When you are starting out, there are a lot of things to learn. Like how to record with a mic in FL Studio.
When you are new to the process it can seem overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to feel intimidating or overwhelming.
Customize FL Studio 20 for Mac & PC and Make It Your Own - Including Huge Library With Sample Packs - Music Production Rating: 4.4 out of 5 4.4 (42 ratings) 1,677 students. How To Organize Samples/sounds in FL Studio’s Pack Folder. Now, for the sample folders. There are a few ways you can go about doing this and really it comes down to preference. One way you can do it is unpack sample packs you download and organize them into your own custom folders for different genres.
In this post I’ll cover the basics about how to set up and record, from a microphone in FL Studio.
It may seem complicated at first.
But I promise once you have done it a couple of times, it’ll feel like second nature.
Let’s get to it.
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Basic Steps to setup your mic and interface
We’ll cover the components you need, how to set everything up the first time, and how to start recording.
I’m going to give you two options you can use for recording.
You can pick which method works best for your workflow.
Here are the pieces of audio gear you are going to need to follow along with this post:
- A Microphone
- An Audio Interface
- A Microphone cable
- A purchased copy of FL Studio Producer or Signature Edition.
- Laptop or Computer
- A pair of headphones
*Note if you are using a USB Microphone to record, the process is a little bit different.
Let’s get back to this example.
We’re going to do a couple of things to make recording happen:
- Setup the gear we need
- Open FL Studio
- Save the project
- Configure the audio interface
- ASIO Device
- Buffer Size
- Set the location to record audio to
- Setup the mixer track
- Set up the transport controls
- Record audio
- Option to record from playlist
- Option to record with Edison
- Advanced options
- Loop recording
- Headphone mix
STEP 1 – Setup the Gear
Plug the audio interface into the computer.
Audio interfaces come in a variety of connections.
So plug into the correct port (USB, Firewire, or Thunderbolt).
Now plug the microphone cable into the mic.
Make sure that the Phantom power button is not on on your audio interface.
And then plug the other end into your audio interface.
If the microphone needs phantom power (+48V), then push the +48V button.
Generally, condenser mics need phantom power. Dynamic mics do not.
Having phantom power on when you plug the mic into the audio interface can cause damage to your microphone.
So we want to keep that microphone working well for a long time.
Open up FL Studio
Now let’s open up FL Studio.
I’m currently running version 20 of FL Studio. Which as of 2019, is the latest version.
It looks this when you open it up …
Save the Project
First thing I like to do is to save the project.
It may seem a little weird to save a song before we’ve started.
But it’s just to help prepare where we are going to record things.
FL Studio calls the files you save projects, but really it’s a song.
Hit CTRL + S on your keyboard.
This will bring up a dialog window that lets you choose where you want to save the project.
So name the song what you want to. And then choose where you want to save it on your computer.
And finally press the save button.
Setting up the Audio Interface
Let’s get everything setup to record from our mic.
To get to the settings window in FL Studio, press F10 on your keyboard.
This will bring up a dialog box that has a couple tabs across the top like Midi, Audio, General and File.
This is the settings window in FL Studio.
You’re going to click on the Audio tab.
And you should see a section called input/output.
So underneath is the device drop down menu.
You want to look for your device (audio interface).
There should be some options at the top that are called direct sound devices.
And underneath of that there should be some called ASIO devices.
We want to look at the drop down menu of ASIO devices.
ASIO Settings
So from the ASIO devices menu select the driver for your audio interface.
The name of the driver might not be exactly the name of your audio interface.
I am working off of a Presonus AudioBox iTwo audio interface in this example.
And in my case the ASIO device is called AudioBox ASIO Driver.
So I select that as my ASIO Device.
And then we need to set up the buffer.
Buffer Settings
Below the device drop down menu you’ll see another box that says buffer length.
I’m not going to go into a lot of detail about this.
But for recording, you want the buffer setting as low as you can get it, without it starting to clip, crackle, or pop.
This will prevent you from hearing a delay when you go to record your audio. It will also make sure that you get a clean sound from your interface.
In my case I’m selecting a buffer length of about 6-8 milliseconds. For me, if I try to go lower than that I start to get some crackle in my recordings.
You will be able to hear pops and crackles in your recording if you have it set too low.
You can see in this menu if you have had underruns.
So now we have the audio interface setup.
Now FL Studio can receive the input from the audio interface.
So let’s choose where we are going to save our recorded files.
Choose where to save the audio files
While we still have the Setting Window open let’s do one more thing.
