INSTRUMENTS / GENERATORS

Fruity Envelope Controller

The Envelope Controller allows you to trigger envelopes that may be linked to parameters in FL Studio. NOTE: Once the Envelope Controller has been loaded into a Channel it will appear as an 'Internal controller' link option in the 'Link to controller' right-click dialog on automatable controls.

Controls

Articulator 1 to 4

The Envelope Controller can store 4 separate envelopes and map them to different parts of the Piano roll/MIDI Keyboard.

1. Select Articulator 1 to 4.
2. Left-click and drag on the mini-keyboard as shown above. A unique range may be selected for each of the 4 articulators.
3. Level (LVL), Envelope (ENV) & LFO sliders - These control the relative output from the respective functions.

Mode

Click on the 'MODE' graph/switch directly below Articulator '4' button.

• Bipolar - The values of the ENV, LFO, KEY and VEL envelopes are added.
• Unipolar - The values of the ENV, LFO, KEY and VEL envelopes are multiplied.

The Envelope Editor

The Envelope Editor is the same as used in other plugins in FL Studio such as Sytrus and FPC.

Enable/Disable Switch

To use an envelope/mapping, you need to enable it by turning on the LED at the bottom left side of the editor (see the screenshot above).

Load/Restore & Copy/Paste

Please check the placement of the load/restore button in the screenshot above.

• Open state file / Save state file - Opens/saves envelope states. Several different pre-defined state files are available.
• Copy state / Paste state - Use this to copy and paste envelopes, usually between instances of the EQ editor across open plugins.
• Undo - Undoes the last envelope edit.
• Undo history - Shows the editing history since the last reset.
• Flip vertically - Inverts the current envelope.
• Scale levels - Opens the Scale Level tool.
• Normalize levels - Scales the envelope so the highest and/or lowest levels reach +/- 100%.
• Decimate points - Opens a simple tool that allows manipulation of the number of control points in the envelope (useful in conjunction with Analyze audio file).
• Filter - Opens the Envelope Filter tool (useful in conjunction with Analyze audio file).
• Smooth up - Opens the Smooth Up tool that allows smoothing of the envelope shape (useful in conjunction with Analyze audio file).
• Smooth up abrupt changes - Quick removal of 'spikey' or sudden changes in the envelope.
• Create sequence - Opens the Envelope Sequencer tool.
• Analyze audio file - Open, analyze and replicate the volume envelope of an input sound file. Drag and drop audio files directly on the Envelope editor for automatic analysis.
• Background gradient - Flips the background gradient shading vertically.

Common Settings

• Freeze - Enable this switch to lock the envelope curve to its current setup. This feature is helpful after you finish with the changes to the spline structure of an envelope and want to protect it from accidental edits (it also hides the handles providing a clear view of the shape).
• Step - Enable this option to set the editor in step editing mode - drag in the editor to create a "free hand" curve where a new control point is defined for every step in the timeline. Hold SHIFT key while dragging to draw "pulse" lines (straight vertical/horizontal lines only). Note that each new segment created this way uses the last tension set while adding a segment.
• Snap - Enable this option if you want the control points to snap to the nearest step in the timeline while dragging.
• Slide - Enable this option to preserve the relative distance between a dragged control point and all control points following it (this option is enabled by default).

Curve Editing

Here are several basic operations you can perform to edit the envelope/mapping shape:

• Add a new Control Point - Position your cursor over the line until the add point cursor appears (). Right-click and a new point will be added.
• Reposition a Control Point - You can drag the control points with your left mouse button. Hold SHIFT while dragging to lock vertical position or CTRL to lock horizontal position.
• Delete a Control Point - Right-click a control point and select Delete. Alternatively hold ALT and left-click.
• Change Segment Type - The envelope editor offers three types of spline segments to select from. Right-click a control point and you will see three spline type options (the affected segment is the one preceding the control point): Single Curve - the default mode which allows you to create linear, ease in and ease out curves (depending on the tension); Double Curve - allows linear, ease in-out and ease out-in curves (depending on the tension); Hold - creates "hold" or "pulse" curves which are handy for creating abruptly value changes in your envelope.
• Change Segment Tension (Acceleration) - You can drag the tension handle (see the screenshot above) of each spline up/down to change the spline appearance. Right-click the handle to reset to a straight line. Hold CTRL during adjustment to fine tune.

