CHANNEL SETTINGS

Sampler Channel Settings (SMP)

The Sampler Channel Settings page holds properties specific for the Sampler generator. It also appears in plugin generators that support custom shapes for their oscillators. In such case, only the sample bank is visible in this tab.

NOTE: Disabled options - You may notice that some of the options in your Sampler Channels are disabled (greyed out), however that you can still toggle the switches on/off. This is to improve workflow when trying out different samples in the same Sampler Channel, so that if a selected option becomes possible it will be automatically activated. For example, you can turn Keep on Disk on for even a sample that can't be streamed from disk due to its format, so if you do load a sample with the correct format, it will be automatically streamed from disk.

1. Sample Bank

The sample bank contains the wave that Sampler uses for synthesis. Left-click the button on the left side to browse a sample or SimSynth/DrumSynth preset for the sample bank. The Open dialog has been enhanced with Favorites section. The combo box on the right side displays the name of the currently selected sample. If you left-click it, a history list with recently opened samples shows.

2. Wave

Contains general wave handling routines.

• Keep on Disk - Turn this option on to conserve memory by playing the sample directly from your hard disk (streaming) rather than loading it into memory. Notes: Streaming too many samples from disk may overwhelm the transfer capacity of your drive and cause clicks and stutters, so use this option with some thought to the total number of samples you are streaming. This option also requires the sample to be of 44100 kHz 16 bit Stereo format, if not, the option will be unavailable and greyed-out. 'Keep on disk' further precludes the use of precalculated effects (4), because they need to be applied as a whole-wave calculation, this can't be performed if the sample is not in memory. Finally, the Sample View window (6) will be blank when 'Keep on disk' is selected.
• Resample - If your sample is not at 44100 kHz 16 bit Stereo format, resampling with this option results in higher quality output. It is not recommended to turn this on for looped samples. Since all loop points are sample aligned, resampling may cause "clicks". Note: - While this option improves the real-time playback, it requires additional CPU and memory (resampled waves are bigger). Alternatively, if you use hermite curve interpolation or better in your audio or export settings, the quality of non-resampled waves won't be degraded.
• Load regions - When selected, load the regions/slices markers available in some wave samples and in the ZGR / REX loop files. If the loaded sample contains any regions/slices data, this option will be available (label won't be grayed out). Regions/slices are used during time stretching for more accurate sample processing (see below).
• Load ACID markers - When selected, load ACID beat markers for the sample if available.

3. Loop

Contains options concerning sample looping.

• Use Loop Points - If the sample contains loop points (this is visible in the Sample view described below), you can check this option to make the sample loop. It will start playing from the beginning, then when it reaches the loop end point, it will "jump" back to the first loop point, thus creating sound with unlimited length, useful for instruments like strings, organs etc.
• Ping Pong Loop - This effect will take the wave between the loop markers and insert it reversed right before the loop end marker. The audible effect is like sample "ping-pongs" between the start and end loop points, instead of just jumping back to the start loop point.

4. Time stretching

Time stretching pre-process samples and adjusts them to the tempo of your project. FL Studio's time stretching algorithms can preserve pitch, however they are not realtime processes. They are computed outside the live playback engine using CPU intensive algorithms that allow higher quality results. The exception to this is the ‘resample’ stretching option that does not preserve pitch, and is very light on processor resources. As the time-stretching algorithms adjust the sample to match the base tempo of the project you will be prompted to process all samples for the new setting when you change the project tempo. Dynamic tempo changes during the song (tempo automation) can't be compensated for, so re-sampling is used to keep the time-stretched samples in sync.

To disable time stretching for the sample, turn the Time knob maximum to left (set to 0). This is the default mode which won't use resampling during dynamic tempo changes to preserve sync.

• Pitch Shift (PITCH) - Allows you to shift the sample pitch while preserving its length. Since this kind of processing is not possible if the stretching method selected is "resample", the method is automatically changed to "auto" after tweaking this knob.
• Time Multiplicator (MUL) - Use this knob as a modificator to the sample length. Using the multiplicator you can quickly, for example, stretch the sample to twice its length without the need to modify the Time setting.
• Time Stretch (TIME) - This parameter sets the sample length (sample "time") using tempo-based measures (bars, steps etc.), so that you can link the sample with the base project tempo. While adjusting the knob you can see the assigned time value in the hint bar, as well as the computed "actual" tempo FL Studio gets for the sample tempo according to the set length. If the tempo is too high or too low, you'll see a note "unrealistic tempo" shown instead. Right-click menu: the right click menu for this parameter shows some handy presets & the autodetect command which makes an attempt to autodetect the tempo of the sample (the results may vary depending on the source material). NOTE: Audio clips will adjust the Time property accordingly when stretched;
• Stretch Method (combo box) - Selects the time stretch method. Several of the methods feature the high-quality ZPlane Elastique engine which performs the processing as a precalculated effect as needed. Resample is the most basic stretching method and it doesn't preserve pitch (note that some Sampler Plugins change that, for ex. Granulizer). This is the only method which is applied at runtime during playback, so it responds to dynamic tempo changes. Elastique (drums) is a transients aware algorithm which is best suited for time-stretching drum loops. Elastique (tonal) is best used with vocals and complex audio material (such as full songs). Elastique (slices) auto-slices the source sample (if it has no loaded slices) and stretches it using the same algorithm found in the Fruity Slicer plugin. Slice map also performs the auto-slice step (if no slices are loaded from the sample) but it plays the sample without creating transitions to "stitch" the individual slices. This method is best used on some drum loops. Auto performs an automatic selection of one of the methods covered here as follows: if the sample has no loaded slices/regions: elastique (drums) is used; if there are regions, and the stretch is moderate or extreme: elastique (slices) is used; if there are regions loaded, and the stretch is minor: slice map is used.