We’re going to go over to the Project tab.
You should see a box beneath that that says data folder.
This lets you pick the folder on your computer that you want to save the recorded audio to.
Click on the folder icon and select where you want the data to be stored.
And now we’ll move on to setting up the mixer track.
Setting up the mixer track
This is where we set up the microphone input from the mixer track.
This will get the input from the microphone and the audio interface into a mixer track in FL Studio.
The first thing that we’re going to need to do is set up your microphone in a mixer Channel.
Press F9 on your keyboard and that will bring up the mixer window.
You should see a whole bunch of vertical bars, They will be titled Insert 1, Insert 2, and so on.
These are all mixer tracks for the project that you’re working on.
Let’s pick Insert 4 for this example.
When you click on it you’ll see a green box around it. And the fader will turn green at the bottom.
If you go to the right side of the mixer window you’ll see another box. In that box you’ll see Slot 1, Slot 2, and so on.
These are your effects slots that you can put on an individual mixer Channel.
But we’re going to be paying attention to the drop-down menu that’s at the top. It has an arrow pointing into a box. That is where you are going to select the input that you connected your to.
When you look at the drop-down menu you should see options that have your audio interface name and then stereo and mono track options.
Since we’re recording one microphone I’m going to assume that it’s a mono source. Because most mics are mono sources unless you have a stereo microphone.
So I select mic input one. Because that’s where I plugged in my microphone.
As you talk into the microphone you should see the bars on the insert for channel moving up and down. This means that you’re getting signal into the insert Channel.
Which means that you set it up right. Woohoo!
Now onto the transport controls.
Setting up transport controls
Up at the top of the FL Studio program you’ll see some transport controls.
These are the play button, the stop button and record button.
Right click on the record button and you should see some options.
It should have a box that says recording filter. And underneath of that with options to check automation, notes, audio, and clips.
Since we are recording audio we want to make sure that the audio option is checked by right-clicking.
Next to the play button there is a button that says pat on the top and song on the bottom.
Make sure that the song button is highlighted. Because that will allow us to record directly to the playlist. If it’s not selected, press the song button now.
Now you should see a green arrow show up in your playlist window and the song button should be highlighted in green.
I also like to set up a count in before it starts recording.
This option gives you a four count click before the recording starts. Which is helpful.
Press CTRL + P to turn this option on.
Alright, you’ve finished all the setup.
Now it’s time to do some recording.
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Record Audio
What I like about FL Studio is that there are several different ways of doing everything.
So there are a couple different options for recording audio:
- Recording directly into the playlist
- Recording through Edison
Before you start recording, make sure to plug in your headphones.
You don’t want the audio from the song to be bleeding into your mic.
You’ll get some weird sounds and feedback from doing that.
We’ll cover recording into the playlist first, since that is the most common.
Recording in the playlist in FL Studio
Open up the Mixer window by pressing F9.
Go to Insert 4 where we set up the mic.
At the bottom of the fader there is a track arm button.
Press that so it turns red.
You can also right click on the arm track button to bring up a window.
You could save the audio file to a different location if you want. And you can give the file whatever name you choose.
Open up the playlist window by pressing F5.
Click a spot on the playlist where you would want to start your recording.
I like to choose a spot a little before so it give me more time.
Now click on the record button in the transport bar, and wait for the count in.
Then start recording audio.
Once you are finished. Press Stop in the transport controls, or press the Space bar.
And that’s it. You’ve learned how to record a mic in FL Studio.
But I’ll show you another way to do it as well.
Recording a mic in Edison in FL Studio
Let’s get back to the mixer window.
Press F9.
Then go to Insert 4.
Go to the right side where the Slots are.
Click on the down arrow in Slot 1.
A window will come up that you will show you all the available plugins.
Look for the miscellaneous section and you should see Edison.
Pick Edison and a window should pop up.
To the right of the record button is a drop down menu.
Select On Play. And then press the record button.
Nothing will happen at this point, so don’t freak out.
This option just arms Edison to record.
Then go to your playlist window.
Click where in the song you want to start recording.
I like to move the marker to a little bit before that.
It gives you a little extra time before it starts the part you want to record.
When you are ready hit the play button.
This will start the recording in Edison.
When you are done, press the Stop on Edison.
And then you can Press stop on the Transport Controls in the Playlist.
There’s a button in the top right side of Edison.
Click that and then drag what you recorded into the playlist where you set your marker to start.
Everything will be lined up.
And that’s all you have to do to record audio in Edison.
