The FL Studio thread (share tips, tricks, secrets etc.)

sdm

sdm

This is Dog Fort
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Joined
Nov 29, 2001
Calling all FL Studio / Fruityloops users worldwide! Step into a thread where we can share tips, tricks, secrets, ideas, and work flows for this quality music production package.

I'll kick things off for beginners with a video hosted on YouTube, check out this beginners guide to using FL Studio 6.x:

[youtube]jWO-EgamqnU[/youtube]

Plenty more tutorial videos on YouTube here.
 
How to sidechain in FL Studio

First, wack your kicks and bass into seperate mixer channels.

Next put a fruity peak controller on the kick drums channel.

Next put a fruity balance on the bass channel.

Next, keep the fruity balance infront of you and right click volume knob and select 'Link to controller...'

Now a 'remote control settings' box will pop up, if you look around about the upper middle you'll see a box labled 'Internal controller'. Click the drag down bar and a set of things to link to should pop up.

Now select the 'peak ctrl FX #' depending on which channel you placed the peak controller you want to link to.

Now select the 'peak' parameter and only the peak parameter.

Now when you got that linked up go to the peak controller and fiddle with the 'Peak' settings which is the top box. You're aiming for the kick to not clash with the bass so fiddle with it so that the bass ducks out for a few milliseconds and allows the kick to come through full effect.
 
How to make subs in FL Studio

One of the best features of FL is the sampler...So what I do if I am using FL is use simple sampled waveforms from a good Hardware synth and layer them using the Sampler channels...The sampler has everything you need for Subtractive Synthisis (I really like their filters, a lot of people don't, but I like the character they add)...
On to the process...

A) Find any sample pack that contains basic sampled waveforms from Hardware synth.

B) Create a new project in FL.

C) Use 1 sampler channel for each Oscilator you are going to use (some people then use the Layer channelto tie the Osc's together, but I don't) and load up each waveform.

D) Create your bass sound (I don't know how much you know about synthisis, but a good understanding is needed. Same goes for FL)...Make sure that it just creates the mix of the Osc's, I wouldn't do any filter or dynamic modification of the sound at this point. Reason being that if you do it at this point, it may not fit in the tune your creating...Just create the raw sound filled with harmonics.*

E) Set up a Sustained note that plays for 2-4 bars at a tempo of 174 (or whatever your tempo is)...You can also set up any effects you need/want on the mixer. Bounce it down to a wav...I don't know your set-up, but what I do is send it to my outboard mixer and record the sound into Soundfordge from the mixer...It can add warmth and the all important "air".

F) Open up the song you what the bass sound in, create a sampler channel and load your new sound...Now, sequence your bass line and adjust your filters and envelopes at this point to fit with the needs of your tune.

*unless you want differnt effects/filters/modulation to effect the individuale waveforms before they are mixed.
 
And not really to do with Fruity specifically, but something that is handy for all music makers with little music theory, a scale and key chart.



Major Scale in Every Key
C = C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C
D = D - E - F# - G - A - B - C# - D
E = E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D# - E
F = F - G - A - Bb - C - D - E - F
G = G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G
A = A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A
B = B - C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A# - B
C# = C# - D# - E# (=F) - F# - G# - A# - B# (=C) - C#
Db = Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C - Db
Eb = Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C - D -Eb
F# = F#= F# - G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E# (=F) - F#
Gb = Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb (=B) - Db - Eb - F - Gb
Ab = Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - G - Ab
Bb = Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G - A - Bb





Minor Scale in Every Key
C = C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C
D = D - E - F - G - A - Bb - C - D
E = E - F# - G - A - B - C - D - E
F = F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F
G = G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G
A = A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A
B = B - C# - D - E - F# - G - A - B
C# = C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - B - C#
Eb = Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb - Db - Eb
F# = F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E - F#
G# = G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E - F# - G#
Bb = Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb
 
Indi that is by far the best post in the thread i've been looking for something like that for a long time... couldn't find a summed up version anywhere. You cant make tunes without the basics.
 
Dj Jammin said:
Indi that is by far the best post in the thread i've been looking for something like that for a long time... couldn't find a summed up version anywhere. You cant make tunes without the basics.
Click to expand...
:word:

Big up Indi! (y)
 
This is propably common knowledge by now but it's good to know however:

Layering Done Easy

You can add a Layer Channel to your project which triggers all channels that have been linked to it.

Add Channel -> Layer

Leave the sampler window of the new layer channel visible, then CTRL-click all the channels you want to link to the Layer (for example all bass drum kicks) and when selected, click the "Set Children" button on the Layer sampler window. The mixer channels and all individual settings remain the same but you can simply trigger all samples via the layer channel simultaneously.

