How To Change Time Signature In Fl Studio

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Among the many tweaks, enhancements and improvements made to the latest version of Image-Line’s 20-year-old PC and - now - Mac DAW, the ability to program time signature changes is possibly the most musically creative.

How do you change Time Signature in Cubase 4 and FL Studio? By ralphe on Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:19 pm I'm getting a lil bored of the standard 4/4 time signature, how do u change it globally, and also what if I wanna keep changing from different time signatures within the one song? I have been googling and messing around with settings in FL for about 20 minutes trying to figure this out and I am pulling my hair out. I just want to change it to a time signature of 6. Could someone familiar with FL please let me know how to step by step? Thanks guys I appreciate any legit answers.

How

If you've never strayed beyond the comfort zone of 4/4 before, this gives the perfect opportunity to spread your compositional wings and discover the joys of odd meter. Here's how it works…

For the full guide to FL Studio 20, pick up the Autumn 2018 edition of Computer Music.

Step 1: Odd metres and changing time signatures are the hallmarks of certain genres, some fashionable, some not. Metrical acrobatics can add interest - or, admittedly, clear the dancefloor! Either way, FL Studio now supports multiple time signatures. Here, our playlist consists of a simple 4/4 pattern.

Step 2: We’ll leave that one as it is for now, and add a new pattern to the Playlist. Once we’ve done that, we can right-click it to call up a menu of options. Choose Set Time Signature. We’re met with an empty piano roll and a tiny floating box into which we can enter a numerator and a denominator.

Step 3: Choose 7 for the numerator, and 8 for the Denominator. The latter determines the beat division (1/4 notes, 1/8th notes and so on), while the former denotes the number of beats in a bar. Our selections will give us a metre of 7/8 - an unusual time signature, to say the least!

Step 4: Having entered the time signature, click Accept and the step sequencer grid and piano roll will change to reflect it. Let’s create an interesting beat in the step sequencer. Note that there’s a marker in the upper-left of the piano roll that tells us we’re using a 7/8 time signature.

Step 5: Close the piano roll. Next, drag consecutive instances of our two patterns into the arrangement, with the 4/4 pattern appearing first, followed by the 7/8. The second doesn’t fill out the grid, as our playlist isn’t following the pattern’s metre. Open the clip properties for Pattern 2 and select Use current time signature from > Pattern to playlist.

Step 6: As you can see, there’s now a marker at bar 2, beat 1, indicating that our metre changes at that point. We can also enter such markers directly in both the piano roll and the playlist editors. Simply right-click where you’d like the new metre to begin and choose Add time signature. Time signature markers can be dragged to wherever you like.

Creating a memorable drum pattern is the heart of any beat. In an ongoing series of tutorials we’ll be providing producers and artists with expert advice and tips on beat production, recording, mastering, and promotion. Today we’ll be covering the very basics of producing two different drum beats, and adding those beats to your track.

Step 1: Open FL Studio and Create a New Track

If you already have FL Studio installed, click on the icon that looks like this:

If you don’t have FL Studio, you can download a trial version here.

Once you clicked that small icon, you should see this:

This is the default screen of FL Studio. On this screen, you should see the FL Studio Pattern Sequencer:

In this sequencer, you have four basic sounds for drums: kick, clap, hat, and snare. The drum sounds in this sequencer were built in with FL Studio, but you can change them. We will not discuss that with this tutorial. We will experiment with adding drum sounds, so you understand how to compose a basic drumbeat.

You should see a pattern on this sequencer. It has four steps and four sub-steps. This is to stick to a 4/4 time signature. This could be changed, but like drum sounds, we won’t discuss that in this tutorial.

Step 2: Creating Your First Drum Pattern

You can compose your beat how you want, but the below picture shows you the beat I made:

If you want to hear how your beat sounds, go to the top toolbar. You should see play, stop, and record buttons that look like this:

Play back your sequence by pressing “Play” (or hitting the spacebar). Stop the sequence by pressing “Stop.”

You can also change the tempo by hovering your mouse over the “140” tempo displayer, holding down the left mouse button and scrolling up to speed your tempo and scrolling down to slow it.

To the left of the play button, you should see PAT and SONG. When you click PAT, you are playing the pattern you created, nothing else. Once you click SONG, you are playing the entire song, or project… which we will get to.

Step 3: Renaming Your Drum Pattern

To rename your drum pattern, hover your mouse over Pattern 1 and left-click. You should see this drop-down:

Once you click the “Rename” option, you can name your drum pattern whatever you want. In this case, we will actually be naming it “Whatever you want”:

Step 4: Making Your Second Drum Pattern

Now you have made the first drum beat pattern “Whatever you want”, it’s time to make the second pattern. Hover over the “PAT” display (it says “1”), left-click, and move your mouse up so the number changes from 1 to 2. (Just like changing the tempo.):

This gives you your second drum loop. Put whatever you want in that pattern, “Pattern 2.” Here’s what I put for mine:

Step 5: Adding Your Drums To The Playlist

You now have the patterns “Whatever you want” and “Pattern 2.” Now place them both into the “playlist.” Find the “view playlist” link right here:

(While you’re at it, why not click the other buttons displayed in the picture just to teach yourself about what else FL Studio does.)

Click the “view playlist” button to view the playlist. You should see this:

First, select “Whatever you want” by making sure the “PAT” display says “1.”

Time Signature Definition

Beside the Play button, there is a choice to select “PAT” or “SONG.” Click “SONG.” (This allows you to play the whole song, not the pattern.)

On the “playlist,” click the brush tool:

This allows you to drop “Whatever you want” into Track 1 by clicking it. Click the beginning of Track 1. This should add “Whatever you want.” Do the same with “Pattern 2.” (To select “Pattern 2,” go to the “PAT” display and change the number from “1” to “2.”) Drag “Pattern 2” to “Track 1” of the “playlist.” Place it right after “Whatever you want.” It should appear like this:

How To Change Time Signature In Fl Studio 12

(Note: I recommend adding “Pattern 2” to Track 2 of the “playlist,” then dragging “Pattern 2” to Track 1, right after “Whatever you want.” When I click Track 1 with “Pattern 2” selected, “Whatever you want” displays. Must be a glitch. Try what works for you.)

How To Change Time Signature In Fl Studio 3

Now that you’ve gotten the a basic 4/4 drum beat down, stay tuned for additional articles and tips for producers from License Lounge. If you’re a rapper looking for the best place to buy beats online take a look at some of the beats we offer from top producers working with License Lounge.