BONUS TIPS – ADVANCED RECORDING OPTIONS
Now we’re getting into the extra credit section. You don’t have to do this.
But this is a way to take your mic recording skills to the next level.
Multiple Takes
One of the reasons that I like using Edison to record is the multiple takes option.
So as I’m putting together a song, I can highlight a certain section I want to record.
Let’s take the chorus for instance.
I can go the Playlist window by pressing F5.
I right click and drag around the section of the song I want to record.
Open up Edison on the Mixer Track, with the On Play option selected.
Arm Edison to record by pressing the record button.
Now when I press Play on the transport controls it will record.
It will keep recording as many takes of that section as you want.
I could do 3-5 takes on that one part.
Stop Edison when you are done. And stop the song in the transport controls.
Now in Edison you should see multiple takes.
I can select one of those takes by double-clicking on the orange marker at the front.
Then I can drag that take into the playlist. Using the drag to playlist option on Edison. (The button that’s highlighted in blue below)
I could drag all of them in individually if wanted.
Then I could create vocal comps of the best of those takes. But that’s a different subject.
Separate Mix
Another option you can try is to set up a headphone mix for your vocalist.
Each track in the mixer window is routed by default to the Master Fader.
You can see this when you click on any of the Insert tracks. It’s the neon green line that goes to the Master Fader.
You can change the default routing of a track if you want, though.
So let’s go back to Insert 4, where we set up our mic.
Now right click on the arrow at the bottom of Insert 5. You’ll see an option box come up.
It looks like this.
Now we’ll select the option that says route to this track only.
This is going to send the audio from Insert 4 to Insert 5 only.
So we’ve set up a new signal path for Insert 4.
It used to be that Insert 4 went directly to the Master Fader.
Now Insert 4 goes to Insert 5, and then to the Master Fader.
So we’re going to set up effects on Insert 5. And that will go into the Master Fader.
So that’s what you’ll hear in the headphones.
But, we will record on Insert 4, where there will be no effects.
So we’ll have a dry signal that we can edit and add effects to later.
So click on Insert 5.
Now go the Slots on the right side of the Mixer Window.
In Slot 1, let’s pick Fruity Delay 2.
In Slot 2, let’s pick Fruity Reeverb 2.
So if you sing into the mic. You’ll hear the effects.
But, if you record the vocals from Insert 4, there won’t be any effects.
This gives you the opportunity to edit and add different effects later in your mix.
So there you have it.
You’ve learned how to record with a mic in FL Studio. And I’ve given you some bonus tips on how to record multiple takes. And even set up a separate headphone mix for a vocalist.
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I hope you enjoyed it.
When it comes to making beats in FL Studio, there are literally hundreds of ways to use samples!
In this tutorial, you’ll learn a simple way to start making sample-based beats.
But a warning:
This is just ONE way to sample in FL Studio.
There are plenty of other methods you can use, so feel free to cherry pick whatever works for you in this article.
Now let’s get started at the very beginning…
Before you continue reading…
This tutorial is a beginner’s guide and doesn’t cover how to pitch shift and time-stretch your samples
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
Finding samples for your projects
Step one is to find songs or sounds you want to sample.
A great place to start is online.
There are plenty of online resources to find songs and loops to download for free.
But be careful if you plan to make beats for profit. Most of the sounds you find are prohibited by the copyright police.
So be cautious. Try searching for royalty free samples, loops and sound libraries.
Royalty free samples allow you to use the content without copyright infringement.
Sample libraries also contain higher quality audio files in wav format, occasionally labelled with tempo and key.
If you’re just practicing and have no intention of sharing your music, then sample whatever you want!
But if you’re looking to practice safe sampling, start with licensed sound libraries, sample packs and drum kits.
Once you’ve downloaded audio files you want to sample, it’s time to create a new FL Studio project.
How to import samples into FL Studio
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Step two is to extract the section you want to sample.
To do this, we’ll use Edison to import the audio file.
Open Edison by clicking on its icon in the menu.
Next, import the audio file you downloaded in the previous step.
With the full audio file loaded into Edison, it’s time to start sampling.
Use Edison to play the audio file until you find a section of the song you want to sample.
Ideally, you want to find at least 4 bars of music that loop seamlessly.
Once you’ve found a loop, you can drag along the waveform to highlight it.
After you’ve highlighted the loop, you can send it to the Playlist.
How to find the tempo of a sample in FL Studio
Once the sample is in the Playlist, you’ll want to find its tempo.
