Producing Advice

[Chrono]

I use fl studio and i'm startin to feel like i'm wasting my time trying to make my beats sound crisp and on human time (rather the fake programmed sound i usuially get) using fl.

I do use a midi controller, But what I'm asking Is are there any better programs that I could use in conjunction with the midi keyboard? I can borrow reason from a friend.. but i don't have much time and think twice before begining to try and figure it out (the instruction books are huge). But, if it's worth it i will.

Anyone have any suggestions? i've gotta fix my beats!

 

[BROUSSARD BEATS]

trt reason its better and it can work with some of the big studio programs
also get you some waves plug-ins

 

[M!nd_Ctrl]

You're using a midi controller and still getting a "fake programmed sound"? I don't know if another program will help you then. You have to learn how to make it sound real. Think of the whole program as your instrument. For drums and other instruments in FL, quantize them. Also use an effect like reverb.

Anyways, try Reason, Ableton, or Cubase. I don't they make it any easier or real, though.

Good Luck,


Ctrl

 

[DJ Hoppa]

but i don't have much time and think twice before begining to try and figure it out (the instruction books are huge). But, if it's worth it i will.

Anyone have any suggestions? i've gotta fix my beats!

Just keep doing it. You're going to have to spend MASS amounts of TIME on defining your sound/style.

Fuck with a few different programs, and learn them all.

Knowing the pros/cons on everything out there will help you make an educated decision on what is best for you.

If your beats are sounding too programmed for your tastes, try digging up breaks and chopping sections and rearranging them, then layering single hits on top of that and mixing it together so they blend.... it's all about getting that "natural swing" on your beats, and sometimes FL's 'swing' just dont cut it...


experiment, close the door, lock it, and get to work mang!

 

[Chrono]

i'm not using the controller to tap in my beats. It sounds like that's my problem; I've mainly used it for playing the melody. I don't know what quantizing is but i'll find out with the quickness.

an hoppa i see what you mean, I need to have more options than FL. It's tedious to always use that program. i never really thought up taking old breaks and chopping them up into a blend. Thx all for the info!

 

[spin]

when i was using fl studio i realized how important the effects are to make my tracks sound better try to do the same... read the manual about effects...

 

[MGTheFuture]

trt reason its better and it can work with some of the big studio programs
also get you some waves plug-ins

lmao - why you tellin this guy that bullshit ?

First - Reason ISNT better than FL - they are 2 different animals - in fact FL does more within itself.

Reason you would need cubase, and wave editors and etc

FL does it on its own


THEN you tell him to get Waves - well what good will waves do in reason ? it doesnt support VST at all -

and he said he is NEW to it..so why make him learn 3 programs @ once ?



TRY THIS GUY:

Stick to FL - get you some GOOD sounds and drum kits - YES unlike your free FL download - you have to buy these.

Then - if you really edgy - go on ebay - and buy you a rack - JV1010, Proteus, Mo phatt - are all runnin under 300$ on the right day



Now if you have done that - and still cant make a decent track - you ARE wasting your time and its time to move on to the next hobby

 

[MGTheFuture]

i'm not using the controller to tap in my beats. It sounds like that's my problem; I've mainly used it for playing the melody. I don't know what quantizing is but i'll find out with the quickness.

an hoppa i see what you mean, I need to have more options than FL. It's tedious to always use that program. i never really thought up taking old breaks and chopping them up into a blend. Thx all for the info!

lmao - FL is the easiest of the 4 mentioned

Your problem as you stated - is you dont want to read.

You think cuz you have a beat making program - you gonna make beats.

That Doesnt work - you need to take your time, watch some tutorials (Search yahoo) and open the PRE MADE SONGS - i know you heard the intro song - and its drums dont sound robotic @ all - so we just eliminated its not the program - its something you doing.


