FL Studio Piano Roll Tricks [Chords, Leads, Beats]

By producerboutique22, Jul 2020

We’re going to take a look at a couple of piano roll options you may have not used before. These quick tips can generate chords, inspire your leads, and make your beats sound a little less robotic.

These are “quick” tips, so let’s open up FL Studio and get to it.

EASY CHORDS

With FL Studio, it’s o.k. If you haven’t studied music theory. There is an option inside the piano roll that will help take your one-note melody and transform it into brilliant chords.  If you are ready to do this, open up the Piano Roll. 

Step 1. Select Stamp

Step 2. Select Chord Type

Step 3. Select a Note

Step 4. Repeat

SIMPLE SCALES

Now you have these rich and full chords. It’s time to compliment them. To find some good options to go along with each chord, you can do the same function with scales, in the same menu as chords. 

Step 1. Select Stamp

Step 2. Select Scale Type

Step 3. Select a Note

Step 4. Repeat

INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS

If you ever find yourself stuck or lacking an idea. Try Riff Machine.  It will generate a variety of different patterns. It offers options such as chords, arps, grooves, and for some off the wall randomness, try “art”. All you have to do is place a note in the piano roll to get started. 

Step 1. Select (highlight) note(s)

Step 2.  Select Tools/Riff Machine

Step 3.  Throw the Dice

Step 4. Fit

(Optional) Using the “Fit” tab will allow you to take the existing “riff” and put it into a specific key.

Step 5.  Accept

Always select “Accept” when you find the option that you like. If you just close the window, your selection will not be applied and will default back to what you started with. 

DYNAMIC DRUMS

This is a feature that is not limited to drums. Once you take a look at the menu you will see options by instrument and genre.  This trick will help give any aspect of your track a more dynamic sound.  To start out I placed a couple standard hi-hats. Feel free to try any sound that you like. 

Step 1. Create Pattern

Step 2. Tools

Step 3. Quantize

Step 4. Select an Option

Once you select an option you will notice the velocity (indicated below each note) has changed. Each option has a varying degree of fluctuation. 

Step 5. Accept

Always select “Accept” when you find the option that you like. If you just close the window, your selection will not be applied and will result to the default you started with. 

CONCLUSION

Now you know  some of the best tricks in the FL Studio Piano Roll that you can apply to beats, leads, for inspiration and to generate chords.