FL Studio 11 - questions as I try to rebuild

[Meteo Xavier]

My home internet is back, I am slightly more sane and competent than the last topic I posted on here, and I have a new damn computer with 10GB RAM, Quad i7 processor running Windows 7, and I need to start getting my music setup back in order. This includes Fl Studio.

Unfortunately, I can no longer find an installer for Fl Studio 9.5, the last one I was using out of stubborn aspie preference and comfort (unless some Samaritan might have one handy?), so it looks like I am to upgrade to Fl Studio 11 against my wishes. As part of my growing list of bizarre weaknesses on things no one else would have trouble on (and that I have no decent excuse for), upgrading software and diving in to get to know things again is not my strong suit, so I wanted to get some questions out while I still look around on the internet.

1. How well does FL Studio 11 stack up from 9.5 or so?

Just general opinions I guess, if you remember 9.5 or earlier than 10. I'm looking around on reviews at the same time too, but I'm not going to be using it during performances or anything, I'm just composing via samples and synths. I guess it doesn't really matter since I can't go back to 9.5 anyway, but helpful all the same.

2. Can I still get my sequencer lined up in grids instead of sound clips?

Truth be told, I don't have a logical reason to prefer the old style of grid painting versus the sound clips. It's an aspie thing I guess, but its still important to me all the same. I remember FL Studio 10 had the option somewhere, but I forget how it was supposed to be done.

3. How do I use the "bridging" option to get more RAM into FL Studio 11?

One thing I am looking forward to in the new version is going beyond 2GB-3GB limits and use more EWCC and Omnisphere in my tracks. How would I access this in FL11?

4. ...I just forgot my question here, but I'll edit this again when I remember it.

And yes, now that my internet is back, I am Googling and researching at the same time as well. It's still not as available as before because I still have a shit-ton to do to put out the fires of two-three weeks ago, but I'm trying to get a variety of info in before I jump in.

Thank you!

[Chimpazilla]

Hey Meteo, FL11 is quite nice. I barely remember 9 and I never used the legacy blocks. You can sort of emulate the blocks in FL11,

. I recommend the playlist instead, though. You use it in the same way as the blocks afaik, but you can see your midi data.

"Get sequencer lined up in grids instead of sound clips" I don't understand what you are asking, is this about the blocks? You can still "grid paint" in the playlist, you're just painting your midi patterns (that you can see) instead of those white blocks. In the playlist you can put midi patterns, and also sound clips (wavs etc.) I'm sorry if I misunderstood your question.

Bridging happens automatically when you use a 64bit version of any plugin. The wrapper will load in bridged mode automatically. FL11 seems to have corrected any bridging bugs (I have found it to be totally stable so far). The bridged plugins will operate without the 4GB limit, even though FL itself will still be operating under that limit.

Good luck!

edit: Meteo I have a friend who still has his FL9 installer on his machine, should you really want to go that route. Let me know. (but I hope you'll bravely venture into FL11 instead.)

edit #2: Here is the installer for FL9.1, if you end up needing it.

Edited July 1, 2013 by Chimpazilla

[Meteo Xavier]

Thank you Krist, I'll have a look at that later.

Yeah, I think I mean the legacy blocks. I've just always had it that way and I want to keep it as close to how I had it as possible (it took me 9 f'n years to get it where I wanted it, I don't have that time to re-do it!). 11 will most definitely have things I want to use, like that bridging option so I'm not limited to 2GB-3GB RAM like before, but I still need to be careful how I do it.

[timaeus222]

1. How well does FL Studio 11 stack up from 9.5 or so?

It's a nice improvement. A few new tools (like Fruity Waveshaper, for example), more memory support IIRC, a new pattern organization method, etc. Personally I think the new pattern organization is easier to use. Now you don't have to pointlessly click on the pattern in the Legacy Blocks section to be able to use the pattern (it's now a dropdown menu of patterns). It takes about a day or two to get used to, but it's helpful. You also don't have to scroll down to the last pattern in your list just to use it; you can access it from that dropdown menu which fits your screen, most likely. Workflow won't change too much otherwise, I think.

2. Can I still get my sequencer lined up in grids instead of sound clips?

I didn't think you could, but Kristina found that video.

