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

[Xelebes]

Okay, my question.

I understand that FruityLoops can have the X-Y controller be manipulated using a joystick. Could someone tell me how to set this all up. Just to let you know, I have all the drivers installed and such, just that I don't know how to make FruityLoops recognise it. I am using Studio here.

[DarkeSword]

It should just work automatically. Just make sure you click the little joystick icon on the X-Y controller's window and assign the proper joystick axes to the X and Y using the buttons under the joystick toggle.

As for me, I'm wondering if anyone knows how to make their own Piano Roll Chopper patterns for FLStudio.

[The Berserk Fury]

Another ?. When i try to save a mix into a flp file type then when i try to open it i get erros like cant find midi output/input or the file my be curourpt. THen i tired to open one that came with fl4 and the same thing happned.

[Rellik]

sorry TBF, I have no idea about any of this technical stuff. Why don't you try... I don't know. Really, you should probably just hope someone who is better fit to answer that comes up to the task.

DarkeSword, I wish I knew the answer to that . The Piano Roll Chopper is a useful tool, but I always feel like I'm cheating when I use it with one of the presets. So sorry, I can't answer your question either.

I more than make up for my lack of question-answering ability with question-asking ability, though.

My question is more on the technical side. I'm not getting any errors or anything. My problem is that FruityLoops cannot handle the size that my more recent projects are starting to encompass. I have a 2.0 Ghz Pentium 4, with 512 MB of RAM, and on my current project FL underruns for a few seconds just when I move the mouse! Not to mention what it does when it's actually trying to play the whole song, or even just a pattern. I've tried it with polling and hardware buffering on, I've tried it with hardward buffering on and polling off, and vice versa. I have it on the maximum buffer-size. But it's just not enough...

All this is without anything open. I close AIM, I close all Internet Explorer windows, I even go through my Processes section of the Task Manager to weed out what I know is safe to weed out. What can I do to make FL work more efficiently? Is there some patch out there, or something, that can override the default limitation on buffer size?

I do use quite a lot of VSTi's, and several large SoundFonts, but it's not like I'm messing around with it and trying to see how many I can fit, or am just adding them and not using them. Does anyone else have this problem, or am I just doing something wrong? And, of course, does anyone have a solution?

[DarkeSword]

DarkeSword, I wish I knew the answer to that . The Piano Roll Chopper is a useful tool, but I always feel like I'm cheating when I use it with one of the presets. So sorry, I can't answer your question either.

Well, I don't use it for the actual funky rhythm stuff. I just wanted to make a 'triplet' chopper that would let me write triplets easier, instead of manually changing note durations. Anyway, if anyone can help, that'd be great.

My question is more on the technical side. I'm not getting any errors or anything. My problem is that FruityLoops cannot handle the size that my more recent projects are starting to encompass. I have a 2.0 Ghz Pentium 4, with 512 MB of RAM, and on my current project FL underruns for a few seconds just when I move the mouse! Not to mention what it does when it's actually trying to play the whole song, or even just a pattern. I've tried it with polling and hardware buffering on, I've tried it with hardward buffering on and polling off, and vice versa. I have it on the maximum buffer-size. But it's just not enough...

All this is without anything open. I close AIM, I close all Internet Explorer windows, I even go through my Processes section of the Task Manager to weed out what I know is safe to weed out. What can I do to make FL work more efficiently? Is there some patch out there, or something, that can override the default limitation on buffer size?

I do use quite a lot of VSTi's, and several large SoundFonts, but it's not like I'm messing around with it and trying to see how many I can fit, or am just adding them and not using them. Does anyone else have this problem, or am I just doing something wrong? And, of course, does anyone have a solution?

This probably won't help, but take a look at how many EFFECTS you're running on each channel. Sometimes that really kills you in performance, and you can usually get the same sound by using your effects more efficiently. I ran into a similar problem with an earlier version of my Twinkle Park mix, so I took a look at the effects, cut some out, and basically "optimized" my effects usage. For example, sometimes you can get away with having two channels set to the same FX channel for reverb, if your instruments are similar. Try some stuff like that.

If all else fails, get more RAM. I run 1GB of RAM, and I don't really hit problems anymore.

[Xelebes]

sorry TBF, I have no idea about any of this technical stuff. Why don't you try... I don't know. Really, you should probably just hope someone who is better fit to answer that comes up to the task.

DarkeSword, I wish I knew the answer to that . The Piano Roll Chopper is a useful tool, but I always feel like I'm cheating when I use it with one of the presets. So sorry, I can't answer your question either.

I more than make up for my lack of question-answering ability with question-asking ability, though.