Finding the tempo is essential. It helps you align the BPM of your project with your sample. This ensures that the elements in your beat are in rhythm.
Here’s how you find the tempo:
Start by aligning the sample with the start of the song in the Playlist. Then change your project tempo settings until the loop matches the bars of the grid.
This confirms that your project tempo is in sync with your sample.
Another way to find the BPM of your sample is to use FL Studio’s tempo detection feature.
Just right click the waveform icon in the top left corner of the audio file, and click on Detect tempo.
In the new dialog window that pops up, click the option with the widest range.
Then, the software will provide an estimated tempo of the sample.
But sometimes the result is wrong. Your best bet is to learn how to count beats using the first method.
Want 100% accuracy for the tempo?
Learn a little-known method for finding the tempo without using extra software…
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
How to find the key of a sample in fl studio
After you’ve found the tempo, you may want to find the key.
This step requires some basic music theory, and is entirely optional.
To manually find the key of your sample, open a new instance of a simple instrument plugin, like FL Keys, in the channel rack.
Then listen to the loop, and play the notes on your piano roll that make up the chords of the music.
If you’re unsure what key makes up the notes, refer to a reference chart.
Now that you have the tempo (and key), you have a couple options:
Option #1 is to use the loop as the foundation of your beat.
Option #2 is to chop the loop to create a new pattern.
Let’s discuss both…
How to loop samples in FL Studio
If you’re satisfied with the loop as it stands, you can repeat it throughout your track.
To loop your samples, use the Paint tool to add new instances of the loop in the Playlist, as many times as you want.
Quick tip:
If you plan to customize the loops, you’ll want to make each sample unique.
Otherwise, you’ll end up changing ALL the loops in your track.
How to chop samples in FL Studio
If you prefer to chop your loops, you’ll want to use a sampler instrument.
Using a sampler, you can split your loops into sections and arrange them into new patterns.
For this tutorial, we’re going to use Fruity Slicer.
Other tools, like Slicex and various third party samplers, offer more advanced customization. But that’s beyond the scope of this tutorial…
So what’s the difference between Fruity Slicer and Slicex, you ask?
Here’s a simple answer:
Slicex is a sampler instrument AND an audio editor. This makes it great for customizing each slice and sampling drum loops.
Fruity Slicer is just a sampler instrument, and is simpler to use.
So for now, let’s return to Fruity Slicer to keep things simple…
First, open a new instance of Fruity Slicer in your sequencer.
Next, load the sample by clicking on the sample button, and choosing “load sample”. Navigate to the audio file you want to import.
Once you load the sample, change the tempo of Fruity Slicer to the tempo of the sample.
Now it’s time to chop the sample.
Click the slicing button and choose from the incremental options.
I recommend you choose “Beat” as your slicing option for the best results.
You can choose to slice by fractions if you prefer, but using more slices will add complexity later.
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At this stage, you should have your samples loaded and key mapped to your midi keyboard (if you’re using one).
Now you can use Fruity Slicer like any other virtual instrument to make your own patterns.
Draw the notes into your piano roll to find a pattern that fits your beat.
Or play the samples on your midi keyboard while recording into FL Studio.
Experiment with your samples to put your beat together.
Since sampling is the focus of this tutorial, we’re going to skip the part where you add to your beat.
This is where you would enhance your arrangement with bass, drums, one-shot vocal samples, sound FX, etc.
So let’s move on to step 3 for some tips on improving your sample-based beats.
Want more control over your slices?
Learn this simple method to manually slice your samples for Fruity Slicer…
Click the button below to download the advanced guide for free.
Tips for improving your samples
After you’ve set the foundation for your arrangement, you can customize your samples in the mixer.
Tip #1: Make room for the low end
Oftentimes your samples will include elements that detract from the overall mix.
This can lead to tracks that sound busy.
Your best bet is to use EQ to remove unnecessary elements.
But be careful when removing frequencies. Dynamic range is essential in music.
Tip #2: Customize the character of your samples
You might want to add mixing effects to change the feel of the sample.
For example, you can apply reverb, echo or time stretching effects to alter the sample.
There are also plenty of advanced techniques to help you create unique versions of your samples, which we’ll explore later.
Tip #3: Create your own mixing presets.
Once you’ve experimented with enough plugins, you’ll find particular settings that you like.
Be sure to save your favorite configurations as presets.
As you work, create new mixing channels for your samples, and save your configurations.
Congrats on making it this far!
Have fun sampling, and hit us up if you have any questions.