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Finally Got FL Studio...


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^^ That would be true, wouldn't it?

No, I only got the download version. I don't recall it having an onlince manual, but I'm still looking for some more details before I really start to use it. I like the idea of video tutorials, so I will probably start like that

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Double Post, I know...

I viewed the videos that Zircon gave me. I seem to understand some things in them, but I'm wondering a few things still

1) With the Step Sequencer, I know you make loops...but how do they convert or appear in an actual song? Or are they an actual song?

2) Where is the actual song? Everything I've used has always been in a wave-like format, so I'm still a bit confused with that. I thought it was in the Piano Roll, but I'm not sure at all.

So, I know a little bit of everything now with the videos. Now I'm just a tad bit confused on where to start, or which things (Step Sequenced, Playlist, Piano Roll) to start with

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Ok, it seems like you don't understand the basic FL workflow.

1. Everything you do in FL is composed of "patterns". Things you write in the piano roll and step sequencer are written within patterns. One pattern can contain as much or as little data as you want. You can choose to have one instrument going for the length of your whole song in one pattern, or a 4 bar loop in one pattern, or five instruments. Whatever you want.

2. The "Playlist" window is where you actually arrange your song. There are two components to it, the top window and the bottom window. The top window is where you sequence your patterns. The bottom window is where you sequence your audio (or "audio clips" - eg. wav/mp3 files) as well as automation.

3. New in FL7, you can actually put patterns in the audio window too, if you prefer not to be locked into the pattern "lanes" in the top window. Thus you only REALLY need the bottom window.

Thus, you should start by making patterns. Say you want to make a song with drums, piano, strings, and bass. For the sake of example, we'll assume your song is 16 bars, with a repeating chord progression that's a few bars long. Here's how I would approach it.

1. Make the drum pattern in, say, pattern 1. You can use the Step Sequencer for this because it's easier than the piano roll for sequencing drums. Then, you can use pattern 2 and 3 to make variations or fills.

2. Make the piano part in pattern 4, using the piano roll. This pattern can be 16 bars long if you want the piano to be constantly doing new stuff.

3. Make the bass part in pattern 5, again using the piano roll. Now if you have a simple, repetitive progression, this may only need to be 2 bars (or however many bars your chord progression is).

4. Make the string part in pattern 6.

Then, open up the Playlist and simply draw the patterns, as described in the tutorial(s).

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Yeah, I have been making some patterns with the Step Sequencer already.

I was a bit confused over the playlist video, though I'm sure if I use it a little bit, I'll understand more of it

I'll mess around with the playlist and get back to you on it

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I started to mess around with the Playlist, though I'm still a bit confused

Like, I made a pattern in Step Sequencer. Then, I went to playlist and put it in. I got that, but afterwords, it just stopped. I tried to draw more blocks, but it didn't do anything.

I'm also wondering about overlapping patterns...is that even possible, or does the one instrument need to be in the pattern already?

Example: Let's say I have a drum beat. Just a very basic one. Let's say I want to put a violin over it with a slightly different drum beat - could I make those into seperate patterns and then overlap them, or do they need to be in the same pattern?

Also...the step sequencer...are the only sounds that can be used found in the "Packs" part of the Browser? I think there's more, but I was just wondering, though I am mainly concretating on the playlist part right now

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That would be a good question...I didn't even know their were modes

It's in Pattern Mode, I'm pretty sure. It says Pattern down the side of of followed by numbers, like Pattern 1, Pattern 2, etc

I'll look how to change it...but if I don't find it, how do you change it?

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^^ Yeah, I managed to change it, and it makes more sense

This may be me just being musically stupid, but I'm starting to understand what each view is. What I'm wondering is if I'm ready to even experiment with remixing yet, and if so, any tips on starting?

