[Help] Cant seem to get a good mix going.

[Halt]

Well. I have been toying with FL for a few days prolly bout 8-12 hours, just messing around. but since they replay the notes every time around. i cant seem to make a good mix at all,

Wasnt sure if this should be in the FL Section. (im looking for more help as to DAWs.)

[SnappleMan]

That's like saying: "HELP! I can't get my math homework done! Someone tell me the answers."

What're the exact problems you're having? How are you using the word "mix"? Do you mean you can't get a good song done in terms of composition or arrangement? Or are you asking for help in the actual mixing of your song?

[Rozovian]

but since they replay the notes every time around. i cant seem to make a good mix at all,

There's his problem, Snap.

I dunno FL very well. I've seen it once or twice on a friend's computer. Afaik, FL uses patterns, and then you can set these patterns to loop.

Figure out how to write and insert a new pattern, or stop looping and just write the whole track in the same pattern.

I could be wrong. Where are the FL users?

[SnappleMan]

I dunno FL very well. I've seen it once or twice on a friend's computer. Afaik, FL uses patterns, and then you can set these patterns to loop.

Figure out how to write and insert a new pattern, or stop looping and just write the whole track in the same pattern.

I could be wrong. Where are the FL users?

No point whatsoever in making that post... fail.

[Halt]

1. well, I dont know how to read notes or anythhing or compose im trying to throw something together, and it keeps looping, i turned off all the loop shit, and yet it still loops. id like it to just play once or twice. but Agh, I have messed with it all day.

Just getting very agitated.

im still learning so im trying out things.

[SnappleMan]

1. well, I dont know how to read notes or anythhing or compose im trying to throw something together, and it keeps looping, i turned off all the loop shit, and yet it still loops. id like it to just play once or twice. but Agh, I have messed with it all day.

Just getting very agitated.

im still learning so im trying out things.

Well, considering you've only been at it for 8 hours or so, I assume you just jumped in without reading the help files or the manual. I strongly suggest you do this as you play with the software. Don't worry on making a song just yet, first thing you have to do is learn. FL is loop based, if you don't like that, you'll need to try something different. I assume you pirated FL studio, so it's no big deal to switch over to something like Reaper which is pretty much free. Reaper works like a more traditional DAW and you can work in a linear way with it, which is what you seem to want to do. Anyway, be sure to read all the documentation, and search google for stuff like "Fruity Loops Tutorial" or "Reaper Tutorial". There are countless detailed tutorials out there (even youtube videos), targeted specifically to helping new users learn the basics.

But yeah, ALWAYS read help files and manuals, and never assume you can just dive into anything. You need to have a basic understanding of how DAWs work in general, and a basic understanding of music theory (google again) to really get anything out of your time with this stuff.

[Halt]

Alright. But I planed to BUY FL. im on the Demo. Not so sure i will anymore. Reaper, just seemd like Blah, so I think i shall look into a different DAW.

Loop based is just :S

[Lunahorum]

FL doesn't have to be loop based though. Try writing the whole song in one pattern for instance. Reaper is awesome, but maybe you should go with Sonar 7, it has more power user features such as groove quantize (not available in FL -- at least not like I want it) and audio snap. Or maybe look into cubase.

I would highly recommend using reaper as it works great and does most of what professional DAWs do for free ($$ for commercializing it). Maybe after a year or so, you could blow some cash on a professional DAW.

[big giant circles]

All due respect, but if you can't figure out FL, then you sure as hell better not try sonar or cubase.

Also, you can't expect to be a master after toying around with a demo program a couple days. One of the best ways to learn the program is to start out slow, and not worry about making a "mix". Besides, you can't save your work in the demo anyway, so there'd be no point. And if you did somehow make an incredible song, you'd be screwed because you couldn't save your project file.

I recommend just opening up the "Cool Stuff" folder and browsing through the demo songs. Make sure both your step sequencer window AND the playlist windows are open. Step sequencer is on the left where you can click in the notes. Playlist is typically on the right - where you can draw in the gray blocks. The point of FL is to create patterns OR loops which you then use to construct your song. You can make a pattern as long as you want to, or as short as one measure. Loops are great, because you end up repeating certain things quite a lot, especially in electronic music, and FL makes it easy to reuse melodic and rhythmic patterns.

Just play around with it, and expect to start out slow. If you're frustrated after like, a couple days, then I politely suggest you might not have the patience to be an effective composer/arranger/remixer.

[Yoozer]

Possible causes:

1) http://www.flstudio.com/htmlhelp/html/panel_transport.htm - there's a difference between Pattern and Song mode.

2) All sequencers have loop markers. See if that's not switched on anywhere.

