room for other tools.
This will further help you stay organized, because you'll be able to have your most used tools all in one place.
One of the most useful controls in the View section though, is the ability to close all windows. If your CPU starts to overload or things start to lag, simply click 'Close all windows' to help things move steadily again!
The hotkey to close all windows is F12.
Options
The options tab is where you can configure the settings within your DAW.
The MIDI settings can configure your MIDI devices and which ones are connected, while the Audio settings can control your inputs and outputs and so on.
Be sure to explore these settings to customize your production experience.
Tools
In the tools section, one of the most helpful options is the browser smart find.
Clicking this will allow you to search your browser for a specific sample. This is incredibly useful when you know you want a specific sample but can't remember which folder it is located in.
From the tools section, you will also have the ability to quickly set up audio recordings or even create a random a riff melody for some instant inspiration.
? (Help)
The help section will provide you with miscellaneous resources to understand more about your DAW.
The help index will link you to a web page within Image-line's reference manual, which will contain the answer to any questions you may have.
Additionally, this is where you can register FL Studio and find links to other various web resources!
Toolbar Panels
Next to the menu bar, you will find other useful tools.
Clicking the button to the left of the play/pause button will allow you to switch between playing a playlist audio or the audio from a pattern.
The play button will play/pause your song, and the stop button will set your playhead to the beginning of the playlist. The record button will allow you to record various information, such as MIDI and audio into your DAW.
Just below the play button, the horizontal line will allow you to drag your playhead position to different periods of time in your playlist. This way, if you're working on one specific portion of your track, you'll be able to playback only that portion instead of listening to the whole track.
The BPM (beats per minute) can also be adjusted in this section. This will be useful when trying to create a specific genre, which requires a specific BPM.
Lastly, the song position box will tell you where the playhead is located in minutes/seconds, or by beats if you click in the window. You'll use this more than you think if you have a lengthy track (like a full mix) and can't remember where you last left the playhead at.
Just below it is your pattern picker, which we will explain in more depth later on in the article.
The Browser
Here in the browser, you will find a multitude of important sections that are useful in creating your music. We will cover the most essential objects located in the browser section.
Current Project
The current project section of the browser will show you the resources and history from the project that is currently open.
By clicking on history, you can see all of the recent changes made in your project. Clicking on one of these will revert the project to the selected history's data. This way, if you end up liking your first version of the song better, you can just simply restore it.
You also have the ability to select and view different patterns from here. Additionally, you can view the effect plugins, VSTi, and samples from your project in the current project section.
And finally, the remote control section is used for automation clips.
Plugin Database
The plugin database will allow you to select and browse both effect plugins and VSTi. Clicking and dragging them to the mixer or channel rack respectively will open the selected plugin.
You can also add new plugins with this section by clicking 'more plugins' in the add section in the menu bar. Newly-found VSTs will be placed in the 'new' folder for ease of access.
Backup
The backup section is very useful as it contains autosaved versions of your project. Should you chose to load one of the auto-saved versions of your project, simply give it a double click!
Packs
The packs section of the browser is where all of your samples will be organized. This is an incredibly useful section of the browser because most, if not all, of your percussion sounds will be located in this section.
FL comes with some stock samples, mostly residing in the Legacy folder. However it is crucial that you expand your sample library to add diversity to your tracks. If you need more samples, check out these free downloads!
It is important to keep these folders organized for ease of access to your samples.
Now that you understand the fundamental tools and their locations in the FL, let's dive a little deeper!
Get access to over 10,000 sounds plus hundreds of courses & tutorials - Click Here
The Channel Rack
The Channel rack, previously known as the step sequencer, is where you can arrange drums and other sounds.
In its earlier versions, the main focus of FL was its step sequencer, which allowed the user to sequence sounds easily and intuitively.
Over the years, the sequencer has evolved into the channel rack, which is now much more advanced and versatile.
To sequence drums, try clicking on the grey and red buttons. Then play it back to hear what you create!
Using Fl Studio 20
Each color change from grey to red represents each beat in the time signature. As you can see below, it has four beats. This is considered a 4/4 time signature.
The speaker icon next to 'Channel rack' will play your pattern.
Just to its left, you will find a drop down menu containing folders. This allows you to organize samples and VSTs that you add by specific sections!
