FL Studio Noob

[aMUSEd]

I bought FL Studio in the BF sale, basically because I have loads of ImageLine plugins I bought when I was on Windows years ago and am missing them on Mac. It seemed FL Studio is the only way I can access them on Mac now so I took the plunge but it has about the most unintuitive interface I have seen in any host. Basically it seems to load up a plugin I have to drag a preset from the browser into one of the little button things in the left but then when I hit record it just records into that button and not into the track on the right. How do I make it record directly into the track - I presume the buttons are some sort of step sequencer, I don't want to use that, I just want to record what I play directly. In fact if possible I don't even want to see the step sequencer, I don't need it

Screenshot 2023-11-04 at 22.02.11.png

[synzh]

Each of the button things on the left is a "channel", this is where audio recordings happen (as well as midi passages via the piano roll); each channel is part of a "pattern" which you should see in a dropdown at the top. Once you record your channel (on a pattern), you can then drag that pattern into the playlist, one or more times. You can add a new pattern and then record on that same channel again, then drag that pattern to the playlist also. At least that's how I've done it. I think they did this to allow you to repeat patterns of recordings, honestly it works a lot better for midi tracks. There may be other ways to do it also, like loading .wav files directly to the playlist.

[lotus2035]

You mean to record audio or midi onto the track?
Right click the track header and then 'Track mode' for some relevant options.

[Echoes in the Attic]

I was thinking of getting one of the cheaper fl studio licenses for a similar reason, that I'd liket o use my Harmor license again. But also I have the mobile fl studio and really like it and I guess having the desktop would be good to import stuff. But yeah I can't understand the interface at all. So many windows everywhere and a sequencer for things that aren't a drum machine. Sorry this doesn't help but I'm also confused by it.

[synzh]

I rarely use the sequencer that is shown in channel window; usually I right-click on the plugin and open "piano roll" right away. I think they just put that simple on/off step sequencer there for "easy mode" which may work for some cases but definitely for me not most

[lotus2035]

FL might have a bit of a steep learning curve but once you get used to it, it's a breeze to get things done.

[lotus2035]

Click the three little yellow bars on the top right of the step sequencer to hide it and change to midi view.

[pough]

...but then when I hit record it just records into that button and not into the track on the right. How do I make it record directly into the track...

That's not a track. Don't expect FL Studio to work like other DAWs. It doesn't. It really, really doesn't. It's incredibly powerful, but everything is upside-down and inside-out.

You make "patterns" in the Channel Rack (little button things in the left) and then the patterns can be assembled in the Playlist (what you called tracks on the right) to make a song.

You're going to have to get used to it; it's not going to get used to you. The good news is it can be done. Lots of people have done it.

Very powerful. Great value. Weird.

[drunken jesus]

Easiest way to avoid having to learn all the ins and outs of fl studio would be to just load it as a plugin and use it on your host of choice, you can load instruments from the browser or the ADD file menu and whatever channel you have selected will play in your host

[macmuse]

If you drag the VST directly onto the track header, and select ‘SONG’ instead of ‘PAT’ in the toolbar (next to ‘Help’), you can record onto the track. The PAT (pattern) button makes everything play from the pattern pane. The SONG button switches to the arrange window for the linear track playback (they call that window the playlist). You won’t see the clip recording as you go until you stop recording, then it appears. Of course like in all DAWs you have to record enable.

You can also skip the tracks for the time being and record into a pattern. The whole pattern thing is confusing at first coming from other DAWs, but once you get your head wrapped around it, it’s got some interesting ways to work such as recording all VSTi parts into one MIDI clip, and then separating them all out to different tracks when finished. In the channel pane there are numbers on the left—that is where you assign a mixer channel number.

The thing to remember (that can be frustrating until you realize how they correlate with one another) is to select the channel you are using (that contains the VST), the pattern, and the track you want to use (they will highlight a green outline).

I bought it not too long ago because of the lifetime updates as I don’t know that I want to keep upgrading my main DAWs forever, plus was always curious about it and thought it might be a nice change.

[aMUSEd]

Easiest way to avoid having to learn all the ins and outs of fl studio would be to just load it as a plugin and use it on your host of choice, you can load instruments from the browser or the ADD file menu and whatever channel you have selected will play in your host

Yes that was one idea, although it would help there if it also came as a VST3

[aMUSEd]

If you drag the VST directly onto the track header, and select ‘SONG’ instead of ‘PAT’ in the toolbar (next to ‘Help’), you can record onto the track. The PAT (pattern) button makes everything play from the pattern pane. The SONG button switches to the arrange window for the linear track playback (they call that window the playlist). You won’t see the clip recording as you go until you stop recording, then it appears. Of course like in all DAWs you have to record enable.

Thankyou that sounds like a way to start. Not sure how to record arm though either, there doesn't seem to be a button in the track view for that

[xbitz]

btw. have you seen that "Drumaxx, Hardcore, Morphine, PoiZone, Sakura, Sawer and Toxic Biohazard" plugins have been updated already?

Plugins include: Drumaxx, Hardcore, Morphine, PoiZone, Sakura, Sawer and Toxic Biohazard

What's New

Plugin code has been synchronized with the FL Studio versions, although the UIs remain to be vectorialized.
New preset system. Same as FL Studio Desktop
Support for current DAWs
Support for current operation system
UTF path support
Apple Silicon Support
Internal polyphony is up to 99 in synths (when plugins do not have polyphony parameter)
General clean-up and refactoring to fix crashes

installers
https://forum.image-line.com/viewtopic.php?t=314010

[aMUSEd]

btw. have you seen that "Drumaxx, Hardcore, Morphine, PoiZone, Sakura, Sawer and Toxic Biohazard" plugins have been updated already?

Plugins include: Drumaxx, Hardcore, Morphine, PoiZone, Sakura, Sawer and Toxic Biohazard

What's New

Plugin code has been synchronized with the FL Studio versions, although the UIs remain to be vectorialized.
New preset system. Same as FL Studio Desktop
Support for current DAWs
Support for current operation system
UTF path support
Apple Silicon Support
Internal polyphony is up to 99 in synths (when plugins do not have polyphony parameter)
General clean-up and refactoring to fix crashes

installers
https://forum.image-line.com/viewtopic.php?t=314010

Thanks - tbh I have always found these very unstable on Mac, especially Sakura, which I love. So far they seem more solid in FL Studio, although it is good to see some progress at least (finally). If they ever come out as VST3 versions, and include Harmor and Ogun, then I will give them another look

[aMUSEd]

Has anyone noticed the FL site just doesn't work in Safari? It won't scroll - very annoying