FL Studio Tips for Beginners

Many top-notch producers and novices around the world famously use FL Studio. The popular DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) is responsible for making some of today’s music hits. Despite being used by many professionals in the industry, FL Studio is great for beginners. In this article, we’ll review some of the best tips for beginners unfamiliar with some of its features.

Though we will be going over some basic material, there are still many things that even advanced users may not be aware of. This guide will teach you keyboard shortcuts, workflow, automation, and more. After learning these tips for FL Studio, you’ll be on your way to fully utilize the powerful software. Let’s take your music production to the next level!

Can FL Studio Be Used To Produce Any Genre of Music?

Yes, FL Studio has various tools and features that allow you to create any genre of music. It’s important to take note of certain workflows and patterns used for the type of songs you’d like to create. You can research how others make music by searching on YouTube or examining your favorite songs to hear any small detail useful for your production.

Beginner Tip #1: Familiarize Yourself With The Channel Rack

You’ll see the channel rack on your screen when you open FL Studio for the first time. Here you can build patterns and rhythms using instruments and sounds. After creating your first pattern, you can clone it onto various sections of your song by right-clicking and selecting “clone.” You can also select “Make Unique” to slightly change a segment of your pattern to introduce a variation. 

Beginner Tip #2: Learn Keyboard Shortcuts 

Creating music from scratch can be time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you learn FL Studio keyboard shortcuts, you can quickly maneuver through tools to make your production more efficient. Using Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V can assist in copying and pasting patterns and effects. There are much more shortcuts to learn, so please take your time and browse through the navigation bar to view what you need to press for certain actions. 

Beginner Tip #3: Dumping Score Log

Dumping the score log is one of my favorite tips for beginners learning the ways of FL Studio. If you use a MIDI controller during your music production, you’ll find yourself making awesome melodies and patterns and forgetting to record. This can be frustrating, but no need to worry; FL Studio saves every note you performed within the last few minutes. To retrieve those MIDI notes, head to an empty pattern, click on the Tools menu, and select “Dump Score Log To Selected Channel.” 

Beginner Tip #4: Automation Clips

Automation is the key to many successful songs on the top charts. FL Studio has an excellent way of creating this popular technique for practically any aspect of any sound or effect. Automation clips will allow you to introduce variation within any sound, making your song sound more interesting. To do this, simply right-click on any control knob and select “Create Automation Clip.” 

Beginner Tip #5: Snapping Sounds

Timing is important in music production; unfortunately, your settings in FL Studio may not be set correctly regarding snapping. If you’re experiencing offbeat notes, click on the Snap Panel on the menu bar. There, you can experiment with different options or select “Line.” This will force your notes to follow the grid on the Piano Roll. Now you won’t make timing mistakes when it comes to notes. Some producers intentionally offset a couple of beats or notes to create an interesting sound.