Even your automation clips will be categorized into their own folder! To create an automation clip, right click the parameter and adjust the anchor points of the generated clip to manipulate the automation.
The green ‘lights' let you know that the corresponding channel is active. Clicking any green light will effectively mute the channel.
Similarly, holding ctrl while clicking on one of the green lights will solo the corresponding channel.
Using Fl Studio 20
Next to the mute/solo lights, you will find the pan and volume knobs. More precise volume and pan controls can also be found in the mixer.
Clicking and dragging on the numbers to the right of the volume knobs will affect which mixer channel the elements are assigned to, which leads us into the next section.
The Mixer
The mixer is what all of your audio will funnel into.
Starting on the right side, you will notice ten slots. These slots are where you can apply channel effects like a reverb on a single channel, or a limiter on the master channel as seen in this screenshot.
Below the effects slots you will find an EQ (Equalizer). This EQ is useful for very quick fixes, but using an EQ plugin in the effects slots will always give you more control and flexibility.
In the middle of the mixer, you will notice inserts 1-125. Remember those numbers we talked about earlier in the channel rack? They correspond with the numbers in the mixer's inserts so that you can apply EQ, reverb, delay, and many more effects to specific sounds!
Just like the channel rack, clicking the green ‘lights' can be used to mute or solo the insert. This way you have control over the elements that you want to focus on while creating your track. This is crucial during the mixing process.
Below the mute/solo buttons, you will find a pan knob. Below the pan you will find a volume fader. Levels are one of the most important things to control to achieve a clean mix, so using the faders in the mixer is very important.
And of course, all the way to the left you will find the master channel. You can also view your master db from this section.
The Piano Roll
You might have seen videos of old pianos that can play music on their own.
Those special pianos are fed note information that tell it what keys to play and when.
In today's digital age, producers can create music in a similar fashion with what is known as a piano roll.
Piano rolls allow the user to sequence note information (known as MIDI). This is where you will write all of your melodies, chords, bass lines, etc.
To draw a note, simply click in the piano roll's window.
Dragging the note up or down will change which key on the piano roll it plays, while clicking and dragging the end of the note left or right will make it shorter or longer.
Double-clicking a note will allow you to change its pan, volume, release, and even its numerical duration.
From the main menu drop-down menu, you can open MIDI files, export note information, create arps, generate ghost notes, and much more.
Take a look at the drop down menu and play around with the settings until they are configured to your liking!
To delete a note, simply give it a right click. Alternatively, you can select groups of notes with the select tool and hit your delete key to remove a large portion of notes at once.
Fruity Loops Beginner Guide
The Playlist
The playlist is the last section that we will cover to help you get started with FL Studio.
In this section of the DAW, you will lay out all of the elements of your track.
The main menu (1) is similar in its controls to the piano roll, so check out its settings and configure them to your liking. You will find many useful tools here like snap settings and the ability to add time markers (2).
The tool bar is where you will find many useful controls for the playlist. To select a tool, simply click on it.
The magnet symbol (3) controls how the grid ‘snaps.' The smaller the interval, the looser things will feel when you arrange them in your playlist. The larger the interval, the stiffer arranging objects will feel. Usually, keeping things on the stiffer side will make things easier to manage.
Next is the draw tool (4), which places your selected item in your playlist and instantaneously gives you the option to drag it left or right.
Similarly, the paintbrush tool (5) will allow you to click to add your item to the playlist, while dragging to the left and right will duplicate the item. This is useful for arranging percussion and patterns that repeat!
Fl Studio Tutorials For Beginners
The delete tool (6) deletes anything that you click. Right-clicking objects will also delete them, even when the delete tool is not in-use.The mute tool (7) will mute any object that you click without deleting it. Re-clicking the object will unmute it. An object will appear ‘greyed-out' to let you know it is muted.
The slip tool (8) will allow you to shift the contents of a sample or pattern object left or right within the clip while retaining the duration and starting/ending points. Simply click and drag to ‘slip' the content. This can be used creatively to mix and match audio samples.
The slice tool (9) slices objects into as many sections as you need. Simply click and drag the line generated by the tool vertically against the object to split it into multiple sections. This is useful for truncating bits of audio, instead of a tedious and repetitive click and drag of several objects.
Next, the select tool (10) selects objects. Click an object to select it, or click and drag to select many objects at once. You know an object is selected when it turns red.
