In the previous article, we overviewed the playlist window in Fl Studio 12.
In this tutorial, I will guide you on how to arrange an individual pattern for the composition of a new track.
Open Fl Studio and go to the playlist window, I will be using the pattern I created in this tutorial.
Firstly, Open your playlist window and line up the track with the snap tool. Make sure it is snapped correctly, go to to the snap to grid tool to select how you want your tack to be lined up, I will be selecting Step.
We have two tools for importing patterns into the playlist, we have the draw tool and the paint tool.
The draw tool allows you to insert a pattern at a time(Single instance), while the paint tool allows you to draw multiple individual patterns at a time.
Depending on the pattern and what you want to do, the Draw tool might be the right tool to use. If you only want to drop a single pattern into the playlist at a time, then just click and drag it where it needs to be.
If you want to loop a pattern out so that it repeats itself several times in a row, then select the paint tool and left-click to draw in patterns, use right to delete patterns.
Adding Pattern To The Playlist?
Go to the menu at the top of the playlist window or the one right to the toolbar and make sure to select the pattern you want to import.
I'll be selecting the drum loop 1 pattern, and I will be using the paint tool to draw it up to 4 bar.
This is how it looks and sound:
I'll be explaining the meaning and how to count a bar in another tutorial.
Switching Song/Pattern Mode?
Note: To listen to the pattern you are arranging in the playlist window, switch to song mode, use the pattern button to switch.
This is very important, in order to hear what is going on in your playlist window, you have to be in song mode and otherwise.
This is pattern mode:
This is song mode:
Adding More Pattern?
I will be adding another drum pattern which I named drum loop 2, I will be joining it from the 4th bar up to the 8th bar.
This is what it sounds like:
This is a rarely basic pattern, there is more to this, keep on experimenting while I write more advanced way of creating a full song in a playlist.
I will also be writing about Music theory soon, visit for more new updates.
Happy experimentation!
Team Horlaes.