My question is more on the technical side. I'm not getting any errors or anything. My problem is that FruityLoops cannot handle the size that my more recent projects are starting to encompass. I have a 2.0 Ghz Pentium 4, with 512 MB of RAM, and on my current project FL underruns for a few seconds just when I move the mouse! Not to mention what it does when it's actually trying to play the whole song, or even just a pattern. I've tried it with polling and hardware buffering on, I've tried it with hardward buffering on and polling off, and vice versa. I have it on the maximum buffer-size. But it's just not enough...

All this is without anything open. I close AIM, I close all Internet Explorer windows, I even go through my Processes section of the Task Manager to weed out what I know is safe to weed out. What can I do to make FL work more efficiently? Is there some patch out there, or something, that can override the default limitation on buffer size?

I do use quite a lot of VSTi's, and several large SoundFonts, but it's not like I'm messing around with it and trying to see how many I can fit, or am just adding them and not using them. Does anyone else have this problem, or am I just doing something wrong? And, of course, does anyone have a solution?

Ok... the problem is the complexity of the actual songs. To get over that would be to get a dual-processor with like 1 gig of ram. Seriously, it all has to do with the sheer processing capabilities of the computers. You are using lots. I know from experience as I have done songs with like 9 reverbs, 10 delays, 8 flangers, 4 phasers, 4 compressors, 5 EQs and 8 filters and 5 disdtortions. Not to mention all the other VSTis I run. Sometimes my songs run 225% of CPU capacity.

My advice is to test each track by itself and use smart disable. That will reduce your load and you will be able to hear the song. Then to hear it all together, doing mixdowns will require paper. Use the Fruity dB meter to measure each tracks' volume, record the highest peak on paper (in dB). To do the math, just sum up all the maximums (loudest peaks) and then divide by half the number of tracks. This has worked for me for telling how much compression you will need. I suggest that you have the compression dampen the actual sound by turning the Gain down to -1 or 2 dB. Then apply the 7 band EQ (preferably use this one over the parametric, you only use the parametric EQs for separate tracks.) Here you must balance the changes you make. For example, you'll want to up the bass a bit (for techno pieces) but you might want to not tweak that knob too much. Instead try dampening the middle fequencies just a tad. To adda little bit more snap to your drums and hihats you will want to up the higher frequencies. Making sure you have this all balanced out, render to mp3 and give a listen. This is the best way to approximate what you are doing, without having the hassle to re-render lots of times.

But a tip that will help you save you from many renderings, get used to the 7 Band EQ. The more you are familiar with it, the less guessing you will have to do.

[Xelebes]

Ok... here's my problem. If I load a VSTi generator in the FX panel, can I make a MIDI file to be associated with it so that it plays it? Or does it only accept live MIDI date (of which I can't do cuz my PC doesn't accept my M-Audio keyboard. Anyone know?

[Rellik]

No idea, sorry Xelebes.

I have a question about LFO's. Although I've recently heard that they really stand for "Low Frequency Oscillators" I just think of then as things that go up and down and you can attach them to stuff. Anyway, how would I make a stand-alone LFO in Fruity? I was thinking of using Fruity Formula Controller and having some variant of "sin(a)" where a is linked to the total time ellapsed, but turns out you cant link to that . Anyway, is there some VST plug-in that will generate a tempo-synced LFO? Or maybe some other way? Preferably the LFO would have an Envelope on it (for late-breaking vibrato, etc.).

And while I'm at it, is there any way to create a stand-alone Envelope? Most VSTi's have one, and the sampler has one, and even the SoundFont loader has it (although it doesn't exactly work as I'd like it too) but still not everything has it, and I think it would be really useful. As before, it could be VST or DX or maybe just some trick.

[Xelebes]

remember, LFO over time = f(SongTime())

therefore:

sin LFO

a+b*Sin(SongTime()*c)

What do you want the LFo to do exactly? As a sub-oscillator that creates audible low frequencies or it to control something like a flanger or a delay or a SVF?

also check out mda's Envelope vst. Basic Envelope that puts an envelope on audio. The vstis that don't have an envelope are designed to be without them.

[de-Rais]

[quote="NoWave

And how can you import MIDI's into fruity loops to edit them?

[Synth]

[quote name="NoWave

And how can you import MIDI's into fruity loops to edit them?

I dont know about editing the .mid's themselves' date=' but you can import midis channel by channel into the piano roll. It's an option in the pull-down menu, which by the way is just GREAT for when you're not quite 100% sure whether you're after a b or a d.....

Or you can open up the piano roll and click on the little keyboard at the top. Go to file then import midi it will import the hole thing into one channel.

[shadow]

Well, usually you just go to File: Open: and select the midi file. Not too hard.

[StarKirby]

I've downloaded lots of OC-ReMixes lately and it got me into a mood for some music making...altough I've only completed 2 badly accurate MIDIs would fruityloops 3.5 FULL be a good thing to start out with? Oo;

[Xelebes]

Heh, I like your idea of posting that question here... saves thread space.

