Learning FL Studio quick ?

[AxeD]

libertine

it takes months

the only short cut i spending more of your free time messing around with fl

Doubt you could get far in months honestly.
Maybe if you have someone who does the mixing.

[ChadDub]

I was under the impression (and still am) that he is talking about learning the program itself. If the OP could shed some light on that it'd be nice.

[smalltock]

I didn't read through the thread, but…

If you already know a thing or two about music, mixing, etc., you'd really just need to learn the interface/layout, which shouldn't be very difficult.

If you're new to music production in general, you're learning everything from scratch and that could take years. There's really no shortcut here, as far as I know. Whenever learning something, you just need to start learning it and eventually, you'll get to know it. This really applies to anything. For instance, I changed a lot of workflow stuff a few months ago (keyboard layout, window manager, mouse type/orientation, tenkey position, etc.), all of which I am still having trouble with.

[bennyfroobs]

libertine

it takes months

the only short cut i spending more of your free time messing around with fl

Doubt you could get far in months honestly.
Maybe if you have someone who does the mixing.

it took me just a few months to grasp the technical stuff tbh. i'm pretty computer literate though, i pick new software up fairly quickly. learning the music theory stuff though.... you could be doing that shit for years and years and still be turd with it. shits confusing )-:

[ChadDub]

libertine

it takes months

the only short cut i spending more of your free time messing around with fl

Doubt you could get far in months honestly.
Maybe if you have someone who does the mixing.

it took me just a few months to grasp the technical stuff tbh. i'm pretty computer literate though, i pick new software up fairly quickly. learning the music theory stuff though.... you could be doing that shit for years and years and still be turd with it. shits confusing )-:

Music theory is complicated, but not impossible. Just learn all the major keys first. Learn one major key a week. When I say "learn a key" I mean learn the notes of the key, then learn the major and minor chords that are used in that key. It helps to learn a song that is in the key you want to learn so you have something to apply your knowledge to. After you know all the major keys you should already have a lot more knowledge than what you had before. Once you know the major keys, go learn the minor keys. This will be easy because every major key also has it's own minor counterpart. For example, C Major shares the exact same notes as A Minor.

[Sure_Fire]

libertine

it takes months

the only short cut i spending more of your free time messing around with fl

Doubt you could get far in months honestly.
Maybe if you have someone who does the mixing.

it took me just a few months to grasp the technical stuff tbh. i'm pretty computer literate though, i pick new software up fairly quickly. learning the music theory stuff though.... you could be doing that shit for years and years and still be turd with it. shits confusing )-:

Music theory is complicated, but not impossible. Just learn all the major keys first. Learn one major key a week. When I say "learn a key" I mean learn the notes of the key, then learn the major and minor chords that are used in that key. It helps to learn a song that is in the key you want to learn so you have something to apply your knowledge to. After you know all the major keys you should already have a lot more knowledge than what you had before. Once you know the major keys, go learn the minor keys. This will be easy because every major key also has it's own minor counterpart. For example, C Major shares the exact same notes as A Minor.

I'd say learn key structures first, that way you don't need to remember all the notes of every key, you can work it out by the shape of each key. For example a minor key will always start with a tone interval, then a semitone, tone and so on....same goes for any other mode. I looking at this from a guitarists view rather than a piano players though, so it depends on what instrument you play.

OP: If you don't play an instrument, I'd suggest picking up one. No amount of technical knowledge can make you a musician I'm afraid.

[ehbes]

OP is above college, he shoudl already nknow this sfuff

[DJKastro]

Trial & error the more time you put in the better you will get at using it, look on youtube for tutorials & download a couple of synths

[fiveone]

Google and other online informational sources really should be treated like gold mines these days...this stuff was unavailable to all 20+ years ago.....when all there really were....were outdated information in books and libraries.

well there you go then... search the 'goldmines' for the guides and watch youtube for tips on fruityloops. i found some videos "boring" to watch, but i learned a lot. there isn't a quick/easy way.

[nowaysj]

I love all of you. So, so flawed, but I love you all.

I'm going to rewind this thread, zzzwwwiiinnnniiiiiinnnnnwiiiiiinnn...

And start again:

Sorry, don't know of any contemporary quality flstudio tutorial series. There was stuff in the past that was pretty good, acepincter, war beats, but that was a long time ago, at the beginning of the youtube revolution. There are way more teenagers making tutorials now, so you get to hear some wobbly throated kid learn the program as they are making the tutorial.

