Hello again. I thought I'd write an article that presents keyboard shortcuts worth memorizing. Shortcuts save me tremendous ammounts of time, so I can focus more on the music, rather than on menus.
Saving
Ctrl-S: Save
Using the Ctrl-S shortcut often when working on a project is very handy, if you should happen to be unlucky enough to have a computer crash. This saves the document, so that if anything happens you'll have a pretty recent version of the song.
Ctrl-Shift-S: Save-as
This shortcut is very handy if you want to save an alternate version of your song before doing certain changes, or if you want to save an either temporary or final version of the song in mp3/wav/midi.
Switching between pattern/song-mode'
Shift-L: This is a shortcut I just recently stumbled across. I use it a lot now, as it is really handy!
Moving effect-, sample-channels and patterns
To make a project well organised it is a good idea to rearrange your project's channels by using Alt-[direction] as shown here:
How to open/close the different windows
F5-F9 opens and closes the various windows in FL Studio, and knowing them by heart makes managing your project much simpler. F12 closes all windows except the browser and the step sequencer.
F5 opens/closes the playlist. Note: Enter also opens the playlist, and it is what I use the most. It's a matter of opinion.
F6 opens/closes the step sequencer.
F7 opens/closes the piano roll. I personally prefer to right-click a channel, and click piano roll. But this is also a matter of opinion.
F8 opens/closes the browser. Closing this window, when not in use frees a lot of screen space.
F9 opens/closes the mixer. I use this shortcut a lot, as it saves me much time.
F12 closes all open windows except the browser and the step sequencer.
How to rename a channel
Select a channel with the mouse, and press F2. Type the new name in the grey box.
Search for sounds, effects, etc. in the browser
Use Ctrl-F, and type a word, or a part of a wor in the file you want to find. Use F3 to find the next object that maches your search
How to open recent projects with short-cuts
Use alt-[number] to open the projects you worked on earlier. alt-1 opens the previous project you worked on, alt-2 opens the project you worked on before that and so forth.
More short-cuts to come. Please add more shortcuts you know of, by commenting. I also plan making a video for the tutorial.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Mixing a Song in FL Studio
-and organising your project after a messy recording session
You have finished recording your song, and everything's set. Except, your song still sounds like crap! Here's how to fix that in FL Studio.
1.Assign audio tracks to effect channels
First you should assign all the audio tracks to effect channels. Do this by double clicking the wave file, if the "Playlist"-window is open, or by clicking the audio tracks in the "step sequencer"-window. You should assign the audio tracks to effect channels with similar recordings. For example, assigning all guitar recordings to one effect channel, all the vocal recordings to a different fx-channel and so on.
2.Name and color the fx-channels
Select the desired fx-channel, and press F2 to rename the channel. In the right of the little box that appears, there is a square, which probably is gray. Click on this, and choose a color that you might associate with the sounds in this channel. Then edit the text to suit this group of sounds (i. e. "Guitars", or "Vocals").
3.Organise the fx-channels
Next up, you should organise your playlist. Wheter you do this by grouping similar channels is your choice. But a neat little keyboard-shortcut is alt-left, and alt-right. These shortcuts move the chosen effect track one step right, or one step left.
4.Organise the playlist
Open the playlist-channel. There's a big probability that it looks somewhat messy after a long recording session with the band, or an experimental recording session. Now, organise the recordings, and group them more properly. Group the different instruments recordings together, and change their name into something that describes the recording better. Usually when I record songs I end with tracks named "voc2_2", "dsfsdddf_6" and similar. This was especcially true one time I let my band do the recording without their "technical supervisor" (me ;) ). I personally like to Have the name of the wav-file in the title. I do this by naming the tracks in a fashion similar to this: "Verse 2, vocals(voc2_2)" instead of the relatively confusing "Voc2_2". So do this!
5.Make send channels.
Send channels are golden. Especcially for older computers, as they can save you tons of CPU (which, for the novice allows your PC to operate faster). What send channels should you make? I think it is a good idea to have one or two reverb-channel, where you add the reverb- or reverb2-effect. A chorus, delay and sometimes a phaser or flanger/flangus channel may also come in handy. Bear in mind that you can add effects to the separate fx-channels too.
For the reverb, I like the cathedral, and small studio presets. Depending on what I want the song to sound like. Bear in mind that you can tweak the parameters as you pleace. Remember, Edison found 10,000 or so ways not to make a light bulb before he managed to. Experiment, and be patient! But the presets are pretty decent too. (Don't take things too seriously. Contradictionarily, that usually leads to a worse result in the end)
The chorus should be programmed to do whatever you want it too. Wheter it is to make the sound fuller, or a bit more "spacey" (though phasers in regular fx-channels do this better). I like the default, and the "fat clean" presets pretty well.
Delay is a good send-effect. When attributing it to a send channel, the presets ending with (send) are good for send channels.
The phaser-, and flangus/flanger effects are good for adding "spacey" sounds. I usually add these effects to the regular fx-channel. But they can be used to color the sound from send channels too.
Note: Send channels "duplicate" the output, and when you direct an fx-channel to a send-channel, you will hear a mix of the fx-channels output, and the send output. Therefore, certain effects, like distortion, equalization and filters are generally not suited for send channels.
6.(Optional) Automate panning/volume changes.