Envelope Sections (ADSR)

Some of the envelopes/mappings are divided into sections to provide classic ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release) envelope functionality.

The envelopes use special section markers (see the screenshot above) to mark the end of a section and the start of the next one. There are few markers available:

• S (sustain): Marks the end of the decay section and the start of the release section.
• L (loop): Marks the start of a sustain loop section, thus enabling you to define an envelope section to be repeated while a voice is sustaining.
• D (decay): Marks the start of the decay section.
• DL (decay/loop): Combines the function of the D and L markers.

It's not required to use all or any of the provided markers. Without markers the envelope will be played once as a 'static' definition played once from start to finish for each voice. You can also use certain combinations as needed.

How to Add a Marker:

Right-click the control point where you want to set the section marker. From the menu select the marker you want to add. If the item you want to add is disabled make sure you're trying to insert the marker at the correct place (a sustain loop start can not be after sustain loop end, for example).

To make a DL marker, simply check both Decay and Sustain Loop Start entries in the right-click menu.

How to Remove a Marker:

Right-click the control point where the marker is placed and uncheck the item representing the marker name.

Keep in mind that removing some markers might make another marker/s pointless, so they are removed automatically as well (if you remove the sustain loop end marker, a sustain loop start marker would not have a purpose).

Envelope/Mapping Types

ADSR Envelope (ENV)

To edit, left-click the LED marked ENV.

This is a "classic" ADSR envelope plus the possibility to define a sustain loop section & the power of unlimited spline segments to refine the various envelope sections as you need.

Besides the editable envelope curve, the envelope also provides the regular envelope level controls, so you can lock the curves and still adjust some basic aspects of your envelope. All values are applied relative to the curve defined in the editor:

• Attack (ATT) - Defines the attack length/speed.
• Decay (DEC)- Defines the sustain section length/speed.
• Sustain (SUS) - Defines the sustain section slope ("decay" amount).
• Release (REL) - Defines the release length/speed.
• Tempo - This switch lets you determine whether the envelope length is relative to the project tempo (changes with tempo) or absolute in time.

NOTE: While adjusting one of those properties you can see a preview of the effect of the knob value on the envelope shape. However once you release the mouse key the envelope is restored to its previous view. The knob still has its effect, though it is not reflected in the curve to avoid distortion and to make editing easier.

For more information on the available envelope sections (attack, decay, sustain, sustain loop, release) and how to define/remove a section marker, please check the Envelope Sections (ADSR) paragraph above.

LFO - Low Frequency Oscillator Switch

To edit, left-click the LED marked LFO.

This unit allows you to vary the controlled property with an LFO. The LFO also includes a full envelope to define its strength in time.

The secondary blue curve you can see behind the envelope is a preview of the LFO "in action" as with the applied envelope, shape speed and settings.

The following controls are also available:

• Speed (SPD) - Defines the LFO speed.
• Tension (TENS) - Defines the LFO curve "tension" - basically this parameter lets you morph the LFO shape from triangular through sine-like to pulse-like (square) shape.
• Skew (SK) - Defines a balance between the odd/even splines in the LFO visible as shape 'skew'.
• Pulse Width (PW) - Sets the pulse width, i.e. basically the balance between the first and the second half of the LFO phase.
• Tempo - This switch lets you determine whether the envelope/LFO speed is relative to the project tempo (changes with tempo) or absolute in time.
• Global - Normally the LFO envelope is started from the beginning for each voice ("local" LFO) . If this option is enabled, the envelope is "global" and thus stays in the sustain state without restarting for the whole duration of the song.

Keyboard Mapping (KEY)

To edit, left-click the LED marked KEY.

Keyboard mapping is a multiplier function, depending on the MIDI note received the response of the envelope can be modified (multiplied) according to the function drawn in the window. Low notes are to the left and high notes to the right. The vertical white line on the graph represents the MIDI keyboard key last received by the plugin.

Velocity Mapping (VEL)

To edit, left-click the LED marked VEL.

Velocity mapping is a multiplier function, depending on the velocity of the note received the response of the envelope can be modified (multiplied) according to the function drawn in the window. Low velocities are to the left and high velocities to the right. The vertical white line on the graph represents the MIDI velocity last received by the plugin.

Plugin Credits: Didier Dambrin, Frederic Vanmol.