How to Copy and Paste in FL Studio
Shortcuts make everyone’s lives easier, and FL Studio is one DAW that is absolutely full of them. Knowing and applying shortcuts can save you hours of time and allows you to focus on the creative part of music production as opposed to the repetitive and tedious parts. Arguably two of the most important of all of the FL Studio keyboard shortcuts are Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste (Ctrl+V). This tutorial will show you exactly how to copy and paste in FL Studio, along with some other useful related shortcuts and the specific situations and areas of the program where you can […]
How to Record Vocals in FL Studio
Vocals can add an organic touch to any track, and can really drive home the idea and message your song sends. Some tracks will sound empty without them, like something is missing. Vocal samples are one solution, but sometimes spending hours finding the right fit or the right lyrics just isn’t practical. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to record vocals in FL Studio to give your track a unique sound. Note: You must have FL Studio Producer Edition or higher to record audio and vocals. Step 1: Buy a Microphone & Accessories If you already have all the hardware […]
How to Use the FL Studio Piano Roll
FL Studio is known for having one of the most user-friendly and intuitive scoring systems. The piano roll adds significantly to that reputation for a number of reasons. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use the FL Studio piano roll and it’s tools, including the Riff Machine. I’ve also included an FL Studio Piano Roll Shortcuts spreadsheet at the very end to streamline your production further. Let’s get started! Finding the FL Studio Piano Roll First, we need to know how to find the piano roll window. There are a few ways we can do this, outlined below: In the […]
Using Ghost Notes in FL Studio
Ghost Notes FL Studio is know for it’s awesomely user-friendly Piano roll functionality, among other things. One way to make your Piano roll workflow more efficient is by using ghost notes. Ghost notes are transparent notes from one channel in the Channel rack that show up in another channel when working in the Piano roll. They make it easy to see what notes another instrument is playing in the same pattern, and can help when layering instruments together. Here we can see two Sytrus channels in the Channel rack. One channel has notes programmed into the Piano Roll, and the […]
How to Add Plugins to FL Studio
What is a Plugin? A VST plugin is a piece of 3rd party software that you can add to your DAW. They can be virtual synthesizers, effect modules, spectrum analyzers, and everything in between. We often see the letters “VST” tacked on. VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology, and it’s a plugin interface created by the German company Steinberg (the same company behind Cubase) that allows your plugin software to seamlessly integrate with your DAW. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to add plugins to FL Studio. Let’s get crackin! Step 1: Download a Plugin There are thousands of plugins […]
Pitch Automation in FL Studio
FL Studio Pitch Automation FL Studio has a very versatile and intuitive automation system. Almost any knob, slider, button, or fader available in the user interface can be controlled and programmed to do things automatically without the user actively engaged. An instrument’s pitch is one of the more commonly used parameters for automation. We can use pitch automation to build tension just before a drop or transition and in snare risers. This quick tutorial will show you exactly how to create pitch automation in FL Studio. Let’s get started. Step 1: Find Your Instrument’s Pitch Control Knob You can access […]
How to Make a Snare Riser in FL Studio
What is a Snare Riser? A snare riser is a progression of snare drums triggered before a drop or transition in a dance music track. They help build suspense, tension, and excitement just beforehand and can really drive home an idea or main point in a song. The in the remix below, Waio uses one before a particularly filthy drop at about 3:40, and then again at around 4:30. This tutorial will show you how to make a snare riser in FL Studio. Step 1: Find Two Similar Sounding Snares We want both snares to sound similar and have a […]
What To Do When the Volume Changes Itself in FL Studio
If you’re new to FL Studio, it can be a very overwhelming experience. There are seemingly endless knobs, buttons, sliders, and everything in between. One of the most common questions asked is why the volume changes itself. The problem is due to accidental or hidden volume automation controls in FL Studio, and it’s easy to fix. This article will give you insight on FL Studio volume automation and how to fix your problems. Let’s take a look. Internal Controllers & Volume Automation In FL Studio, there are a few ways to automatically control the huge number of knobs, sliders, buttons, […]
How to Make Progressive House Stabs Using Sytrus in FL Studio
What Do You Mean, Stab? Simply put, a stab is a sound commonly used in progressive house and trance tracks. They’re usually used to make melodies, and have quick attack and release times. This means they reach full volume very quickly and then come back down to zero volume relatively fast too. You can see below that the volume envelope of a stab looks like a sharp knife or blade, hence the name. If you’re a fan of progressive house or trance, you’ll instantly recognize the stabs in a track. The intro in the Kaskade remix below has a great […]
Turn Your Android Device Into a MIDI Controller in FL Studio
MIDI Meets Android MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It’s a communications protocol that allows a digital instrument like a keyboard or synthesizer to communicate with your computer and DAW. A MIDI instrument controls the parameters assigned to it in your DAW. The keys on a MIDI keyboard are each mapped to their corresponding key in the DAW so when you strike the B key, it sends a signal to your DAW to play that note. With the advent of smartphones and the widespread use of 3rd party apps, we are now able to use an app to allow […]