Best thing to do for easing your "Stiff" drums - is to get a midi controller or such and programming them LIVE WITH NO NO NO NO QUANTIZE

To give it that groove - but that doesnt work if you dont have rhythm - so.,....yeah


Once again - if none of that works - you need to re-think a good hobby


(BTW - All my sampled beats (http://dskillz.cjb.net/), and some composed beats, are made in FL without using a midi controller for the drums - there is other ways to get realistic/smoother sounding drums)

 

[MarkN]

just switching to reason isnt gona make ur beats sound less robotic, i think reason encourages a more robotic sound if anything you just have to learn how to get round that ! its very dance orientated so you do have to work a bit harder to make hip hop in it but it can be done !

 

[MGTheFuture]

just switching to reason isnt gona make ur beats sound less robotic, i think reason encourages a more robotic sound if anything you just have to learn how to get round that ! its very dance orientated so you do have to work a bit harder to make hip hop in it but it can be done !

Co-Sign | ANYTHING is robotic if you using defualt quantizing and LINED up patterns.

Why you think West Coast do all there shit un quantized - and you hear it in there bounce

 

[N.U.G.]

MAKE BEATS HUMAN TIME

1. use the "swing" function in FLStudio

2. change up ur drum patterns and add variety to them

3. try using ur midi controller to program your drum patterns

4. try moving ur drum patterns (by this I mean snares, kicks, hats etc.) around very slightly in piano roll to give them a more human feel

5. add extra percussion to give ur drum patterns a little bit extra


MAKE BEATS CRISP

1. HIGH QUALITY SOUNDS - this really comes down to the samples u use (and I guess to some extend your soundcard and speakers) so use high quality "crisp" samples and sounds

2. Effects - learn to use to effects to enhance the sounds you use and create the type of sound your looking for


GENERAL ADVICE (IMPORTANT)

other than that my general and most important advice would be STUDY AND MASTER FLSTUDIO (or whatever program you choose). some advice on doing this;

1. make sure you own FLSTudio (and aren't using a cracked copy) so that you get access to the extremely helpful FLStudio forums (as well as lifetime upgrades, additional tutorials etc.)

2. look for resources like books and videos that can assist in your learning. Build yourself a small library of helpful resources that you can learn from and return to in the future for additional distinctions. Imageline (the people who make FLStudio) are releasing a new book of some sort that will be a must have but there are other companys that make valuable resources too. Check this out as an example;

http://www.freeloops.co.uk/geeklog/article.php?story=20040919184001914

or

http://www.freeloops.co.uk/geeklog/article.php?story=20050121124223938

3. like Hoppa said, put in the time making beats and you'll learn as you go.

holla!

 

[classic]

I Hate to be harsh but .....

most people dont have the talent to make good music no matter what they use,Or how hard they pratice. It just aint in them...

No matter how hard i try i know i will never be a great artist, i cant draw for shit and no amount of pratice will change that

I aint try to discourage u , i just want you to be honest with yourself........

class....

 

[StressWon]

Just keep doing it. You're going to have to spend MASS amounts of TIME on defining your sound/style.

Fuck with a few different programs, and learn them all.

Knowing the pros/cons on everything out there will help you make an educated decision on what is best for you.

If your beats are sounding too programmed for your tastes, try digging up breaks and chopping sections and rearranging them, then layering single hits on top of that and mixing it together so they blend.... it's all about getting that "natural swing" on your beats, and sometimes FL's 'swing' just dont cut it...


experiment, close the door, lock it, and get to work mang!

i agree,,,learn as much as possible. I didnt even begin to start learnin Reason yet. I dont realy have the time honestly,,,but I will soon. But, I am a FL user and I love it. I do disagree Hopps, I can rock that swing nice,,,lol.

 

[Kevin A]

I use fl studio and i'm startin to feel like i'm wasting my time trying to make my beats sound crisp and on human time (rather the fake programmed sound i usuially get) using fl.

I do use a midi controller, But what I'm asking Is are there any better programs that I could use in conjunction with the midi keyboard? I can borrow reason from a friend.. but i don't have much time and think twice before begining to try and figure it out (the instruction books are huge). But, if it's worth it i will.

