CHANNEL WINDOW & STEP SEQUENCER

Channel Window & Step Sequencer

The Channel Window is an important part of the FL Studio composition process, it holds Instruments and music data in the form of Step sequences and Piano roll scores. Instruments are loaded into Channels (each button is a 'Channel' and represents an instrument). The audio from each Channel instrument is then sent to one of the Mixer Tracks for further effects processing and level mixing. When Instrument Channels are added or removed from the project the height of the Channel window will change dynamically. The Channel buttons also access Instrument Channel Settings (where a Mixer track is set) or the associated Piano roll. The Step Sequencer, (Video Here) is a pattern-based grid sequencer ideal for creating drum loops and simple melodies.

The note and automation data contained in the Channel window is known as a 'pattern'. Patterns can include both Piano roll and Step Sequencer data. Switch between patterns using the Transport Panel 'PAT' selector OR the Pattern selector on the Channel window (3). As the pattern number is changed, note how the pattern data visible in the Channel window also changes, reflecting the selected pattern. Patterns can be arranged in the Playlist as either Pattern Clips or Blocks to create a song.

Overview

Each row of controls in the Channel window belongs to a single Channel instrument. From left to right are: Pan, Volume, Channel button (click this to open the instrument interface) and Stepsequencer buttons or Piano roll preview (top row below), depending on how the Channel has been configured.

1. Pattern Length (Number of Beats) - Sets the number of beats for the current pattern. If this is left undefined: '--', the pattern is set to the global value of the project. You can change the global value and the beat length in the Project General Settings window. Note: There is a maximum of 64 steps in the Step Sequencer.
2. Repeat Step Sequencer - When selected, causes the Step Sequencer to repeat throughout any Piano roll sequences or automation data that extend beyond the basic step sequence length (1). For example: a 4 bar percussion step sequence will repeat while an 16 bar Piano roll sequence plays. If this setting is off then the percussion would stop after 4 bars and the Piano roll sequence would continue unaccompanied.
3. Pattern selector - Select and name patterns from this drop-down menu.
4. Swing - Slide to the right to add 'swing' to within the Step Sequencer.
5. Graph Editor (G) - Shows/hides the Graph Editor.
6. Keyboard Editor (K) - Shows/hides the Keyboard Editor.
7. Channels Area - Contains the Channels and pattern grid.
8. Channel Display Filter ( Page Down for next group; Page Up for previous group) - Allows you to set the group of Channels to show in the Step Sequencer (see the Channel Filter Groups section below for more information)
9. Playing Step LEDs - These LEDs indicate the step in the pattern that is currently playing.
10. Channel Panning - Use to set the Channel panning.
11. Channel Volume - Use to adjust the Channel volume. Levels: Samples loaded into the Channel Sampler will be set to -5dB (79%) of their original level to allow headroom for the pattern sequencer to avoid clipping, set volume to 100% to restore the original level. Audio clips will play at 100% their original level. NOTE: The Circular panning law, selected by default, will also lower the output of a sample panned to center by -3 dB.
12. Channel Settings Button - Displays the Channel name (usually the name of the instrument) and when clicked opens / closes the Channel Settings window, from which you can access Channel settings and, if applicable, opens the instrument interface. Left and right-clicking provides some useful functions:
• Left-click, Channel Settings - Opens the Channel Settings window, including the plugin interface (if applicable).
• Right-click, Channel Operations Menu - Displays the following options:
• Rename - Rename or re-color the Channel. Click on the Channel name and type to rename, or Left-click on the color square (shown below) to open the re-color dialog or Right-click to randomly assign a color from a pallet pre-approved by the Image-Line Aesthetics Committee:

  

• Set icon - Choose from a number of preset icons to display on the Channel button.
• Piano roll/Send to piano roll - Can be used to open a Piano roll for a Channel, or if step sequence data is present, send it to a Piano roll.
• Load Sample - If the Channel accepts samples this will allow you to load from a file Browser menu.
• Cut itself - Cuts the sound of previous notes in the Channel when new one starts.
• Edit - Allows you to cut/copy/paste/randomize any note data present.
• Fill each (2,4,8) steps - Fills step sequence steps according to the setting.
• Insert - Insert a new Channel before the selected one.
• Replace - Replaces the current generator with a new one from the list that appears.
• Clone - Makes a copy of the current Channel including settings and generator type.
• Delete - Deletes the selected Channel.
13. Channel Selector - When this LED is turned on, the Channel is considered selected (used in cut, copy, etc. operations - see Edit menu).
• Left-click - Select/deselect target Channel. If multiple Channels are selected this will solo and mute the target Channel.
• Right-click - Select multiple Channels. Right-click (hold) and drag down the Channel Selectors to make multiple selections.
• Move / reorder instrument channels up and down the stack by selecting one or more Channels then holding the Alt key and pressing the up/down arrows on your keyboard. This does not affect mixer routing.
14. Piano roll Preview- If you don't have active steps in the current pattern but you do have notes in the Piano roll, the steps will be replaced by a preview of the Piano roll. With the preview available you will see how your pattern looks without opening the Piano roll view. However, you cannot edit notes in that preview. Click it once to show/hide the real Piano roll window. The lighter and darker blocks in the preview indicate the number of bars contained in the Piano roll sequence (each block is a bar).
15. Mute ( 0-9 to mute/unmute; Ctrl+0-9 to solo/unmute all) - Turning this LED off will mute the Channel. Clicking it again will unmute it. You can also quickly solo a Channel by right-clicking the LED and, from the popup menu, select Solo. Repeat this action to unsolo the Channel (unmute all). NOTE: Live MIDI input to the Channel will continue to play regardless of the switch mode as mute/solo applies only to Step Sequencer and Piano roll playback.
16. Sequence Steps - Each step represents a 16th note in the pattern. Turn the steps on or off to create the desired loop.