The zoom tool (11) allows you to adjust the duration displayed on your playlist. Another quick way to zoom is to hold control + scrolling up and down.
The playback tool (12) will allow you to playback individual objects. To do this, simply click on the object.
To make selections, like the one shown in the image, simply right click and drag in the dark greenish/grey where the numbers of each bar are. This will create a red selection, and when played, this section will loop.
And finally, to deselect the section, simply double click on the timeline (bars).
FL Studio Tutorial - Conclusion
Now that you understand the locations and features of the fundamental tools in FL Studio, it's time to get your feet wet and start applying your knowledge!
But first, here are a few quick reminders:
- Use FL's hotkeys to be most efficient with your time.
- The 'Add' section of the menu bar is where you can add VSTi to your channel rack.
- Your samples and VSTs will appear in the channel rack section and can be divided into several folders.
- All of your audio is routed through the mixer, and can also be individualized to specific inserts.
- The piano roll is where you will write your musical ideas.
- Your objects will be sequenced in the playlist.
For a more in-depth FL Studio tutorial, check out the 'FL Studio Essential Training Level 1: Beginner' course on Academy.fm.
Check out this excerpt from the course taught by SeamlessR.
Right now, you can actually access this course and hundreds of others like it for free by clicking here.
Now we want to hear from you!
What else would you like to see in an FL Studio tutorial?
Let us know in the comments section below!
When it comes to making beats in FL Studio, there are literally hundreds of ways to use samples!
In this tutorial, you'll learn a simple way to start making sample-based beats.
But a warning:
This is just ONE way to sample in FL Studio.
There are plenty of other methods you can use, so feel free to cherry pick whatever works for you in this article.
Lantastic 7.0 download. Now let's get started at the very beginning…
Before you continue reading…
This tutorial is a beginner's guide and doesn't cover how to pitch shift and time-stretch your samples
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
Finding samples for your projects
Step one is to find songs or sounds you want to sample.
A great place to start is online.
There are plenty of online resources to find songs and loops to download for free.
But be careful if you plan to make beats for profit. Most of the sounds you find are prohibited by the copyright police.
So be cautious. Try searching for royalty free samples, loops and sound libraries.
Royalty free samples allow you to use the content without copyright infringement.
Sample libraries also contain higher quality audio files in wav format, occasionally labelled with tempo and key.
If you're just practicing and have no intention of sharing your music, then sample whatever you want!
But if you're looking to practice safe sampling, start with licensed sound libraries, sample packs and drum kits.
Once you've downloaded audio files you want to sample, it's time to create a new FL Studio project.
How to import samples into FL Studio
Step two is to extract the section you want to sample.
To do this, we'll use Edison to import the audio file.
Open Edison by clicking on its icon in the menu.
Next, import the audio file you downloaded in the previous step.
With the full audio file loaded into Edison, it's time to start sampling.
Use Edison to play the audio file until you find a section of the song you want to sample.
Ideally, you want to find at least 4 bars of music that loop seamlessly.
Once you've found a loop, you can drag along the waveform to highlight it.
After you've highlighted the loop, you can send it to the Playlist.
How to find the tempo of a sample in FL Studio
Once the sample is in the Playlist, you'll want to find its tempo.
Finding the tempo is essential. It helps you align the BPM of your project with your sample. This ensures that the elements in your beat are in rhythm.
Here's how you find the tempo:
Start by aligning the sample with the start of the song in the Playlist. Then change your project tempo settings until the loop matches the bars of the grid.
This confirms that your project tempo is in sync with your sample.
Another way to find the BPM of your sample is to use FL Studio's tempo detection feature.
Just right click the waveform icon in the top left corner of the audio file, and click on Detect tempo.
In the new dialog window that pops up, click the option with the widest range.
Then, the software will provide an estimated tempo of the sample.
But sometimes the result is wrong. Your best bet is to learn how to count beats using the first method.
Want 100% accuracy for the tempo? Settlers 7 for mac download.
Learn a little-known method for finding the tempo without using extra software…
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
How to find the key of a sample in fl studio
After you've found the tempo, you may want to find the key.
This step requires some basic music theory, and is entirely optional.
To manually find the key of your sample, open a new instance of a simple instrument plugin, like FL Keys, in the channel rack.