So, your guitarist manages to play the entire song, and everything is great. Except, he has made tons of noice between verse one or two (or whatever ;) ). Or maybe you want the sound to fade from the left ear to the the right ear. To do that, you should automate the tracks, by first opening the playlist, the clicking the tiny triangle on the top-left of the sound file. Then choose automate, and panning or volume.
Note: everything can be automated in FL Studio (not external VSTi's).(important) choose a "pattern" in the playlist-window that will be the track to automate whatever you want to automate. Then, just right click any knob, and choose edit events and choose how you want that knob to move, or just switch to recording mode, by clicking the button next to the play and stop buttons, and moving the knob like you want it to while the song plays.
7.Listen to the tracks individually. Add effects and eventually listen to the channels with a metronome to make sure that the sound is synchronised with the beat.
By right clicking on the small green "lights" in the mixer-window, you can listen to the fx-tracks individually. And if you right click at the same spot again, you will reactivate all the channels. Now listen to each channel. Add effects and send the sound to send channels by selecting the desired fx-channel and turning the round knobs beneath the send channels in the mixer to adjust the ammount of sound that should come from a given send channel. (the knobs are almost at the bottom of the window)
That's it :) I hope this article helped you!
You have finished recording your song, and everything's set. Except, your song still sounds like crap! Here's how to fix that in FL Studio.
1.Assign audio tracks to effect channels
First you should assign all the audio tracks to effect channels. Do this by double clicking the wave file, if the "Playlist"-window is open, or by clicking the audio tracks in the "step sequencer"-window. You should assign the audio tracks to effect channels with similar recordings. For example, assigning all guitar recordings to one effect channel, all the vocal recordings to a different fx-channel and so on.
2.Name and color the fx-channels
Select the desired fx-channel, and press F2 to rename the channel. In the right of the little box that appears, there is a square, which probably is gray. Click on this, and choose a color that you might associate with the sounds in this channel. Then edit the text to suit this group of sounds (i. e. "Guitars", or "Vocals").
3.Organise the fx-channels
Next up, you should organise your playlist. Wheter you do this by grouping similar channels is your choice. But a neat little keyboard-shortcut is alt-left, and alt-right. These shortcuts move the chosen effect track one step right, or one step left.
4.Organise the playlist
Open the playlist-channel. There's a big probability that it looks somewhat messy after a long recording session with the band, or an experimental recording session. Now, organise the recordings, and group them more properly. Group the different instruments recordings together, and change their name into something that describes the recording better. Usually when I record songs I end with tracks named "voc2_2", "dsfsdddf_6" and similar. This was especcially true one time I let my band do the recording without their "technical supervisor" (me ;) ). I personally like to Have the name of the wav-file in the title. I do this by naming the tracks in a fashion similar to this: "Verse 2, vocals(voc2_2)" instead of the relatively confusing "Voc2_2". So do this!
5.Make send channels.
Send channels are golden. Especcially for older computers, as they can save you tons of CPU (which, for the novice allows your PC to operate faster). What send channels should you make? I think it is a good idea to have one or two reverb-channel, where you add the reverb- or reverb2-effect. A chorus, delay and sometimes a phaser or flanger/flangus channel may also come in handy. Bear in mind that you can add effects to the separate fx-channels too.
For the reverb, I like the cathedral, and small studio presets. Depending on what I want the song to sound like. Bear in mind that you can tweak the parameters as you pleace. Remember, Edison found 10,000 or so ways not to make a light bulb before he managed to. Experiment, and be patient! But the presets are pretty decent too. (Don't take things too seriously. Contradictionarily, that usually leads to a worse result in the end)
The chorus should be programmed to do whatever you want it too. Wheter it is to make the sound fuller, or a bit more "spacey" (though phasers in regular fx-channels do this better). I like the default, and the "fat clean" presets pretty well.
Delay is a good send-effect. When attributing it to a send channel, the presets ending with (send) are good for send channels.
The phaser-, and flangus/flanger effects are good for adding "spacey" sounds. I usually add these effects to the regular fx-channel. But they can be used to color the sound from send channels too.
Note: Send channels "duplicate" the output, and when you direct an fx-channel to a send-channel, you will hear a mix of the fx-channels output, and the send output. Therefore, certain effects, like distortion, equalization and filters are generally not suited for send channels.
6.(Optional) Automate panning/volume changes.
So, your guitarist manages to play the entire song, and everything is great. Except, he has made tons of noice between verse one or two (or whatever ;) ). Or maybe you want the sound to fade from the left ear to the the right ear. To do that, you should automate the tracks, by first opening the playlist, the clicking the tiny triangle on the top-left of the sound file. Then choose automate, and panning or volume.
Note: everything can be automated in FL Studio (not external VSTi's).(important) choose a "pattern" in the playlist-window that will be the track to automate whatever you want to automate. Then, just right click any knob, and choose edit events and choose how you want that knob to move, or just switch to recording mode, by clicking the button next to the play and stop buttons, and moving the knob like you want it to while the song plays.
7.Listen to the tracks individually. Add effects and eventually listen to the channels with a metronome to make sure that the sound is synchronised with the beat.
By right clicking on the small green "lights" in the mixer-window, you can listen to the fx-tracks individually. And if you right click at the same spot again, you will reactivate all the channels. Now listen to each channel. Add effects and send the sound to send channels by selecting the desired fx-channel and turning the round knobs beneath the send channels in the mixer to adjust the ammount of sound that should come from a given send channel. (the knobs are almost at the bottom of the window)
That's it :) I hope this article helped you!
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