3. How do I use the "bridging" option to get more RAM into FL Studio 11?

Use the FL extended memory version to get over the normal 2GB RAM limits, and yes, bridging is now automatic.

[Chimpazilla]

Use the FL extended memory version to get over the normal 2GB RAM limits, and yes, bridging is now automatic.

I just wanted to point out to Meteo that with FL11, the "extended memory version" is now the default. So just download FL11 and use the default launcher to get the highest memory usage. (with older versions, you had to select the "extended memory" option separately)

Also Meteo, I took a look on my old computer (which my son is now using) to see which version of FL9 I had on there, hoping it was 9.5, but it was 9.1, same as my friend's version that I already uploaded to Box for you. I'm sure this helps you a total of zero, as your projects are all saved in 9.5. Sorry, I tried! I think this means you must move forward with FL11. I think in time you'll be happier with it, it does more. (including some new plugins, a new synth called GMS, and Bassdrum!) Let me know if I can help in any way.

[Meteo Xavier]

Alright, I have FL Studio 11 installed on here and yessir, this is going to be a painful transition. I expected as much, but why the hell did they get rid of the horizontal scrolling box? I NEEDED that. I don't want to only be able to see the first 45 bars, I need to be able to see 6 minutes of sequencing on screen!

Found a way around it, but still, breaking that habit is going to be horrid. That blocks thing was not what I expected either. ASIO is still a bitch about Firefox. Haven't tried the bridging yet. Only have Zebra 2 re-installed.

Plus side is those new "basic" drum samples it starts with are pretty kickin'. Zebra 2.6 has several much better presets to start with in there. Haven't tried much of the new effects, but Effector is... interesting. Might have some use there.

Just some basic experiments so far, but I'm kinda scared to think the synths and such are taking up the same amount of CPU on my new i7 Quadcore that it did on my 4-year-old dual core. Is that something I need to look into and fix? Something about multi-threading?

[Chimpazilla]

Sorry you're feeling pain!

What horizontal scrolling box? You can just drag the scrolling bar (above the playlist) longer or shorter and you can see more or less of your playlist. Is that what you meant?

The blocks thing, huh? Do you mean the template that resembles the legacy blocks, like in the video I linked?

Zebra2 is indeed the best synth there is I think. That and Omnisphere. I haven't tried Effector yet, nor GMS. I like Bassdrum a lot, though.

Your i7 should handle your stuff like a boss. But yeah, experiment with turning those multithreaded options on and off. You'll have to trade off between cpu usage and crackling, depending on the size of your file. I only ever have to worry about that on huge files. Play with those two options on a big track and see what works best for you.

edit: remember, bridging is automatic when you use a 64bit version of your plugin. This should only be necessary with big plugins like Kontakt or Omnisphere, no need for a Zebra instance, 32 is fine there.

[Meteo Xavier]

Sorry you're feeling pain!

What horizontal scrolling box? You can just drag the scrolling bar (above the playlist) longer or shorter and you can see more or less of your playlist. Is that what you meant?

Yeah but that doesn't really do the job for me, it only lets me see up to 46 blocks by itself, even with that General Projects setting. I did find a way around it by putting a blank block way out there and stretching the horizontal bar that way, but I still miss the box itself and it seems like an unnecessary change.

The blocks thing, huh? Do you mean the template that resembles the legacy blocks, like in the video I linked?

Yes indeed, but I'll get used to it.

Your i7 should handle your stuff like a boss. But yeah, experiment with turning those multithreaded options on and off. You'll have to trade off between cpu usage and crackling, depending on the size of your file. I only ever have to worry about that on huge files. Play with those two options on a big track and see what works best for you.

Awesome, thank you Kris

[prophetik music]

Just some basic experiments so far, but I'm kinda scared to think the synths and such are taking up the same amount of CPU on my new i7 Quadcore that it did on my 4-year-old dual core. Is that something I need to look into and fix? Something about multi-threading?

