Is learning FL Studio a directed process or more like learn-along-the-way?

R

RichieC

New member
Hey FP :hello:

So I'm a complete newbie and I pretty much have most of what I need to get started.
Got my monitors, subwoofer, midi keyboard, reference to piracy removed, and FL Studio Producer Edition (Bought)

I want to produce music headed more towards hip hop / rap. Particularly towards J Cole, Jay Z, Tupac style.

There's so much to learn so I don't know where to start. I read the sticky and how it says I should be just jamming out daily instead of trying learn, but I feel like aimlessly just making a small beat isn't really going to take me anywhere.

Should I start off by learning sampling? Learning the ins and outs of massive and nexus? learning the ins and out of fl studio? music theory? Should I try to recreate the artists' songs that I want to sound like?

I feel like this is trying to eat an extremely big stacked hamburger at once. And I'm just wondering how I should eat it. Should I eat some of the lettuce first?, tomato? etc.

Thanks all
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As far as what you should do as a new producer is identify what you want to make. From the artists that you mentioned, working with samples would definitely help. You should also get familiar with how FL works. If you haven't used the step sequencer, piano roll editor, Edison/Slicex then I'd suggest you start by watching some "How to get started" videos for FL Studio (there are many good ones out there). After that I would try looking at tutorial videos on how to make an instrumental from samples and using synths/instruments.

Again, there is a lot of material on YouTube that will help you out in learning!
 
Hey thanks for responding.

I have messed around with piano roll and step sequencer, definitely need more practice with Edison.
Eventually I would like to put lyrics over my music, but I feel like I should get my producing down first.
 
RichieC said:
Hey FP :hello:

So I'm a complete newbie and I pretty much have most of what I need to get started.
Got my monitors, subwoofer, midi keyboard, reference to piracy removed, and FL Studio Producer Edition (Bought)

I want to produce music headed more towards hip hop / rap. Particularly towards J Cole, Jay Z, Tupac style.

There's so much to learn so I don't know where to start. I read the sticky and how it says I should be just jamming out daily instead of trying learn, but I feel like aimlessly just making a small beat isn't really going to take me anywhere.

Should I start off by learning sampling? Learning the ins and outs of massive and nexus? learning the ins and out of fl studio? music theory? Should I try to recreate the artists' songs that I want to sound like?

I feel like this is trying to eat an extremely big stacked hamburger at once. And I'm just wondering how I should eat it. Should I eat some of the lettuce first?, tomato? etc.

Thanks all
Click to expand...

I definitely regret not learning music theory beforehand. I'd suggest learning FL Studio first. Since that's the most important tool you have, the better you know it, the better you can use it. I think FL Studio and music theory will help you the most especially early on.

That's not to say jamming out doesn't have it's uses. You shouldn't be aimlessly making a beat, it should be an... experiment beat. Especially for learning VST plugins, effects, and mixing I think jamming out is more efficient than trying to make a complete beat and learn mixing (for example) that way.

It's about personal preference though. Some people learn better hands on, others by-the-book so to speak. I'm considering getting a few books on music theory and mixing myself.

As Adrian-Marq said, Youtube is a great place to start.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
once you learn the basics of FL make yourself a list of things you want to learn, then learn them at your own pace. important thing to remember is learning takes time so keep at it even when it may seem pointless. its only when you look back a few months down the line that you see how far youve progressed.
 
Well first of all, you've just started this amazing journey in music so have patience, it's gonna take some time until you're gonna be making really pro stuff. This is my first advice, have patience and don't feel discouraged if thing don't work out as you would want them to yet.
Second, I'd advise you to learn the basics of FL Studio and a bit of music theory. I don't mean like learn every note or chord or things like that. Search this forum or look on google about composition. You should understand the notions of chords, scales and time.
So to recape, fl studio basics and music theory basics. After you understand a bit about these two, you can starting figuring out for yourself what you need to learn and what to actually do.
Good luck with your music!
 
write on youtube or google...from amateur to professional on fl studio tutorial..to find tutorials that starts from the basic to arrive at the end.
 
So pretty much fl studio basics and music theory first via youtube and forums. Sounds good. Yeah it's a bit discouraging when the small "beats" I'm making now are nowhere near what I'm trying to create. I guess youtube is good for learning massive and nexus too?
 
RichieC said:
So pretty much fl studio basics and music theory first via youtube and forums. Sounds good. Yeah it's a bit discouraging when the small "beats" I'm making now are nowhere near what I'm trying to create. I guess youtube is good for learning massive and nexus too?
Click to expand...
Yes, they are. I gave this same advice not a while ago on other thread: beware on how you look things up on youtube. On that thread, the op wanted to make a "growl bass that sounded much like Skrillex growls on massive" and I told him that the words "Growl bass", "Massive" and "Skrillex" are used on basically any bass "tutorial" on youtube. And most of them are just crap.

So, search exactly what you want. Know what you wanna learn about. And the use the common sense to know what's good and what's not. If the producer seem unsure about what he's saying, he probably doesn't know what he's doing.

There are few channels I watch tutorials:

- Seamless: this guy is a guru in terms of FL Studio. He knows practically anything about the DAW. But he produces mainly drum and bass and dubstep/brostep/electro-house.

- Sadowick: This guy also knows very well about what he's doing and he has a series of tutorials on massive that's worth watching. He uses Ableton, though, but it shouldn't be a problem, because the more you learn about FL Studio, the more you can do with it. Even if the other producer is using another DAW.

- Beats4beets: This guy also uses FL Studio, but sometimes he seems not to know things on a profound level. Still, his videos are pretty good to learn the basics of the DAW and some genres as well.
 
RichieC said:
So I'm a complete newbie and I pretty much have most of what I need to get started.
Got my monitors, subwoofer, midi keyboard, reference to piracy removed, and FL Studio Producer Edition (Bought)
Click to expand...


Actually I'm kinda hoping everyone yells at you for this instead. Don't pirate software, based on how you said it you obviously don't know how people react or treat that kind of thing. So in my books you're off the hook this time. But demo the stuff you have now I guess then pay for it! Your computer and file management will thank you.

And you won't get crucified on every forum you post on.

Delete every single file associated with your cracks, you don't want them on your system once you go 'legit'. Maybe thats just me but I'm always paranoid about bugs coming with that junk. Well I would be paranoid, if I cracked stuff.

Ddream said:
I'd prefer people yelling at me for buying things that I didn't need as a newbie than yealling at me because I've cracked a protected software.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
sorry to those whose posts I have edited I should have checked this one a little earlier and fixed the problem at root source
 
To this day, I still discover random things from time to time in FL that help out my workflow a lot. (Like I just learned how to actually use patcher about a month or so ago). So just messing around with the program and experimenting is my suggested way to go.

The thing with focusing on a set path is you can get discouraged easier because it'll feel like you can't move on until you learn that one thing. And all that does is snag creativity.

I'd say go ahead and learn how to manipulate samples. Learn how to use automation clips. Mess around and apply some drastic EQs, reverbs, pitch your beats up or down 100 cents, explore with the Patcher, bitcrush your vocals, etc. It's only overwhelming if it ain't fun anymore.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top