Changing fl studio's time signature?

izzy1

New member
Does anybody know how to change fl studio's default format from 4/4 to 3/4, 12/8, 5/4 or any other time signature? For example, I tried to change the time in the project setting and changed the time to 12 Bars and 8 beats in the step sequencer and it didn't sound like a 12/8 time. It's hella confusing. I've been using it for so long but I've always made beats in 4/4. Thanks.
 
You are right to change the bars/beats in project settings, but there is a bit more to it than that. In FL Studio, beats refer to the individual steps in each bar in your sequencer; bars is the number of groups of steps. However, the emphasis of the beats as well as the timing is what gives each signature it's 'feel'. For example, to program in 3/4 time set the number of beats to 4 (quarter notes) and the number of bars to 3. Then you need to place the emphasis on the first note of the phrase (ONE two three, TUM tah tah).. This can be achieved for example, by using your Kick at the start of the first bar for each 3-bar sequence (giving a waltz-like feel..) Get to know where the emphasis goes for different time signatures; it's not enough to just get the math right!


Does anybody know how to change fl studio's default format from 4/4 to 3/4, 12/8, 5/4 or any other time signature? For example, I tried to change the time in the project setting and changed the time to 12 Bars and 8 beats in the step sequencer and it didn't sound like a 12/8 time. It's hella confusing. I've been using it for so long but I've always made beats in 4/4. Thanks.
 
Thanks for replying. So, for a 12/8. I would set the bars to 12 and the beats to 8? I've heard people setting the beats to 4 for 8th notes and the 12 to a different number. It's debatable.
 

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Thanks for replying. So, for a 12/8. I would set the bars to 12 and the beats to 8? I've heard people setting the beats to 4 for 8th notes and the 12 to a different number. It's debatable.

Why are you calling 12/8 "12 bars and 8 beats"?
Time signatures mean (X beats per bar/each beat gets Y note value)

For example, you would call 12/8 time "12 beats per measure, each beat is an eighth note"

I don't know why the other guys is calling 3/4 time "3 bars of quarter notes" Instead, you would say "3/4 time is 3 beats per measure, with each beat a quarter note".

By setting the time to 12/8, you are saying each SINGLE measure/bar gets 12 beats and each beat of the measure is represented by an eighth note. Why are you thinking the top number means the number of BARS/measures?
 
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Before of any of you clowns come here and tell me "its debatable":
Here is what my jazz theory textbook (and pretty much ANY textbook) says about time signature, SINCE BOTH PARTIES DON'T WANT TO CLARIFY THEMSELVES.
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It's cause what fl studio calls bars are really actually beats. So it gets confusing sometimes. They mix them up.
 

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fl studio doesn't use standard notation or time signatures... Essentially you could leave the bars at 1 and just make sure your beat count is divisible by the number of beats in your desired time signature .. I was simply explaining how to set the DAW up so that you are able to program in the feel of different time signatures and used 3/4 as an example of how to get the feel right.. I guess my choice to use theoretical terminology is what caused the confusion.. There is no way to simply specify a time signature it is how you compose the music that gives the feel.. 3/4 time is obviously three quarter notes per measure.. 12/8 is twelve eighth notes per measure or mathematically equivalent to six quarter notes but with a different feel..

I simply gave an example of how to program in 3/4 time within fl studio.. The number of 'beats' you choose simply has to be divisible by the number of true beats in your signature.. More fl beats just gives you more resolution in beat placement for more complex offbeat note placement and more interesting beats.
 
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So in short, to program 12/8 time I would probably use 4 bars of 8 beats(edit that is FL terminology not standard music terminology), and then make each true measure consist of 3 times through the sequence.

This would give me 8 slots to put a note on for each beat, but there are many combinations you could use to achieve a 12/8 feel.

This question was a lot more difficult to answer than I had originally anticipated so I hope this makes sense...
 
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