FL always acts weird with the cpu bar in my experience. it'll say i've got 75% usage, and then i'll add a ton and it'll say 75% usage. i think that little thing doesn't function properly for the eight-thread processors.

if you really want to test it, load up old projects and compare. while the cpu utilization might be high for real-time play, you'll likely have more headroom on the renders, and they'll render faster.

also remember that names mean nothing. while your architecture improvements between whatever you had before and your new i7 (i7-what? 2500k? 3770k? 950?) should mean that 3ghz then doesn't equal 3ghz now, it does mean that 3ghz then might equal 2.5ghz now.

[Moseph]

FL always acts weird with the cpu bar in my experience. it'll say i've got 75% usage, and then i'll add a ton and it'll say 75% usage. i think that little thing doesn't function properly for the eight-thread processors.

Yeah, it's probably just reading the first core or something like that. Sonar had some similar weirdness with the CPU meter several years ago until they changed how it displayed.

[Meteo Xavier]

Man, this is going to be a baptism by fire. New questions.

1. I notice FL Studio no longer highlights the channel I'm on in the sequencer playlist. Is that something I can turn back on?

2. What the... why can't I copy whole channels like I used to? I used to just be able to right-click the channel in the playlist and have it make a copy that I could tweak for chords and fills and whatnot. Where did that go?

3. Why do I have to keep reminding FL 11 to switch from letters to keys? That's quite annoying. I haven't been able to find a fix for that either.

Thank you for putting up with my griping and helping me out!

[Chimpazilla]

Ok Meteo, I think I need some clarification.

1. You said "no longer highlights the channel in the sequencer playlist." I'm a bit confused. The "channels" appear in the "channel window" (which includes the "step sequencer") but not the "playlist." Do you just mean the channel window? I'm assuming you do. There is an option you can turn on and off, and you can control whether the channel window highlights the channel you're working on, or not. (I prefer "not" since it messes me up when working with midi-outs) The option is under settings-general, and it is called "auto select linked modules." Try that, see if that is it. If not, and I misunderstood, clarify for me.

2. "copy whole channels" do you mean clone an instrument instance, in the channel window? You can do that with a simple right-click on the channel, and select "clone." You said "channel in the playlist" and this confuses me, as channels do not appear in the playlist.

3. "letters to keys" I assume means in the piano roll. FL defaults to the text option with labeled pitches. You can switch it to keyboard by clicking on that "abc" tab in the piano roll. I don't know if you can change that by default. Ok I just looked and can't see that option, but someone on the IL forums may know.

edit: For "copying channels" for chords and fills, maybe you just mean copying a pattern and making it unique. Just click on that pattern in the playlist, then click somewhere else to put that same pattern somewhere... then on that copied pattern, click (left or right) in the upper left corner (you'll get a little hand thingy), and select "make unique." It will give it the same name plus "#2." (you can rename it, also by clicking in the upper left corner). Do this, and edit away!

Edited July 5, 2013 by Chimpazilla

[Meteo Xavier]

Probably just a miscommunication of actual terms.

1. You said "no longer highlights the channel in the sequencer playlist." I'm a bit confused. The "channels" appear in the "channel window" (which includes the "step sequencer") but not the "playlist." Do you just mean the channel window? I'm assuming you do. There is an option you can turn on and off, and you can control whether the channel window highlights the channel you're working on, or not. (I prefer "not" since it messes me up when working with midi-outs) The option is under settings-general, and it is called "auto select linked modules." Try that, see if that is it. If not, and I misunderstood, clarify for me.

I guess I mean the "tracks" in the playlist. When I used to scroll through the tracks, the track I was on in the playlist would be highlighted with a lighter colored bar across the name and sequencer. Basically, if you go to the Pattern number box at the top next to the Tempo box, grab it and scroll up and down in the playlist, you'll see a light colored bar go up and down too. Without this, I feel like I get more confused which track I'm actually on.

3. "letters to keys" I assume means in the piano roll. FL defaults to the text option with labeled pitches. You can switch it to keyboard by clicking on that "abc" tab in the piano roll. I don't know if you can change that by default. Ok I just looked and can't see that option, but someone on the IL forums may know.

Guess I'll need to try that. That's another weird thing that seems changed for no real reason.

edit: For "copying channels" for chords and fills, maybe you just mean copying a pattern and making it unique. Just click on that pattern in the playlist, then click somewhere else to put that same pattern somewhere... then on that copied pattern, click (left or right) in the upper left corner (you'll get a little hand thingy), and select "make unique." It will give it the same name plus "#2." (you can rename it, also by clicking in the upper left corner). Do this, and edit away!