I'd actually like some tutorials on 11, as I've been deep up the butt of 10, and using it mostly like 9. Never was like studious on updating my knowledge.

I hope someone comes along with with a comprehensive contemporary source, I can't be fucked to search youtube.

And wtf is pinnacle studios, or what ever that was called?

[smalltock]

And wtf is pinnacle studios, or what ever that was called?

A video editor, If I understand correctly.

Make dem beets wif Wind0z movie makr

[ChadDub]

Look up seamless fl basic tutorial. He has like 60 videos on it and he's still going... He makes one every Saturday.

[Lib3rtine]

wub, I like it all. Nothing specific.

The reason I asked is, because in ways Fl Studio is harder than learning Linux.

With Linux, sometimes you just need 1 command to do what needs to be done. With FL Studio, you need almost everything to work in harmony together....to get perfection. Which is why I commend you guys that know Fl Studio in and out. Eventually this might be a program that 'should' require a college course.

Haven't had the time lately to even start learning this. Somewhat agree with 'nowaysj' And yea, pinnacle studios is crap...I wouldn't even recommend trying it out. It got worse over time...Pinnacle Studio 12 was awesome..but it's latest version 17 = garbage. Which now requires like 3 extra programs to be downloaded...Microsoft .Net Engine is one of em.

Since we're hung up on Software, watcha guys think about hardware ? like Novation ? Seems like a new piece. Heard it's fully integrate-able with Fl Studio and Ableton Live....and that's another thing, Ableton better than FL ? hmmm.

I feel like I want hardware and software...feels more rewarding / creativity factor = increased when using hardware...no? always being at the computer = feels like work.

midi keyboard required or no? Novation = good enough ?

[wub]

wub, I like it all. Nothing specific.

Glad you came back, OP

With Linux, sometimes you just need 1 command to do what needs to be done. With FL Studio, you need almost everything to work in harmony together....to get perfection. Which is why I commend you guys that know Fl Studio in and out. Eventually this might be a program that 'should' require a college course.

Everything you need to learn about FL can be picked up from YouTube, reading the manual, and practice. A college course would only showcase the instructors preferences.

And forums! Ignore the trolls and places like this are goldmines!

Since we're hung up on Software, watcha guys think about hardware ? like Novation ? Seems like a new piece. Heard it's fully integrate-able with Fl Studio and Ableton Live....and that's another thing, Ableton better than FL ? hmmm.

Nothing is better than anything else, it's all a matter of which workflow you prefer. For hardware, the novation controllers do the job well enough, same as the M-Audio Oxygen series. If you've got the chance to play around on both before buying, do so. If not, I'd go for whatever your budget allows. I have an early model M-Audio because at the time it was all I could afford and it works just fine.

I feel like I want hardware and software...feels more rewarding / creativity factor = increased when using hardware...no? always being at the computer = feels like work.

midi keyword required or no? Novation = good enough ?

Definitely required, IMO. You get to learn piano playing skills, as well as moving away from the mouse in terms of setting parameters to controls etc.

[ChadDub]

FL Studio does NOT need a college course. It's simple once you use it for a while.

I still don't know whether you're talking about actually writing music or just knowing the shortcuts and stuff like that.

Personally, I don't really like using midi keyboards, but that might be because I've used my QWERTY for so long. I fell into the midi keyboard hype and got an akai mpk49. To be honest I rather just use my QWERTY. But I'm taking the time to actually learn how to play piano so it's good that I have it now.

In regard to the whole hands on thing with setting parameters, after I learned that I can record automation/score in FL, I just turned the knobs with my mouse while the song played to get more intuitive cut-off automation (using that as an example).

I'm a plain jane though, so don't take it personally. Try a midi controller out, you might like it.

[nowaysj]

Libertine, I was going to play with you and tell you that ableton was better, but I'm too tired... flstudio is fine. Better in some regards, not as good in others. I will say that fl is easier to learn, imo. Ableton's mixer is difficult to deal with, and it is somewhat antiquated.

But let me tell you, all these programs are pretty easy to learn. They just look huge and daunting because you're just starting out. In a short time, they'll seem easy. They won't even seem like anything, you'll just do stuff in them.

But the music making... that will probably seem like a really huge thing for years, as there is a lot to learn, with a lot that can go wrong.