3d drawing program free online. Then listen to the loop, and play the notes on your piano roll that make up the chords of the music.
If you're unsure what key makes up the notes, refer to a reference chart.
Now that you have the tempo (and key), you have a couple options:
Option #1 is to use the loop as the foundation of your beat.
Option #2 is to chop the loop to create a new pattern. Morgan freeman voice generator.
Let's discuss both…
How to loop samples in FL Studio
If you're satisfied with the loop as it stands, you can repeat it throughout your track.
To loop your samples, use the Paint tool to add new instances of the loop in the Playlist, as many times as you want.
Quick tip:
If you plan to customize the loops, you'll want to make each sample unique.
Otherwise, you'll end up changing ALL the loops in your track.
How to chop samples in FL Studio
If you prefer to chop your loops, you'll want to use a sampler instrument.
Using a sampler, you can split your loops into sections and arrange them into new patterns.
For this tutorial, we're going to use Fruity Slicer.
Other tools, like Slicex and various third party samplers, offer more advanced customization. But that's beyond the scope of this tutorial…
So what's the difference between Fruity Slicer and Slicex, you ask?
Here's a simple answer:
Slicex is a sampler instrument AND an audio editor. This makes it great for customizing each slice and sampling drum loops.
Fruity Slicer is just a sampler instrument, and is simpler to use.
So for now, let's return to Fruity Slicer to keep things simple…
First, open a new instance of Fruity Slicer in your sequencer.
Next, load the sample by clicking on the sample button, and choosing 'load sample'. Navigate to the audio file you want to import.
Once you load the sample, change the tempo of Fruity Slicer to the tempo of the sample.
Now it's time to chop the sample.
Click the slicing button and choose from the incremental options.
I recommend you choose 'Beat' as your slicing option for the best results.
You can choose to slice by fractions if you prefer, but using more slices will add complexity later.
At this stage, you should have your samples loaded and key mapped to your midi keyboard (if you're using one).
Now you can use Fruity Slicer like any other virtual instrument to make your own patterns.
Draw the notes into your piano roll to find a pattern that fits your beat.
Or play the samples on your midi keyboard while recording into FL Studio.
Experiment with your samples to put your beat together.
Since sampling is the focus of this tutorial, we're going to skip the part where you add to your beat.
This is where you would enhance your arrangement with bass, drums, one-shot vocal samples, sound FX, etc.
So let's move on to step 3 for some tips on improving your sample-based beats.
Want more control over your slices?
Learn this simple method to manually slice your samples for Fruity Slicer…
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
Tips for improving your samples
After you've set the foundation for your arrangement, you can customize your samples in the mixer.
Tip #1: Make room for the low end
Oftentimes your samples will include elements that detract from the overall mix.
This can lead to tracks that sound busy.
Your best bet is to use EQ to remove unnecessary elements.
But be careful when removing frequencies. Dynamic range is essential in music.
Tip #2: Customize the character of your samples
You might want to add mixing effects to change the feel of the sample.
For example, you can apply reverb, echo or time stretching effects to alter the sample.
There are also plenty of advanced techniques to help you create unique versions of your samples, which we'll explore later.
Tip #3: Create your own mixing presets. https://herebfile213.weebly.com/blog/transtype-4-mac-serial-number.
The playlist is the last section that we will cover to help you get started with FL Studio.
In this section of the DAW, you will lay out all of the elements of your track.
The main menu (1) is similar in its controls to the piano roll, so check out its settings and configure them to your liking. You will find many useful tools here like snap settings and the ability to add time markers (2).
The tool bar is where you will find many useful controls for the playlist. To select a tool, simply click on it.
The magnet symbol (3) controls how the grid ‘snaps.' The smaller the interval, the looser things will feel when you arrange them in your playlist. The larger the interval, the stiffer arranging objects will feel. Usually, keeping things on the stiffer side will make things easier to manage.
Next is the draw tool (4), which places your selected item in your playlist and instantaneously gives you the option to drag it left or right.
Similarly, the paintbrush tool (5) will allow you to click to add your item to the playlist, while dragging to the left and right will duplicate the item. This is useful for arranging percussion and patterns that repeat!