Yes indeed, this works. I can't figure out why they would do it this way, but at least I can still do that. Thanks again Kris

[Chimpazilla]

I guess I mean the "tracks" in the playlist. When I used to scroll through the tracks, the track I was on in the playlist would be highlighted with a lighter colored bar across the name and sequencer. Basically, if you go to the Pattern number box at the top next to the Tempo box, grab it and scroll up and down in the playlist, you'll see a light colored bar go up and down too. Without this, I feel like I get more confused which track I'm actually on.

Well I can see how that would be tremendously useful when using the old fashioned white pattern blocks, where you can't tell them apart by looking at them and where they must be in their own track lanes. Using the playlist in a freeform way, you wouldn't need that kind of feature. You *could* of course put your patterns on separate track lanes, and you could name them accordingly if you wanted to, and you can color the track lanes to make it even easier to see. Or some people put all drums on one lane, all bass on another, leads on yet another, and so forth, and label the track lanes as such ("bass," or "leads," or "drums"). But I would guess that a lot of people, myself included, make use of the freeform nature of the playlist to put midi, sound clips, and automations anywhere they happen to fit. This is one of the best features of FL if you ask me, and why I will stick with FL instead of giving Cubase a try. I can see how this will take you some getting used to, though... so maybe you could start by just labeling the track lanes, and coloring them, so you can clearly recognize what you've got there, whether it's a repeating pattern or just all bass or all drums or something like that.

As for copying patterns, that is a great feature. To clone a pattern in the playlist, just click on it and either click somewhere else to paste it there, or use the paintbrush and just paint it across as many times as you like. The patterns will be identical. To alter a pattern, make it unique. Rename it something meaningful to you. Then, change it all you like. You can then paint that one across, too, if you want more of them. Quite convenient, actually.

If you ever want to see any of this in realtime and ask questions, I'd be glad to do a Teamviewer session with you.

[Legion303]

I installed FL11 for a couple of hours, then grabbed the new instruments (kick drum, something else) from it, uninstalled, and went back to 10 until they release something that isn't a steaming heap of shit.

No pattern blocks + headache-inducing blurry fonts that they say they will not drop = suck it, gol.

[Meteo Xavier]

Thank you Steve for providing an unprovoked diatribe of indeterminate intent as opposed to something useful.

Back on topic, some further questions.

1. In "Note Properties", is there a way I can adjust it so that I can have 12 or 24 points or whatever to micro-adjusting a note length as opposed to the 6 I get now? The 6 ain't doing it for me right now.

2. I notice that the "click and clone" thing between tracks seems to create some problems, like completely randomizing what tracks are under which number (Example: I have a string arpeggiation clone on Track 9, but it's labeled on Track 14, but I can't fix it in Track 14 and Track 9 is still something else, etc. etc.), plus I can't figure out when I still have a copied track loaded in my cursor and when I'm painting the sequence that's in the track it's labelled in.

3. What the fuck is this Mono-Paintbrush thing. It is extremely frustrating that it keeps moving my notes around and deleting others. I can see it being useful, but how do I fix that? I saw it somewhere...

[Legion303]

Thank you Steve for providing an unprovoked diatribe of indeterminate intent as opposed to something useful.

Absolutely. You know how to get ahold of me fast for future rants, right?

[Meteo Xavier]

Anyway, some new questions.

1. Is there an option somewhere to stop clips from bleeding over one another if you paste another instance of it before the end of the clip? Example: I've got a clip with G, C, D4th, D chords playing, but I want to paste it so that the clips play G, C, G, C, G, C, D4th, D. It used to work this way beautifully in FL 9, now it just plays a cacophony.

2. Does anyone, by chance, have the installer for the Arturia MiniMoog free edition they released last year? I'm not asking for pirated warez, I got this legitimately at first and I wanted to see if I could get it again, but I doubt they'd provide it.

