Curious about FL Studio

[elfan]

Hi everybody,

I'm a bit curious about FL Studio since I've heard that it has a nice step recording sequencer and enables the user to use the computer keyboard to enter notes. I'm looking at using FL Studio as a sequencer VSTi in another VST host (preferably Cubase SX and/or EnergyXT).

However, I've run into a few problems that somebody perhaps could help me solve:

1. When running FL Studio standalone there is no problems with inputs from the computer keyboard, but when running it as a VSTi under Cubase or EnergyXT, FL Studio fails to capture my input. If I push a key, FL Studio doesn't respond to this. And since I want to use the computer keyboard as a way to program the sequencer, this is a big problem. Has anyone had this problem? When running FL Studio VSTi in EnergyXT no input is captured, when running it in Cubase SX, like two or three different notes are captured for some reason.

2. The same goes for midi input. If I try to play some notes on my midi keyboard, FL Studio (VSTi) doesn't record the notes into the sequencer (piano roll editor). In the standalone this problem doesn't appear.

3. I'm wondering if there's a way of not only inputting notes from the computer keyboard but also moving and erasing notes, and so forth, from the computer keyboard. So that I can insert/erase notes as well as pauses and move around notes from the keyboard. That would be so swell . If this is not possible from the keyboard, is there _any_ other way of doing this besides using the mouse?

4. Finally, would it be possible to send midi from the sequencer, in FL Studio VSTi, to the VST host it is run within. So that I can use FL Studio as a sequencer for plugins in the VST host outside FL Studio?

I would greatly appreciate any help .

Thanks!

//Tomas

[experimental.crow]

errmm ...
have you tried using your mouse , in the piano roll ?...

left button adds a note ...
right button deletes ...

oops ...
sorry ... just re-read your post ...
you said besides the mouse ...
out of curiosity ... why not the mouse ?...

[elfan]

Yeah, but I rather not use the mouse since FL Studio lets me use the computer keyboard and the midi keyboard. If I wanted to use the mouse, I could go with the sequencer in Cubase. The reason for not using the sequencer in Cubase is that when working with step recording from a midi keyboard, the Cubase sequencer is unsufferable. That's why I'm looking for alternatives.

//Tomas

[tony tony chopper]

FL, when used as a plugin, obviously can't use its own MIDI in or output, as it would conflict with the host itself using it.
But the host should be forwarding MIDI input to FL, if set up properly (although I never really tested that in depth).

[headquest]

4. Finally, would it be possible to send midi from the sequencer, in FL Studio VSTi, to the VST host it is run within. So that I can use FL Studio as a sequencer for plugins in the VST host outside FL Studio?

I would greatly appreciate any help .

Thanks!

//Tomas

I don;t think that would be possible... but you don;t need to do it FL will host your VST pluggin instrument and send audio signal back to your host sequencer.

ALSO if you are using FL within Cubase you could open FL as a ReWire client within Cubase, which gives you more flexible options for integrating the two programmes. I don;t think that eXT has ReWire though, so less compatibility here.

[Stupid American Pig]

Most likely your host is taking prescidence over the FL vst for capturing keystrokes, there may or may not be a way to turn that off(I dont know cubase) TBH I havent ever tried this in sonar(my host) so I dunno if it would work, since I have a midi keyboard, I havent ever had to use the computer keyboard...

from what you are describing, you could always work with FL in standalone, and then open that project in Cubase, though this is not very efficient...

[elfan]

oops ...
sorry ... just re-read your post ...
you said besides the mouse ...
out of curiosity ... why not the mouse ?...

Because it's dreadfully inefficient. Every worked with trackers? There you only work with the computer keyboard, entering every note and pause by keystrokes and cursor keys. You can write extremely fast in comparison to other techniques such as input by midi keyboard and/or mouse.
I would at least like to be able to input notes from the midi keyboard and then move the notes around, select notes and erase notes by using the computer keyboard as much as possible.

//Tomas

[elfan]

4. Finally, would it be possible to send midi from the sequencer, in FL Studio VSTi, to the VST host it is run within. So that I can use FL Studio as a sequencer for plugins in the VST host outside FL Studio?

I would greatly appreciate any help .

Thanks!

//Tomas

I don;t think that would be possible... but you don;t need to do it FL will host your VST pluggin instrument and send audio signal back to your host sequencer.

ALSO if you are using FL within Cubase you could open FL as a ReWire client within Cubase, which gives you more flexible options for integrating the two programmes. I don;t think that eXT has ReWire though, so less compatibility here.

FL Studio VSTi does have a VST midi output. So obviously it must be capable of sending midi data to the VST host it's loaded within. I just need to know how to make FL Studio send midi through the midi output instead of to its own, internal plugins.

//Tomas

[elfan]

But the host should be forwarding MIDI input to FL, if set up properly (although I never really tested that in depth).

Yeah, that's what I'm doing . FL Studio picks up the midi data forwarded by Cubase, because I obviously can trig FL Studio from my midi keyboard. However, FL Studio doesn't record the notes, that I'm sending, in the piano roll editor.

//Tomas

[zircon]

oops ...
sorry ... just re-read your post ...
you said besides the mouse ...
out of curiosity ... why not the mouse ?...

Because it's dreadfully inefficient. Every worked with trackers? There you only work with the computer keyboard, entering every note and pause by keystrokes and cursor keys. You can write extremely fast in comparison to other techniques such as input by midi keyboard and/or mouse.
I would at least like to be able to input notes from the midi keyboard and then move the notes around, select notes and erase notes by using the computer keyboard as much as possible.

//Tomas

Not true. I write music lightning fast using the piano roll in FL; no other input format has come even CLOSE for me, including manually playing manually (and I'm an experienced pianist too). It takes a little bit of practice, but FL's piano roll is unbelievably powerful once you get good with it.

[elfan]

Not true. I write music lightning fast using the piano roll in FL; no other input format has come even CLOSE for me, including manually playing manually (and I'm an experienced pianist too). It takes a little bit of practice, but FL's piano roll is unbelievably powerful once you get good with it.

Well, obviously it's a matter of personal taste and what you're used to. I would prefer using the keyboard if possible. I've actually tried using other methods, but it just hasn't worked out for me.

//Tomas

[tony tony chopper]

However, FL Studio doesn't record the notes, that I'm sending, in the piano roll editor

FL -> audio settings -> record automation

I don't remember if it works for notes, maybe, maybe not.

[zircon]

You probably have "Send recorded notes to step sequencer" checked off (or something to that effect) in the general settings.

[elfan]

You probably have "Send recorded notes to step sequencer" checked off (or something to that effect) in the general settings.

There is an option called "Record to step sequencer" in the settings. It's checked though.

//Tomas

[zircon]

Right, uncheck it.