Fl Studio Tutorials For Beginners
The delete tool (6) deletes anything that you click. Right-clicking objects will also delete them, even when the delete tool is not in-use.The mute tool (7) will mute any object that you click without deleting it. Re-clicking the object will unmute it. An object will appear ‘greyed-out' to let you know it is muted.
The slip tool (8) will allow you to shift the contents of a sample or pattern object left or right within the clip while retaining the duration and starting/ending points. Simply click and drag to ‘slip' the content. This can be used creatively to mix and match audio samples.
The slice tool (9) slices objects into as many sections as you need. Simply click and drag the line generated by the tool vertically against the object to split it into multiple sections. This is useful for truncating bits of audio, instead of a tedious and repetitive click and drag of several objects.
Next, the select tool (10) selects objects. Click an object to select it, or click and drag to select many objects at once. You know an object is selected when it turns red.
The zoom tool (11) allows you to adjust the duration displayed on your playlist. Another quick way to zoom is to hold control + scrolling up and down.
The playback tool (12) will allow you to playback individual objects. To do this, simply click on the object.
To make selections, like the one shown in the image, simply right click and drag in the dark greenish/grey where the numbers of each bar are. This will create a red selection, and when played, this section will loop.
And finally, to deselect the section, simply double click on the timeline (bars).
FL Studio Tutorial - Conclusion
Now that you understand the locations and features of the fundamental tools in FL Studio, it's time to get your feet wet and start applying your knowledge!
But first, here are a few quick reminders:
- Use FL's hotkeys to be most efficient with your time.
- The 'Add' section of the menu bar is where you can add VSTi to your channel rack.
- Your samples and VSTs will appear in the channel rack section and can be divided into several folders.
- All of your audio is routed through the mixer, and can also be individualized to specific inserts.
- The piano roll is where you will write your musical ideas.
- Your objects will be sequenced in the playlist.
For a more in-depth FL Studio tutorial, check out the 'FL Studio Essential Training Level 1: Beginner' course on Academy.fm.
Check out this excerpt from the course taught by SeamlessR.
Right now, you can actually access this course and hundreds of others like it for free by clicking here.
Now we want to hear from you!
What else would you like to see in an FL Studio tutorial?
Let us know in the comments section below!
When it comes to making beats in FL Studio, there are literally hundreds of ways to use samples!
In this tutorial, you'll learn a simple way to start making sample-based beats.
But a warning:
This is just ONE way to sample in FL Studio.
There are plenty of other methods you can use, so feel free to cherry pick whatever works for you in this article.
Lantastic 7.0 download. Now let's get started at the very beginning…
Before you continue reading…
This tutorial is a beginner's guide and doesn't cover how to pitch shift and time-stretch your samples
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
Finding samples for your projects
Step one is to find songs or sounds you want to sample.
A great place to start is online.
There are plenty of online resources to find songs and loops to download for free.
But be careful if you plan to make beats for profit. Most of the sounds you find are prohibited by the copyright police.
So be cautious. Try searching for royalty free samples, loops and sound libraries.
Royalty free samples allow you to use the content without copyright infringement.
Sample libraries also contain higher quality audio files in wav format, occasionally labelled with tempo and key.
If you're just practicing and have no intention of sharing your music, then sample whatever you want!
But if you're looking to practice safe sampling, start with licensed sound libraries, sample packs and drum kits.
Once you've downloaded audio files you want to sample, it's time to create a new FL Studio project.
How to import samples into FL Studio
Step two is to extract the section you want to sample.
To do this, we'll use Edison to import the audio file.
Open Edison by clicking on its icon in the menu.
Next, import the audio file you downloaded in the previous step.
With the full audio file loaded into Edison, it's time to start sampling.
Use Edison to play the audio file until you find a section of the song you want to sample.
Ideally, you want to find at least 4 bars of music that loop seamlessly.
Once you've found a loop, you can drag along the waveform to highlight it.
After you've highlighted the loop, you can send it to the Playlist.
How to find the tempo of a sample in FL Studio
Once the sample is in the Playlist, you'll want to find its tempo.
Finding the tempo is essential. It helps you align the BPM of your project with your sample. This ensures that the elements in your beat are in rhythm.
Here's how you find the tempo:
Start by aligning the sample with the start of the song in the Playlist. Then change your project tempo settings until the loop matches the bars of the grid.
This confirms that your project tempo is in sync with your sample.