Old questions:

1. In "Note Properties", is there a way I can adjust it so that I can have 12 or 24 points or whatever to micro-adjusting a note length as opposed to the 6 I get now? The 6 ain't doing it for me right now.

2. I notice that the "click and clone" thing between tracks seems to create some problems, like completely randomizing what tracks are under which number (Example: I have a string arpeggiation clone on Track 9, but it's labeled on Track 14, but I can't fix it in Track 14 and Track 9 is still something else, etc. etc.), plus I can't figure out when I still have a copied track loaded in my cursor and when I'm painting the sequence that's in the track it's labelled in.

3. What the fuck is this Mono-Paintbrush thing. It is extremely frustrating that it keeps moving my notes around and deleting others. I can see it being useful, but how do I fix that? I saw it somewhere...

Thank you again!

[timaeus222]

Anyway, some new questions.

1. Is there an option somewhere to stop clips from bleeding over one another if you paste another instance of it before the end of the clip? Example: I've got a clip with G, C, D4th, D chords playing, but I want to paste it so that the clips play G, C, G, C, G, C, D4th, D. It used to work this way beautifully in FL 9, now it just plays a cacophony.

Old questions:

2. In "Note Properties", is there a way I can adjust it so that I can have 12 or 24 points or whatever to micro-adjusting a note length as opposed to the 6 I get now? The 6 ain't doing it for me right now.

4. What the fuck is this Mono-Paintbrush thing. It is extremely frustrating that it keeps moving my notes around and deleting others. I can see it being useful, but how do I fix that? I saw it somewhere...

Thank you again!

1. If you're saying what I think you're saying, you can use the slicer to chop up the patterns. Click the ones you want and then click again to paste. If you're talking about the result of the "playing truncated notes" feature, try unchecking it in the Audio Settings. I'm not sure if that toggle is still there (I decided not to upgrade).

2. You don't have to adjust the micro-adjusting intervals if you don't want to. Just hold Alt and click-drag. That's max precision.

4. Looks like it's just a faster way to write in notes, but I wouldn't have been a fan of it. Seems like it lets you change your mind on what notes you write as you write them, though it's easy to make mistakes with it if you accidentally click...

Edited July 24, 2013 by timaeus222

[Meteo Xavier]

1. If you're saying what I think you're saying, you can use the slicer to chop up the patterns. Click the ones you want and then click again to paste. If you're talking about the result of the "playing truncated notes" feature, try unchecking it in the Audio Settings. I'm not sure if that toggle is still there (I decided not to upgrade).

I mean as the clips show up in the playlist. It used to be, pasting the same clips overtop one running would start that individual track over, but now it just bleeds the two clips together. I want this to not do that.

I'll take a picture later and show you what I'm talking about if necessary. I'm kind of scared what this might do to tracks I need to re-open from 9 because that will REALLY mess some things up I fear.

[timaeus222]

I mean as the clips show up in the playlist. It used to be, pasting the same clips overtop one running would start that individual track over, but now it just bleeds the two clips together. I want this to not do that.

I'll take a picture later and show you what I'm talking about if necessary. I'm kind of scared what this might do to tracks I need to re-open from 9 because that will REALLY mess some things up I fear.

Yeah, please take a picture. It seems a bit vague to me.

There isn't a way to fix it then?

Not that I know of, as it's a new feature. It's even emphasized on the release video.

[Meteo Xavier]

Yeah, please take a picture. It seems a bit vague to me.

Actually, having tested it further, it appears I'm mistaken here. It's playing like I want it to and my mistake was from something else.

[Chimpazilla]

Meteo, pictures will help, I'm really confused on your last round of questions... I'm still willing to do Teamviewer if you want.

T - wait, you didn't upgrade to FL11? This may present some problems...

[Meteo Xavier]

Meteo, pictures will help, I'm really confused on your last round of questions... I'm still willing to do Teamviewer if you want.

I don't really do video or much of any kind of chat other than text through the internet very well, so I'm limited there.

However, Timaeus really hit the nail on some of these things and I think I found some good solutions for some of them.

This is by far the most helpful topic I've posted on here. Thank you guys again, I really appreciate it!

[timaeus222]

Oh, I figured out how to fix the brush tool, btw. Hold Shift to use the old functionality (it works when you see red notes).