[Lib3rtine]

chaddub, sick track in ur sig.

see, I wanna be able to make stuff like that from scratch...but also remix current and popular drops.

for instance, the first thing I thought about when hearing this -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAtYyZ2HNUk

was dubb'ing it up like crazy...but I don't have the skillz. (yet) and I can't be the only one that thinks some amazing-ness could come outta that one... (currently, not even 1 dub version of it on youtube)

My current thinking is Novation + FL ...I wanna be able to do everything professionally..think it'll be enough? (i know it'll probably take me forever to learn...but i'll take my time)

My thought process is that the Novation part will enhance my creative edge in wanting to learn it more and quicker, since it's the hardware part. Working from scratch with just FL Studio, could bore me to death...me thinks.

Libertine, I was going to play with you and tell you that ableton was better, but I'm too tired... flstudio is fine.

lullzz.

yea, it's like 50/50 everywhere it seems when comparing the 2. I heard Deadmau5 uses it..instead of FL.

Merry Xmas all..

[ChadDub]

chaddub, sick track in ur sig.

see, I wanna be able to make stuff like that from scratch...but also remix current and popular drops.

for instance, the first thing I thought about when hearing this -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAtYyZ2HNUk

was dubb'ing it up like crazy...but I don't have the skillz. (yet) and I can't be the only one that thinks some amazing-ness could come outta that one... (currently, not even 1 dub version of it on youtube)

My current thinking is Novation + FL ...I wanna be able to do everything professionally..think it'll be enough? (i know it'll probably take me forever to learn...but i'll take my time)

My thought process is that the Novation part will enhance my creative edge in wanting to learn it more and quicker, since it's the hardware part. Working from scratch with just FL Studio, could bore me to death...me thinks.

Libertine, I was going to play with you and tell you that ableton was better, but I'm too tired... flstudio is fine.

lullzz.

yea, it's like 50/50 everywhere it seems when comparing the 2. I heard Deadmau5 uses it..instead of FL.

Merry Xmas all..

Thanks!

I've been making music since I was 12. I started with drum lessons then guitar lessons and I got FL in like 2011 after being introduced to electronic music by finding Flux Pavillion on Youtube. I've been at this for a while, and I'm still shit. I haven't been practicing this stuff militaristically, there's been a lot of fucking off, but still I've had music on my mind for 7 years.

Point is is that depending on who you are and what you do, learning how to be "good" at making music could take a year or decades.

[smalltock]

Lib3rtine: With respect to your previous post…

I'd like to clarify a few things for you. I write the following with no intention to antagonize or offend, but you seem to subscribe to a few misconceptions that will cause problems between you and this community if left unaddressed.

1) Dub and Dubstep are not the same thing.
Simply put, Dub is a very separate genre, stemming from Reggae. Dubstep is a derivative (usually very distant derivative) of dub.

2) The dubstep you know may not be the same thing that we discuss here.
Dubstep is a very diverse genre. There are many faces to dubstep, some of which make use of 'wobbles' and 'drops'. The folks here tend to prefer different styles of the genre, however. If you'd like an example, look up music by any of the following artists:
-Burial
-Phaeleh
-Skream
-Volor Flex
-Subscape
-Biome
There are many others, but I'm in a hurry and have to go :3 Those should give you a good example. Have a nice day

[Lib3rtine]

chad, I almost feel like you gotta 'feel' it ...to make the best tracks.

Even with the xmas mix, I drove myself crazy just to switch 3 songs up..and reposition them.

And personally it drove me nuts removing this song from the mix entirely -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDflIlwAdv4

I removed it only because I didn't think it was a song that people would consistently like. Even though I think it was created brilliantly. ^ a song that should of got more credit than it did...then again this happens with Dubstep artists across the globe...where amazing drops are never recognized. (world-wide)

Even with my mix's (the only music skill I currently have) is to make sure songs blend together beautifully...and that each song HAS to be one of those songs that stick in ur head forever... if 1 song, just completely sucks...there's noway in h*ll i'm adding it. I don't care if someone's paying me to promote it or whatever. Everything song / beat HAS to be a song / beat that just freezes the brain practically.

smalltock, criticism is welcomed. Haterz make us greater.

This genre changes by the day.

There's Dubstep, Chillstep , Trapstep , Dubtrap , Darkstep, Lovestep ....oh and trust, it'll continue to change. (and yea, I made a couple of them up...but surely they'll be used in the years ahead)