Another way to find the BPM of your sample is to use FL Studio's tempo detection feature.
Just right click the waveform icon in the top left corner of the audio file, and click on Detect tempo.
In the new dialog window that pops up, click the option with the widest range.
Then, the software will provide an estimated tempo of the sample.
But sometimes the result is wrong. Your best bet is to learn how to count beats using the first method.
Want 100% accuracy for the tempo? Settlers 7 for mac download.
Learn a little-known method for finding the tempo without using extra software…
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
How to find the key of a sample in fl studio
After you've found the tempo, you may want to find the key.
This step requires some basic music theory, and is entirely optional.
To manually find the key of your sample, open a new instance of a simple instrument plugin, like FL Keys, in the channel rack.
3d drawing program free online. Then listen to the loop, and play the notes on your piano roll that make up the chords of the music.
If you're unsure what key makes up the notes, refer to a reference chart.
Now that you have the tempo (and key), you have a couple options:
Option #1 is to use the loop as the foundation of your beat.
Option #2 is to chop the loop to create a new pattern. Morgan freeman voice generator.
Let's discuss both…
How to loop samples in FL Studio
If you're satisfied with the loop as it stands, you can repeat it throughout your track.
To loop your samples, use the Paint tool to add new instances of the loop in the Playlist, as many times as you want.
Quick tip:
If you plan to customize the loops, you'll want to make each sample unique.
Otherwise, you'll end up changing ALL the loops in your track.
How to chop samples in FL Studio
If you prefer to chop your loops, you'll want to use a sampler instrument.
Using a sampler, you can split your loops into sections and arrange them into new patterns.
For this tutorial, we're going to use Fruity Slicer.
Other tools, like Slicex and various third party samplers, offer more advanced customization. But that's beyond the scope of this tutorial…
So what's the difference between Fruity Slicer and Slicex, you ask?
Here's a simple answer:
Slicex is a sampler instrument AND an audio editor. This makes it great for customizing each slice and sampling drum loops.
Fruity Slicer is just a sampler instrument, and is simpler to use.
So for now, let's return to Fruity Slicer to keep things simple…
First, open a new instance of Fruity Slicer in your sequencer.
Next, load the sample by clicking on the sample button, and choosing 'load sample'. Navigate to the audio file you want to import.
Once you load the sample, change the tempo of Fruity Slicer to the tempo of the sample.
Now it's time to chop the sample.
Click the slicing button and choose from the incremental options.
I recommend you choose 'Beat' as your slicing option for the best results.
You can choose to slice by fractions if you prefer, but using more slices will add complexity later.
At this stage, you should have your samples loaded and key mapped to your midi keyboard (if you're using one).
Now you can use Fruity Slicer like any other virtual instrument to make your own patterns.
Draw the notes into your piano roll to find a pattern that fits your beat.
Or play the samples on your midi keyboard while recording into FL Studio.
Experiment with your samples to put your beat together.
Since sampling is the focus of this tutorial, we're going to skip the part where you add to your beat.
This is where you would enhance your arrangement with bass, drums, one-shot vocal samples, sound FX, etc.
So let's move on to step 3 for some tips on improving your sample-based beats.
Want more control over your slices?
Learn this simple method to manually slice your samples for Fruity Slicer…
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
Tips for improving your samples
After you've set the foundation for your arrangement, you can customize your samples in the mixer.
Tip #1: Make room for the low end
Oftentimes your samples will include elements that detract from the overall mix.
This can lead to tracks that sound busy.
Your best bet is to use EQ to remove unnecessary elements.
But be careful when removing frequencies. Dynamic range is essential in music.
Tip #2: Customize the character of your samples
You might want to add mixing effects to change the feel of the sample.
For example, you can apply reverb, echo or time stretching effects to alter the sample.
There are also plenty of advanced techniques to help you create unique versions of your samples, which we'll explore later.
Tip #3: Create your own mixing presets. https://herebfile213.weebly.com/blog/transtype-4-mac-serial-number.
Once you've experimented with enough plugins, you'll find particular settings that you like.
Be sure to save your favorite configurations as presets. All of duty.
Activision call of duty black ops 4 support. As you work, create new mixing channels for your samples, and save your configurations.
Congrats on making it this far!
Have fun sampling, and hit us up if you have any questions.