Red channel buttons

If you open a project and some, or all, Channel buttons are red, this means the samples or instruments nominated for those Channels can't be found. The likely causes are -

1. The samples or directories have been renamed, moved to another location or deleted.
2. The format of the sample has been changed (FL Studio only loads .wav, .mp3 and .ogg files).
3. The Browser extra search folders have been deleted from the search list.
4. The VST plugins extra search directory has been deleted from the search list or the plugin directory moved.

FL Studio searches its own installation directory for samples and the extra search folders as described above. If you have no idea where the samples are, one method is to put your root drive (usually C:) as one of the extra search directories, then reload the project. FL Studio will now search you entire hard-drive. Once you locate the samples it's a good idea to remove the root from the extra search folders as is can make future searches very slow. See the section on missing VST's or files for more information.

External Controllers and Instrument Channels

If you have a keyboard or other controller this can be used to play or control the Instrument Channel. FL Studio listens in 'Omni' mode (all MIDI channels) so any controller will play the selected Instrument Channel. If you have more than one controller you can use these to simultaneously play separate instrument Channels. Selected instrument Channels are assigned by ascending MIDI channel number each controller is set to transmit on (i.e. lowest MIDI channel = top selected Instrument Channel, highest MIDI channel = bottom selected Instrument Channel). For more information see the Controller type section of the MIDI Settings page.

Step Sequencer Functions

The step-sequencer represents a series of steps in a sequence, the steps are scanned from left to right as the pattern/song plays. When an activated step is reached, the related Channel instrument will play that note.

Using The Step Sequencer

• Each line in the Channel window belongs to a single Channel and the associated sequence data will only play the Channel instrument on the same line. From left to right you will see, the Pan, Volume, Channel button (opens the instrument interface) and Stepsequencer buttons or Piano roll preview, depending on how the Channel has been configured.
• Each button (step) in the grid represents a 16th note.
• Default beats per bar and bars - The default is 4 beats x 4 bars = 16 steps. Change the default number of bars and steps from the Project General Settings window.
• Number of steps for the selected pattern - Each Pattern can have a unique number of Steps, set using the Pattern Length selector (1)
• Activating steps - Left-clicking a step button activates that step; right-clicking turns it off. Note that if you have turned off the Use Both Mouse Keys option in the General Settings page, left-clicking will turn the buttons both on and off.

• Pitch - To set a the pitch of a step use the Keyboard Editor view. Click on (6). Each note has some additional properties (panning, volume, etc.) that may be set using the Graph Editor tool (5).

• Copy, Cut & Paste - This will work between Channels or Patterns. Select the source Channel, click on the Channel selector (13), and press ( Ctrl+C) to copy or ( Ctrl+X) to Cut the steps. Next, select the destination Channel and press ( Ctrl+V), paste. NOTE: You can access the same functions from the Edit Menu

• Stopping or cutting notes - Step Sequencer steps do not have a 'note off' feature. You can stop a note either by activating a step after the offending note with zero velocity or, preferably, by using the Piano roll. The Piano roll is ideal for working on more complex melodies.
• Turn steps into a Piano roll - Right-click the Channel Button and select 'Send to piano roll. NOTE: Apart from 'undo', there is no way to turn a Piano roll score into a Stepsequence.
• Advanced features - Right-clicking the Channel Button (11) opens a menu of commands for managing Channels (see Channel Menu). This menu also provides access to the Piano roll.

• NOTE: The main Edit menu also contains commands for working with Step Sequencer.

Channel Filter Groups

As projects grow in size and the number of channels increases, finding the right channel can become a tedious process. To optimize workflow, combine several channels in a group and set the Step Sequencer to display only that specific group of channels (for example percussion group or lead synth group). Use the Channel Display Filter control (7) to choose which channels should be visible. Left-click to open the channel filter menu. Selecting 'All' will show all channels at once, regardless of whether they are part of a group or are unassigned. Selecting 'Unsorted' displays only the unassigned channels. If you have made any channel groups, you can select them for display from this menu.

Other channel filter group actions include:

• Add an empty group - Right-click Channel Display Filter (7) and select Add Filter Group.
• Rename/Delete group - Select a group and right-click Channel Display Filter (7) to display commands for renaming and deleting groups (NOTE: Deleting a group sets included channels as unassigned and does not delete the channels).
• Add selected channels to a new group - Use the Group Selected command from the Channels menu.
• Add a single channel to an existing group - Select the desired group and add a new channel to the channel window. All new channels will be inserted into the currently selected group.

• Move a channel to a different group - Select the channel/s and use the Group Selected command from the Channels Menu, and enter the name of an existing group.