Like Snapple said, before starting a dozen threads, read the manual and take your time. Write down what you don't know. Look in the on-line help of FL Studio. The most important step in making music all by yourself without help from a band is learning self reliance and the best way to learn it is to dive in and work your way through.

"Yeah Yoozer, but you've got it easy, you already know all this stuff."

Yes. I figured it out in exactly the way as described above and couldn't ask people on the internet until 1999 or so, and it took until 2001 until there was a forum with enough traffic. I started learning in 1991.

Loop/pattern-based is actually not bad; any pop song has something like

intro

verse

verse

chorus

verse

chorus

bridge

chorus

outro

as a structure, and most electronic music is even worse (in terms of repeating patterns). Why completely rebuild everything from scratch when you need the same thing?

[Halt]

All due respect, but if you can't figure out FL, then you sure as hell better not try sonar or cubase.

Also, you can't expect to be a master after toying around with a demo program a couple days. One of the best ways to learn the program is to start out slow, and not worry about making a "mix". Besides, you can't save your work in the demo anyway, so there'd be no point. And if you did somehow make an incredible song, you'd be screwed because you couldn't save your project file.

I recommend just opening up the "Cool Stuff" folder and browsing through the demo songs. Make sure both your step sequencer window AND the playlist windows are open. Step sequencer is on the left where you can click in the notes. Playlist is typically on the right - where you can draw in the gray blocks. The point of FL is to create patterns OR loops which you then use to construct your song. You can make a pattern as long as you want to, or as short as one measure. Loops are great, because you end up repeating certain things quite a lot, especially in electronic music, and FL makes it easy to reuse melodic and rhythmic patterns.

Just play around with it, and expect to start out slow. If you're frustrated after like, a couple days, then I politely suggest you might not have the patience to be an effective composer/arranger/remixer.

I have been irratated alot lately, I just didnt want to take the time to mess anymore tonight. wanted to get it fixed and just make a simple mix. not planning to save. and i have tryed to make sure its not looping. and i failed. =/ ill look through manuals and whatnot.

[Tensei]

If you don't plan on making loop-based music, here's what you do, basically you give the whole loop-based pattern system the finger.

1. Set the switch at the top to 'pattern' instead of 'song'

2. Go to channels-> add one-> whatever you need, try BooBass or something, or a VSTi you like. A new icon with the channels name should pop up in the step sequencer.

3. Right click on the channel you just added-> piano roll

4. Start writing!

5. If you want more instruments just repeat step 2-3

Yes it will still loop, but you can write your entire song in this one pattern.

[SnappleMan]

If you don't plan on making loop-based music, here's what you do, basically you give the whole loop-based pattern system the finger.

1. Set the switch at the top to 'pattern' instead of 'song'

2. Go to channels-> add one-> whatever you need, try BooBass or something, or a VSTi you like. A new icon with the channels name should pop up in the step sequencer.

3. Right click on the channel you just added-> piano roll

4. Start writing!

5. If you want more instruments just repeat step 2-3

Yes it will still loop, but you can write your entire song in this one pattern.

That sounds so gay

Writing non loop based music in FL studio is like roasting a holiday turkey in the microwave.

[Tensei]

That sounds so gay

Writing non loop based music in FL studio is like roasting a holiday turkey in the microwave.

Apparently I love microwaved holiday turkey. :>

[big giant circles]

That sounds so gay

Writing non loop based music in FL studio is like roasting a holiday turkey in the microwave.

Ha, I remember back in the day, that remixer affiliates website or whatever it was and people would post screenshots. I think roe taka made all his songs in one pattern.

I can't stand this method, personally. I typically have a billion patterns by the time I'm finished.

[Halt]

If you don't plan on making loop-based music, here's what you do, basically you give the whole loop-based pattern system the finger.

1. Set the switch at the top to 'pattern' instead of 'song'

2. Go to channels-> add one-> whatever you need, try BooBass or something, or a VSTi you like. A new icon with the channels name should pop up in the step sequencer.

3. Right click on the channel you just added-> piano roll

4. Start writing!

5. If you want more instruments just repeat step 2-3

Yes it will still loop, but you can write your entire song in this one pattern.

Thats what I dont want. I dont want to write it in one pattern. to me, thats just Bleh

ill try it out anyhow,

[The Author]

Ha, I remember back in the day, that remixer affiliates website or whatever it was and people would post screenshots. I think roe taka made all his songs in one pattern.

I can't stand this method, personally. I typically have a billion patterns by the time I'm finished.

Yeah, I work with patterns now, and well, you can loop things rather well, especially when it comes to drums. (I'm saying this as an amateur though, I still have a lot to learn.)