As a follow up question: While looking in the Browser view, I was wondering if the only sounds I could use are found in the "Packs" portion, or am I just missing stuff? I've heard of plug-ins, VST, and soundfonts, but I'm clueless as how to use them

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It always takes a while to get used to the workflow of any particular program. Don't feel musically stupid - we all started like this. As for how to get started on the right foot with remixing, well, I'm not so sure about that. You do need to learn how do both compose and produce, so as long as you are learning at least one of them when you are music making, I don't think you could go to far wrong. Look around the web for some tutorials - some are incredibly helpful, others less so. We have some preety cool links around, so make sure you use all those - should take you a while to get through them all. ^_^

As for sounds, I'm preety sure just about all the samples that come with fruity are in the packs folder. I think they might have a soundfonts folder as well, with a string ensemble soundfont in it too, or something. Anyways, while you can do some preety awesome stuff with these default samples, I do rather reccomend you expand your collection - you can never have too many drum samples.

I should probably explain what soundfonts are, right? Well, a soundfont is a collection of samples. What the collection is can vary - sometimes its just a single instrument, like a piano, other times its a whole bunch of different instruments, like the famous (infamous?) squidfont orchestral. Anyways, plenty of places have soundfonts - the problem is finding the good ones. To get more soundfonts, and other samples in general, check ou the sample thread - should be plenty of links in there.

VST is a format that many plugins use to talk to the host program. A plugin that uses the VST format is often called a VST, plural VSTs. A plugin is simply a thing which "plugs in" to a host program. In FL, we can class them, much like everything else, into generators and effects. Generators make noise. Usually they are synths or samples or something. Effects, on the other hand, manipulate noise. For example, a reverb effect will take a sound, figure out what the reverb will be, and output both the original sound and the reverb. So a VST could be just about anything.

Oh, and before I foget, don't foget to have a look through all the songs that came with fruity - a lot of them have notebooks that explain just how they were made and whatnot.

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Ah, I thought so about the soundfounts. Though, I'm still wondering about the VST, because I'm wondering how it can be used in FL. Actually, I'm wondering if FL even has a starting one!

What I meant by starting to remix...like, for instance, will I be recreating the song right now? Or would I use the option of an MIDI file import, and other questions like that.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm rushing this, I'm just trying to find a fast way to do it. I'll look for some more tutorials and look at more videos.

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Though, I'm still wondering about the VST, because I'm wondering how it can be used in FL.

http://www.fruityloops.com/help/html/basics_externalplugins.htm

Actually, I'm wondering if FL even has a starting one!

I don't think they're actually VSTs but just plugins - well, 3xosc is one, DX10 is another...

What I meant by starting to remix...like, for instance, will I be recreating the song right now? Or would I use the option of an MIDI file import, and other questions like that.

You use MIDI file import if you are not that great in recognizing the notes by ear (also called solfege). Generally, just importing the MIDI file and not doing anything else (or just throwing a single effect over it) then is not remixing; it's taking other people's work.

While I can't speak with authority on a fitting all-encompassing term for "remix", it's a reinterpretation of the song in (often) a different style (so you could turn an originally jazzy track in OONTZ OONTZ TEKNO - or the other way 'round), and usually using different instruments (due to the primitive soundchips of the older consoles).

Sorry if it sounds like I'm rushing this, I'm just trying to find a fast way to do it.

Why, is there someone chasing you? Understanding the programs, learning music, all of that costs work, and therefore time. Rushing a piece of music while you don't understand the basics and then having it rejected because it's a shoddy piece of work is infinitely more demoralizing as spending time on it and then having it rejected - because in the latter case nobody can fault you for at least putting effort in your attempt.

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It's for my site, so I'm trying to get it done as fast as I can, like everything else I do XDXD

I know it takes time, and I'm completely for it. I don't mind learning. Just getting started is what I'm trying to rush a little bit, which is me at fault, I realize that

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I know. I should have about an hour or so soon to work on one, I think I'm going to try and make a basic 3 minute song or such

I was just wondering something...I've been messing with the Playlist menu, and I'm wondering...how do I play more than one pattern at one? Or is that even possible? Whatever is in Pattern 1's row is the only thing that ever plays

I know you can select more than Pattern 1, but playing them together? Possible, or not?

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