FRUITY LOOPS 101 - PLEASE direct -ALL- FL questions here

[Kaleb.G]

I have a question: I know that it's not a good idea to use the samples that come with FruityLoops (mostly because they sound pathetic), but what are your opinions on using generators like the TS404 or 3xOsc for sounds? Also, which generators are best for lead, pads, drums, etc.? Thank you.

-KG

[OverCoat]

TS404 and the 3xOSC are awesome. They are because of the fact that you can load a .wav sample into the generator and use that instead of a sine/saw/square. Pretty cool stuff.

[Dyne]

Your Line 6 Pod 2 does not use MIDI Effects. What this means is that all effects applied are applied directly to audio. Basically, you would have to output the audio from your computer into the Line 6 and then back into your computer for recording.

Actually, I think I didn't quite say what I meant to the right way the first time. There's a setting in the midi out inside of FL, in fact, there's about 20 of them, and one of them is the Line 6 Pod 2. It's got some sub-function settings for distortion and things of that nature. What I was getting at is whenever I use those in-program settings, it just seems as though they don't work.

That's what has me puzzled. I suppose I could be doing something wrong, but that's just me.

I wish I did have a Line 6 Pod 2 though...I'd really have excellent effects for my electric guitars then. That'd rock.

Edit

---------

Okay, here's how to locate what I'm talking about:

First, insert a new midi out into your FL step sequencer.

Next, click on your newly created midi out to bring up the Channel settings dialog box. From here, you can change the way things sound, or so I thought.

Now, you want to click on the midi out drop down menu which will bring down some choices. Once you see this menu with choices, click the presets choice, it will bring up a menu with different presets, one of which is that Line 6 Pod 2 I was talking about previously.

That's what I was talking about before, I figured I'd just guide you to it, maybe it'd make more sense that way, who knows, but I figured it'd be better this way.

[Dyne]

Well, rather than edit my post a second time, I decided to make a new one because it's a different topic than what to do with the midi out.

Anyway, I'm trying to export an MP3 from FL. However, I used two Midi Out sequencers, and when I tried to export the file as MP3, Wav and MID, and then played it in Winamp, it doesn't work. I can't seem to understand why.

Could someone shed light on this for me?

[lazygecko]

From the allmighty Garian:

Best way to synthesize a distorted guitar: take a saw.wav turn the cut to about the 3/5ths mark, turn the res up by a 1/4 (precomputed effects) and on use the ins tab and put the filter on highpass, turn the cut to about 2/7 and the res about 10/13 (adjust to taste) and put it through either a fast distortion or blood overrdrive, a reverb (make it very slight or to taste) and maybe a chorus

[Garian]

also, you might want to turn the attack to 0 on the volume envelope, and (if possible) modulate the sustain/decay/hold/release as the song progressses (for a live feel) or set the hold to about 30 ms, the decay from 20-50 ms, and sustain level around 70%, but watch the release time, because if the notes are played together quickly, a release will make it sound fake, so possibly modulate the release as needed (i don't know quite whereat, because i really came up with this on the fly)

[Beatdrop]

Majin, I understand your problem now. I didn't realize you don't actually have a Line 6 Pod 2.

Diferent MIDI devices have different CC#'s (coarse controller numbers). CC#'s are what specify where certain controls are in a MIDI channel. They're typically semi-specific to each different MIDI device you have, although sometimes you will have the same CC#'s for the same controls in devices. This is usually only with things like Pitchbend and the volume knob on something.

The reason the Pod 2 MIDI preset won't work for you (for whatever you're trying to use it on) is because a.) all the controls you see are simply MIDI CC#'s patched to knobs or sliders and are actually built into the Pod 2 and b.) the CC#'s on whatever device (if you're actually using some other device) are different.

[Beatdrop]

I think I should point out that the order in which you put FX into the FX rack affects how your sound goes. Yes, ORDER is key. Let me illustrate:

FL FX Rack

mast. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p s1 s2 s3 s4 <--- FX channel listing

1>Fruity reverb

2>Fruity delay

3>Fast dist.

4>

5>

6>

7>

8>

The above example would cause your sound (in FX channel 3) to first have reverb applied, then the dry sound and the reverb would be echoed with the delay, and then the dry sound, the reverb, and the echo would be distorted, making a big garbled mess. If you were to reorder this so that the distortion is on top, then the delay, then the reverb, it would sound like a crystal-clear distorted, reverbed, echoed sound in exactly the order it should be.

So FX in the FX rack occur in order of top to bottom. Keep this in mind. It's very important.

[Dyne]

Thanks everyone for replying. That does help a lot. I'm gonna keep working with the distortion a bit because I really want to fine tune it to some specific styles I wish to use.

I've been trying a lot different things for a distorted guitar, just short of recording my own guitar with some heavy distortion from my FX board. Still, at least this way I can really detail it the way I want to. Again my thanks for taking the time to help teach me something new.

[Rellik]

Order... no wonder my flanges never seemed to come through .

That distortion guitar thing is cool. But, if you'll excuse my ignorance, what's a saw.wav?