Anywho... learn to improve your midis. Improve to the point that you are sure you are nailing those songs. Then, you might wanna consider FruityLoops. You don't wanna amass all the tools on the first workday, you'll be totally overwhelmed by it all.

[StarKirby]

Ah ok. thanks for the info!

[Villainelle]

Ok... here's my problem. If I load a VSTi generator in the FX panel, can I make a MIDI file to be associated with it so that it plays it? Or does it only accept live MIDI date (of which I can't do cuz my PC doesn't accept my M-Audio keyboard. Anyone know?

No, VSTs don't only accept live data. Just copy the pattern from one of your imported MIDI channels into a VST channel. (But you probably already figured that out, right?)

EDIT: Also, see Humanoid Typhoon's post above...you can also just open the piano roll for a VST channel, click the keyboard icon at top-left, and import a MIDI (either the whole thing or a specific channel).

[Villainelle]

As for me, I'm wondering if anyone knows how to make their own Piano Roll Chopper patterns for FLStudio.

This is an old question too, but it didn't get answered and it might be useful to someone, so...

http://www.flstudio.com/help/html/pianoroll_menu.htm

And the full manual, in case no one's posted a link to it yet:

http://www.flstudio.com/help/

[Xelebes]

Ok... here's my problem. If I load a VSTi generator in the FX panel, can I make a MIDI file to be associated with it so that it plays it? Or does it only accept live MIDI date (of which I can't do cuz my PC doesn't accept my M-Audio keyboard. Anyone know?

No, VSTs don't only accept live data. Just copy the pattern from one of your imported MIDI channels into a VST channel. (But you probably already figured that out, right?)

EDIT: Also, see Humanoid Typhoon's post above...you can also just open the piano roll for a VST channel, click the keyboard icon at top-left, and import a MIDI (either the whole thing or a specific channel).

I know that. But I was putting VSTis in the FX Mixer and not into a channel. I know you can do it in the channel, but U need to make a note that when you want to control particular parameters only when the VSTi is loaded into the FX mixer will it work. If it is in the channel, then those parameters will not function. I have noticed this for a fact with a few synths, not all... so I was just wondering.

[Villainelle]

Oh! I stopped using Fruity at version 3.56, didn't even know about the new mixer till now. Sorry, misread your post. Good info to know, though, thanks.

[Rellik]

Wow... this really sucks .

I have too many VST(i)'s/DX(i)'s ... for one thing, navigating all of them is a pain, as you can only scroll so fast, and now that it's gone to the scrolling single-vertical-pane (with the arrows at the bottom and top) it's even worse... at least it was manageable when it was set out in 3 or so adjacent panes, if not easy to find exactly what I want.

Is there any way for me to organize all these? It just is really hindering my productivity, and it's really frustrating I like how Buzz has everything separated out into their little categories (Vocoders, Gaters, Basses, FM's, Phase-Distortions, Virtual Analogues, Delays, etc...); is there any way that I can make FL do this, or at least something that will help me manage everything? It's the same way with all my VST presets, not only can you not tell what instrument they are for before you open them (and it's not like I can remember all of them), but I have so many that they revert to a single-vertical-scrolling-pane menu, making it even harder.

So, any help or ideas or tricks or comments?

[Xelebes]

You have too many? Wanna hook me up with some?

[Garian]

If you have that many VSTi htat you think you have too many of them, perhaps its time to stop using so many. I can understand having a few good synth vsti, a couple orchestra vsti, and maybe one or two drum vsti, but having so many that you need scroll buttons may be just going a tad too far. How many of those do you use in a new song? Do they do the same things you could do with samples? Its not about quantity of instruments, but the quality. You don't need "RaveMix VSTi" "SawBand VSTi" and "FM7;" I asure you, FM7 is powerful enough (and a resourcehogpiggy). Sure, you can get presets easily with all of them, not saying you do, but still, presets can only take you so far. Another thing, as far as i know, you cannot dump VSTi onto a channel, because of the way fruity handles them (it "wraps" them or smth) ruling out any type of orginisation.

[Xelebes]

Actually, certain VSTis have different filters than others. Other's have a certain delay capabilities. Others have have different Oscillator capabilities. Some VSTis use a lot less CPU power than other VSTis. For example, it would be overkill to use an FM7 to do what the PM4 does with much less CPU usage.

Though, there are some VSTis which are a waste of space.

[Rellik]

Heh, Xelebes, all the ones I have are free. Go find them yourself, on K-V-R, or even Google... except for Rogue, which isn't on K-v-R, but you NEEED it. Dont have a link, just Google "Phobia 303 transistor Rogue" or something, it'll come up.

Garian, I'm sorry to hear that there's no way I can organize em . But you have to understand, there are always more free VSTi's, and they are all unique in their own way. And I don't have FM7 . I almost exclusively use free ones, or demos. That's why I need to specialize. I'll take the useless ones off my list, that's a good idea .

[Garian]

too true.