Also works with VST instruments.
 
The Slicer & The Wave Editor

The wave editor in Fruity isn't really good for anything practically. You can add external programs to do the editing with CRTL-E. Add an external program to the Tools menu and browse to your favorite wave editor and tick the "open with sample" box. Every time you press CTRL-E with the sampler window open, it will override the internal editor with your selection.

The slicer's auto slice function sometimes works, sometimes it doesn't. A good way to go around this is to open your sample in an editor (I use soundforge) and use wave markers. In Soundforge this is done by simply pressing M and a marker will be added to where the cursor is. When you then open the sample in the slicer, it will chop the sample at the markers. You can even name the markers and the names will show in the piano roll window.
 
kama said:
A good way to go around this is to open your sample in an editor (I use soundforge) and use wave markers. In Soundforge this is done by simply pressing M and a marker will be added to where the cursor is. When you then open the sample in the slicer, it will chop the sample at the markers. You can even name the markers and the names will show in the piano roll window.
Click to expand...
Great tips dudes, I didn't know that the FL Slicer reads Soundforge markers, excellent!

I've not got FL Studio setup at the moment as I recently reinstalled my PC, but another little (but useful) tip is to hold CTRL while moving pretty much any slider, fader or knob as this will allow extra sensitive control over whatever you're adjusting. I used to hate it when the mixer volume slider jumped from 70% to 73% or whatever, grr!
 
kama said:
This is propably common knowledge by now but it's good to know however:

Layering Done Easy

You can add a Layer Channel to your project which triggers all channels that have been linked to it.

Add Channel -> Layer

Leave the sampler window of the new layer channel visible, then CTRL-click all the channels you want to link to the Layer (for example all bass drum kicks) and when selected, click the "Set Children" button on the Layer sampler window. The mixer channels and all individual settings remain the same but you can simply trigger all samples via the layer channel simultaneously.

Also works with VST instruments.
Click to expand...




Hey Kama this isn't working for me could you go into a little more detail.. sorry for my gayness..
 
a lot of knobs in the sampler that control time related things (lfo speed, envelope controls etc) can be right clicked and set to an exact amount of beats (i.e. you can set the attack of a sample for exactly 2 beats or whatever) comes in handy, esp on lfos and the like
 
for those that are interested, heres some samples from a 1980's fender squire bullet guitar, in a zipped loop file, all layered up and ready to go

there are 36 individual notes, they are all assigned to the right notes on the keyboard, all have the envelopes turned on with no attack and the hold is on full, the decay and sustain are set to the default fruity setting

to use, open the zipped file in fruity, the click on the layer channel at the bottom of step sequencer, click the lil wave pic in the top left corner of the channel settings and then click "save layer state as"

you now have a 1980s fender guitar on your computer, now all you gotta do is start growing your hair :slayer: :pat:
here it is: (4.04mb)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/fxmqfo


i might upload some more instrument layers soon if anyones interested....
 
How to Make Wobbly Bass using LFO


Whack your bass into a mixer channel and then put a Fruity Filter onto it.
Then put a Peak Controller onto the bass. Go to the Filter panel and right click on the cut-off knob.
Click Link To Controller and a box should appear. Click on the popdown menu for Internal Controller and choose Peak Control - LFO.
Then go back to the Peak Controller, turn the mute off and fiddle with the knobs in the bottom section.
You can choose the waveform for the LFO, adjust the speed and adjust how much filter cut you want.

Dicking around with this should give you the WUB WUB sound
 
Indi said:
How to Make Wobbly Bass using LFO


Whack your bass into a mixer channel and then put a Fruity Filter onto it.
Then put a Peak Controller onto the bass. Go to the Filter panel and right click on the cut-off knob.
Click Link To Controller and a box should appear. Click on the popdown menu for Internal Controller and choose Peak Control - LFO.
Then go back to the Peak Controller, turn the mute off and fiddle with the knobs in the bottom section.
You can choose the waveform for the LFO, adjust the speed and adjust how much filter cut you want.

Dicking around with this should give you the WUB WUB sound
Click to expand...
They sound pretty good doing it that way, nice one Indi! (y)
 
Dj Jammin said:
Hey Kama this isn't working for me could you go into a little more detail.. sorry for my gayness..
Click to expand...

Right.

Channels Menu -> Add one -> Layer

Then you have the new channel simply labeled Layer.

Then open the layer channel and move it so you can see that little button "set children", even when you click on the step sequencer to come to the front. Then CTRL and drag with L-mouse all the channels you want to assign to that layer and when they are selected press that "set children" button. You just have to move the channels next to each other to be able to select them all at once. This is done with ALT-arrow up or arrow down.
 
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