FL Studio Notes

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Contents

• Notes
• Envelopes
• Key Plugins
• Additional Plugins
• Automation
  • Basic Steps
  • Copy State
  • Delete Clips
• Slicex

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Notes

• Copy Channels from Rack to Mixer: Select channels in Channel rack → select channel in Mixer → Ctrl+L.
• Duplicate Sections (Piano Roll): Ctrl+C, Ctrl+B.
• Dump Score Log: FL Studio is always recording midi, up to the last 30 minutes. Freestyle, then TOOLS → Score logger → Dump score log to selected pattern.
• Smart Find: RMB on folder in Brower. F2 to jump previous result, F3 to jump to next.

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Envelopes

Pulled from AULART's "Understanding Amplitude and Filter Envelopes".

• Volume

  1. Attack: how long it takes the volume to increase to its peak at the start of the note.
  2. Decay: how long it takes the volume to decrease from its peak to the sustain level.
  3. Sustain: how long the volume stays at its peak.
  4. Release: how long it takes the volume to fade out to its minimum level.

• Filter

  1. Attack: how long it takes the frequency to increase to its peak at the start of the note.
  2. Decay: how long it takes the frequency to decrease from its peak to the sustain level.
  3. Sustain: how long the frequency stays at its peak.
  4. Release: how long it takes the frequency to fade out to its minimum level.

Synth ENV or Contour controls set the amount of envelope applied to the cutoff frequency.

With more than one envelope on a synth their combined effects will have unpredictable results.

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Key Plugins

• Patcher: loads as instrument or mixer effect, stacks modules internally.
• Edison: sample recorder/cleaner/trimmer/manipulator.
• NewTone: pitch corrector on samples.
• NewTime: use to retime samples.
• *Directwave: sampler. Select from Packs → right-click → send to channel to load.
• Harmor: advanced synth.
• *Harmless: slim version of Harmor. Pull in the pluck and experiment.
• *Transistor Bass: excellent Roland 303-ish bassline tool that spins up a different line for each midi note.
• FL Keys: great Rhodes preset.
• *FLEX: go-to for production-ready sounds.
• *3x Osc: most stripped-down synth, good for learning.
• *Sim Synth: a step above 3x Osc with great basic presets.
• Ogun: breathy, metallic, atmospheric sounds.
• Autogun: stripped-down version of Ogun that has loads of presets, good for inspiration.
• GMS: gritty sounds. Access the BANK from the display to get at the presets.
• *Morphine: additive synth. A deep-dive learning investment would pay dividends.
• **Poizone: "thick" sounds. Select OPTIONS from the display → reset to blank → experiement. Try playing with cutoff first.
• Sakura: string sounds, textured and breathy pads.
• Sawyer: rich analog synth.
• **Sytrus: massively useful synth, would also pay huge dividends to learn.
• Toxic Biohazard: gritty, dirty, edged sounds. Ambient drones, soundscape creation.
• DX10: classic FM synth, bells and metallic sounds.
• Slicex: the go-to for slicing of samples.
• Balance: excellent for basic control of panning and gain.
• Fruity PanOMatic: X/Y automation of pan and gain with additional LFO capabilities.
• Wave Candy: visualizer for audio signal.
• Fruity Mute 2: allows automation of muting (this cannot be done from the mixer).
• Pitcher: autotune.
• Fruity Send: sends audio from one channel to another.
• **Gross Beat: time and volume manipulator for the mixer.
• *Maximus: mastering master. Stereo widening, saturation, limiting, compression. Use on master bus.
• Soundgoodizer: stripped-down version of Maximus for quick mastering effects.
• *Transient Processor: used to dial in the dynamics on a track or instrument. Attack can take away the kicks and snares or accentuate them. Quicker and easier than using a compressor.
• *EQUO: graphic equalizer that can pan based on frequency ranges. Sometimes you want to send the highs to the left and the lows to the right.
• *Parametric EQ 2: the equalizer for overall control.
• *Fruity Love Philter: advanced filter that can run 8 filters in sequence or parallel.
• **Convolver: reverb master.
• Reverb 2: simpler reverb.
• Delay 3: top-end delay. Best for automation.
• Fruity Delay Bank: can run 8 delays in sequence for varying effects.
• Flangus: great static flange effects, may have automation errors.
• Distructor: distortion stack.
• Control Surface: useful for linking custom controllers to multiple parameters for automation.

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Additional Plugins

• Fresh Air (Mixer): cleans up high end and mid-to-high end frequencies.

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Automation

Basic Steps:

1. Highlight Playlist track to automate (Not required for Mixer automation).
2. Right-click control to automate and select Create automation clip.
3. Best practice: Name, color, and group the clip for organization.

Advanced Steps:

1. Double-click an automation clip from the Playlist sidebar.
2. Enable LFO.
3. Twist knobs and have fun.

Copy State:

1. Create target automation clip.
2. Double-click the source automation clip.
3. Click the Wrench and select Copy state.
4. Double-click the target automation clip.
5. Click the Wrench and select Paste state.

Delete Clips:

1. In Channel Rack Automation folder, delete target clip.
2. In Browser: Current Project → Patterns → Initialized controls → select and delete.

Notes

• Created automation clips are added to the Automation Folder in the Channel Rack.
• Points are created on the value line in the automation clip by right-click.
• Alt+left-click to drag point fluidly.
• Ctrl+left-click to drag vertically.
• Shift+left-click to drag horizontally.
• Right-click on created points to open options such as Delete, Mode, Copy/Paste/Type in a value.
• To set point to precise value, right-click the control, copy the value, then paste it onto an automation clip point.
• The range of a clip can be clamped by double-clicking and adjusting the Min and Max knobs.
• Use "Link to controller..." to reuse an existing automation clip. From the Internal controller rollout select the aclip and ensure Remove conflicts is disabled.

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Track Freezing

To "pre-compose" tracks or sections of tracks:

Render as Audio Clip

1. Right-click pattern from Playlist picker.
2. Render and replace

Render to Wave File

1. Create a new track on the Playlist below the track to be frozen.
2. Select portion of Playlist containing portion to be frozen.
3. Solo the track containing the portion to be frozen.
4. Arm disk recording on Mixer track(s) containing sends and effects for selected track.
5. In Mixer: Options → Disk recording → enable all → Render to wave file(s)... Alt+R

Use the Mute tool in the Playlist to keep the original MIDI or sample selection in the project.

This process reduces CPU usage at the cost of more RAM usage.

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Slicex

Notes

• Drag and drop loops into Slicex.
• Right-click sliced clip to preview.
• Drag sample onto Marker Name to begin replacement. Select Filling Method → None to drop without stretching.
• Shift + Drag loop onto timeline to append new loop.
• Dump Score to Piano Roll allows full preview with appended loop(s).
• Official documentation.

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Transistor Bass

Notes

• There are 2 semitones between each whole note and its adjacent sharp or flat, so 4 semitones betweens each whole note.
• The Tuning knob adjusts in semitones.
• Lay down a bass line, automate the tuning, have keys or other drones follow the tuning.

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