Start with something simple. Don't start remixing. That was my first mistake. Try to make a song with something simple, like a children's song. The simplicity will mean that you'll learn the software without worrying about the other aspects of remixing.

And use loops, it's a lot easier to synchronize things than with the piano roll. That was my second mistake. I jumped right into the piano roll without seeing the potential of multiple patterns that loop. Once you get a better idea of what you are doing, you can put the melody in piano roll, then use the playlist to combine your drum loops with the melody.

Finally, MAKE LOTS OF VERSIONS. in your case, with the demo you can't really save, so you should basically just keep reworking the same song multiple times. Export the results in MP3s, and see the different results. FL studio is good, and there is a lot you can do with it, so just keep at it. You'll learn a lot by doing, something I realized this week, what with my 4 different songs using the same base material (only 1 that I actually like, and even then, it is in dire need of loving)

[Tensei]

Actually whether you work with patterns or not depends on the music you make. I hate having to make an entirely new pattern if I want to make a variation as small as a crash hit instead of a hi-hat, so I just sequence the entire drum track in a single pattern. I can see the merits of loop based songwriting in UNTZ UNTZ TECHNOES tracks though :>

[Lunahorum]

I almost always drums in one pattern and instruments in the other. Then I put automation stuff in the other patterns. Just the way I prefer to work. I like seeing everything in one piano roll. I guess if FL could have multiple piano rolls open at once, then I would do it in multiple patterns.

[DDRKirby(ISQ)]

Actually whether you work with patterns or not depends on the music you make. I hate having to make an entirely new pattern if I want to make a variation as small as a crash hit instead of a hi-hat, so I just sequence the entire drum track in a single pattern. I can see the merits of loop based songwriting in UNTZ UNTZ TECHNOES tracks though :>

method 1: copy + paste notes into a different measure of the pattern, substitute crash hit.

method 2: copy + paste notes into a different pattern, substitute crash hit.

o_o;?

not saying that you should change the way you work, but I don't think the reasoning is right (your initial point was good, but your specific example is not working for me).

edit: ok maybe you don't like having to manually position the new pattern. I can understand that. But wait! when you use the piano roll, you have to manually position the new notes...

[Tensei]

method 1: copy + paste notes into a different measure of the pattern, substitute crash hit.

method 2: copy + paste notes into a different pattern, substitute crash hit.

o_o;?

not saying that you should change the way you work, but I don't think the reasoning is right (your initial point was good, but your specific example is not working for me).

edit: ok maybe you don't like having to manually position the new pattern. I can understand that. But wait! when you use the piano roll, you have to manually position the new notes...

It's the minor variations that add up like that. Being a perfectionist, when I write an acoustic drum track, I try to do barely any copy+pasting without changing some stuff afterwards. The accents, velocities, even the minor things like ghost notes and the hi-hat variations all change from measure to measure for me. This would make for a drum track consisting of about 100+ patterns on average, and I just don't see the merit of this vs one long pattern.

[DDRKirby(ISQ)]

of course.

agree wholeheartedly and thanks for the explanation ^^

[Halt]

Hm. Just a Curious Question, If i had a Keyboard. that would make the Piano Roll MUCH easier? Or completely be no need for it?

What Im asking is. What are the key points to having a keyboard?

[Vivi22]

All due respect, but if you can't figure out FL, then you sure as hell better not try sonar or cubase.

Everyone has different tastes and work flow preferences. Personally, I find Sonar to be far easier to use than FL Studio (based on the demo of FL anyway), but then, Sonar just works in a way that makes sense for me and how I like my work flow to go.

[Zephyr]

Hm. Just a Curious Question, If i had a Keyboard. that would make the Piano Roll MUCH easier? Or completely be no need for it?

What Im asking is. What are the key points to having a keyboard?

It would just further complicate everything since you have no idea how to do anything even without a keyboard. You need to learn the basic FL Studio workflow, if you don't understand that and you try to move on, things will only get continually more complicated. Load up the demo projects and take a look at those for a few hours, they should let you see how to use patterns and perhaps learn something about it.

well, I dont know how to read notes or anythhing or compose im trying to throw something together, and it keeps looping, i turned off all the loop shit, and yet it still loops. id like it to just play once or twice. but Agh, I have messed with it all day.

Firstly, if you don't know how to read notes, or compose, do you have any interest in music at all? Have you done anything musical in the past? If not, maybe music isn't your thing, and even if it is, I wouldn't suggest starting remixing/composing as your first venture into music.

Also, FL Studio automatically loops songs and patterns forever, but not on a final render/mp3 so don't worry about it looping because it won't on the final one unless you want it to. PLEASE look up some basic tutorials on youtube or something and try to learn at least a little bit about the interface.