Anyone have any suggestions? i've gotta fix my beats!

If you don't like FLstudio definately stop using it asap! Chances are your music won't get any better because you don't know much about music to begin with. Some people recommend Reason but I wouldn't recommend it unless you have previous experience with the type of hardware it emulates or plan in the future to switch from software to hardware. Otherwise it's pointless to emulate the experience of connecting hardware in the digital domain were everything is 0&1's. You seem to be your own worse enemy in this matter. There is plenty of free information about producing online, not to mention if you search, you'll find alot posted here. If you really wanted to be better you would, if you wanted better production, you would have it. But by no means is it the softwares fault, it's all you.
Think about what you are trying to emulate and you will then find the source of the knowledge that you need to know.

 

[The Konductor]

I agree w/ Classic. You have to have some degree of talent to gain the confidence needed to succeed at what you want to do. I've gone through the same thinking: that all I need is many different pieces of equipment to get on point.

Theres is some hot shit being produced with FL, so its definatley not the program. Chrono you have got to get the drive and get ethic going. Practicing and getting better is the only thing that will help you. Learn FL like she's some pretty female who you want to like you. You have to explore her thoughts and feelings in order to find out whether she's worth your time. Put in some time and live this shit.

 

[Chrono]

GENERAL ADVICE (IMPORTANT)!

Hey N.U.G. i appreciate the time you put into that. also dason for the heads up on hardware synths.

i've not just started out though (click my sig link for a 700kb snippet) an i do understand about the work ethic and the realisticness of me making beats. Thanks everyone for the detailed information, hopefully seeyou in the competition one day.

 

[Producer_GyaL]

Oh please, its not about the program you use. It is simply about HOW you use it. You can have a lot of equipement and not still be able to do something great. It is all about the choice of your samples, how you cut them and how you flipp them. That's all. Good luck, and as you say, see you in a competition lol.

 

[Sacred One]

Oh please, its not about the program you use. It is simply about HOW you use it. You can have a lot of equipement and not still be able to do something great. It is all about the choice of your samples, how you cut them and how you flipp them. That's all. Good luck, and as you say, see you in a competition lol.

she summed it all up right there, I used to use FL, and i made some of my better beats in that program, but I now use Reason, neither one is better but its all how you use it, get a better soundcard as somebody else said, and you don't need a midi controller, i don't have one, but mine don't sound like a fake programmed sound, its all how well you use the program that you have.

 

[dj360_iNfInItE1]

Oh please, its not about the program you use. It is simply about HOW you use it. You can have a lot of equipement and not still be able to do something great. It is all about the choice of your samples, how you cut them and how you flipp them. That's all. Good luck, and as you say, see you in a competition lol.

I agree with Producer_Gyal 100%. I had a good chat with Classic and it all comes down to your talent, drive and creativity. If you have a decent piece of equipment that can produce what you want, then learn it, know it and live it. I had some issues about using FL Studio over an ASR-10 that I need to re-buy, (had to sell mine to move). Anyway, I was wrong. I wasn't using FL Studio to its potential and I am learning and practicing everyday. I am starting to feel as comfortable with FL Studio 4.5.2 as I did with the ASR-10. But, I will be buying another one because I have a lot of beats I have made in the past with it and I want to do some over and finish some that I have started. Besides, in some ways, FL Studio is better than the ASR-10. It all depends on your preferences. Just keep bangin away at it and pretty soon FL Studio will come naturally to you. Peace!

 

[N.U.G.]

Hey N.U.G. i appreciate the time you put into that. also dason for the heads up on hardware synths.

i've not just started out though (click my sig link for a 700kb snippet) an i do understand about the work ethic and the realisticness of me making beats. Thanks everyone for the detailed information, hopefully seeyou in the competition one day.

no doubt man, follow the stuff I wrote and you'll be on your way to becoming a dope producer

peace