Anyway, I think I'm going to post in the General Discussion board about the need for an original composition WIP/Exhibition/Chat board. I would e-mail djpretzel, but that would take a long time, and I he wouldn't be able to see all the follow-up posts agreeing and giving new reasons to. I think I'm gonna wait a little, as since I don't really know completely what's what in this forum yet, I'm wondering if that kind of thing is generally frowned upon.

I've been working on this original composition using what I've learned from all of you here at this thread, and I don't want it to just sit on my computer! I'm sure there are lots of people who feel the same way as me, having compositions with nowhere to go... and as much as OCR is about the games, its ever more about the music, and I don't think it would be too out of line to have a separate area for non-remix music.

[DJKarma]

Quick and easy question: When using the piano roll, is there anyway to make triplet notes?

[Garian]

Rellik, its a sample. i have to suffer with default friuty samples for now, becuase i don't have any way to get any decent packs home right now, but the saw.wav in fruity is located in the fruity/samples/instruments/shapes/basic folder.

edit: triplet notes, as in the "horse gallup" type of sound from 80s metal bands? if thats what you mean, its the same as doing it in the step sequencer: do the notes 3 at a time, then skip a step. if you have any megaman midis, import them and look at the bassline in the piano roll. its a prime example.

[Rellik]

By triplets, you mean as in the musical formation, don't you? As in, 3 equal notes in 2 beats? In that case, just change the snap to ticks, and adjust to taste!

[DJKarma]

Yep, that would be what I was asking for. Thanks

[Beatdrop]

Or you could just double click on each note individually. For starters, here's a duration/start time configuration for 12th-note's:

Note one:

Start time - 1:1:00

Duration - 0:0:32

Note two:

Start time - 1:1:32

Duration - 0:0:32

Note three:

Start time - 1:1:64

Duration - 0:0:32

Note four:

Start time - 1:2:00

Duration - 0:0:32

SO ON AND SO FORTH. I made use of this in my most recently submitted (and not yet posted) remix.

[The Author]

I have been working on frity loops, and when I export my file as a mp3, the midi track doenst record, am I screwed ?

[Beatdrop]

:!:FruityLoops is not a sound recorder:!:

You can not hook up some MIDI, sequence some notes in FL, and expect it all to export. You have to play back the MIDI sequence in FL and record it using something like Sound Forge or CoolEdit.

FL Studio (soon to be released) will have a built in Wave Editor so things like this will be possible from within FL, but until then, all sounds from external sources must be recorded in another program and then loaded into FL as a sample.

[Rellik]

I'm sorry if this question has already been answered, but I can't find it anywhere (I've looked). How do you adjust something without starting a new note? I mean, say a note is holding, but I want it to change cut without having to start a new note each time I want to change the cut. Or the velocity. Or any one of those things like that, you know on the Piano Roll window, pretty much anything that goes on that lower section. It gives you the option to change things at the beginning of each notes, but not in the middle of one. Is there any way I could do this? Thanks

[Garian]

Rellik, have you tried using the Edit Events window? if you right click on the knob you want to change, you can edit the event of it moving position, or you can record an automation if you press the record button before playback, and then control the knob with the mouse. i hope this helps.

[Krav]

Uh, hi. I'm interested in getting FL and I was wondering if FruityLoops FULL was worth the extra 50 dollars more than FruityLoops PRO.

Thanks in advance.

[OverCoat]

Uh, hi. I'm interested in getting FL and I was wondering if FruityLoops FULL was worth the extra 50 dollars more than FruityLoops PRO.

Thanks in advance.

Well, it kinda depends. Do you want free updates for life or paid-for VSTi and DXi? Because in Pro, most of the VSTi are demos, but in Full, they are not. and the VSTi separately is probably worth more than $50.

[SlightlyOddGuy]

Eh, it's me again. New problem: I've imported a MIDI and I'm trying to tweak it (Ultimately, to save it as an Mp3. Song enhancement purposes only). However, everything I do always resets to the way it was when I loaded the MIDI when I play it. Help?

[Garian]

clear the events. (unless they're needed by the midi to playback correctly, like volume changes/tempo changes.)

[SlightlyOddGuy]

Ah! Problem solved. Thanks!

[Rellik]

Hi, have another question!

Now, this will need an example to explain, so here's a link to my piece where the problem is in: http://www.angelfire.com/falcon/rellik/Translate.mp3

In the second incarnation of the piano, for some reason some notes cut off inconsistently for no apparent reason. I mean the part where the piano gets really busy and takes over the parts that used to be played by the bright, somewhat fuzy instrument in the beginning and the bass line. I think it might have something to do with the piano being really too busy to handle all of its notes correctly, but I have no idea what to do about it.

Also, does it sound a little amateurish to you? Maybe you could give me some tips to make it sound more; you know experienced, more authentic, more professional? That would be appreciated.

All of you knowledgable Fruity Loopers seem really busy here with us question-askers. Remember, I try to help out with what I know... but that isn't really alot . But I will try to direct people to the FL 101 forums instead of just posting their questions everywhere when I can.

BTW, I'm just getting into this "gating" business; I haven't tried it out yet, but it seems really cool! More control over the notes is always a good thing.