5. Precomputed effects

This is a set of effects and processing routines for the sample loaded in the sample bank. None of them requires additional CPU power to play your song, because they are all applied precomputed - FL Studio processes the sample and then it loads it in the memory with all effects already applied. However, this fact makes the automation of those effects impossible (see Automation). Also, applying them to streamed samples (when the Keep on Disk option is turned on) will cause the entire sample to be loaded in RAM (which is not desired for long samples).

• Remove DC Offset - Removes any DC offset in the loaded sample.
• Reverse Polarity - "Flips" the waveform vertically.
• Normalize - Maximizes the sample volume without clipping.
• Fade Stereo - Creates a stereo fade from the left to the right channel of the sample.
• Reverse - Reverses the sample.
• Swap Stereo - Switches left and right channel of the loaded sample.
• Fade In (IN) - Applies a quick fade in to the sample (turn maximum to left to disable).
• Fade Out (OUT) - Applies a quick fade out to the sample (turn maximum to left to disable).
• Pitch bend (POGO) - Applies pitch bend to the sample. Useful with drum samples.
• Crossfade Loop (CRF) - Allows you to crossfade the sample for the creation of smooth loop sections (turn maximum to left to disable).
• Trim Threshold (TRIM) - FL Studio trims the silence in the end of the samples, as this frees up RAM and does not alter the resulting sound. This control allows you to raise the volume threshold below which FL Studio detects "silence". Using this control you can allow FL Studio to filter very quite noise in your sample, or set the threshold to zero to filter only pure "mathematical" silence.

6. Sample View

The sample view displays the loaded sample (with all precomputed effects applied). It also shows the loop points and region locations, if such exist (loop points and regions can be set by using an external wave editor). The first vertical red line is the loop start point; the second one is the loop end point. Left-clicking the sample view previews the sample (if time stretching is enabled, the preview is tempo synchronized). Right-clicking it shows a menu with additional channel settings and commands. It contains exactly the same entries as the menu you can call by clicking the button at the top left corner of the Channel Settings window.

7. SimSynth Preset

This panel appears only when a SimSynth preset is used to fill the sample bank.

Enable the Use Riff option if you want to generate the whole riff in the preset (this option is disabled if the preset you used does not contain riff data). The Tempo knob lets you set the tempo of the generated riff.

8. DrumSynth Preset

This panel appears only when a DrumSynth preset is used to fill the sample bank. They are few parameters that define the generated sound and they are identical to the same options in DrumSynth standalone.

• Tone (TONE) - Sets the loudness of the sine oscillator in DrumSynth.
• Overtone (OVER) - Sets the loudness of the second oscillator in DrumSynth.
• Noise (NOISE) - Sets the amount of white noise added to the sample.
• Noise Band (BAND) - Sets the loudness of noise band generator in DrumSynth.
• Time (TIME) - Sets the length of the generated sample.

9. Legacy Precomputed Effects

This panel contains old deprecated precalculation effects. It is visible only if you select Show Legacy Precomputed Effects in your General Settings and it is included for compatibility with projects created in earlier releases of the product.

It is recommended not to use these effects with new projects.

• Amplify (AMP) - Use this effect to distort your sample or to amplify low volume samples.
• Boost (FX1) - This effect is useful for boosting up & overdriving your sample.
• Sine FX - Applies a sine modulation to the sample. The first knob controls the amount of modulation; the second one controls the sine frequency.
• Cutoff & Resonance (CUT & RES) - Applies a low pass cutoff and resonance filter (for a real-time automated cutoff and resonance filter, see Instrument Channel Settings).
• Reverb - Use this effect to add "smooth" echoes to your sample. You have two different modes of reverb available - A & B. The knob controls the amount of reverb applied to the sound. This effect may extend your sample at the end to fit the whole reverb (it is recommended that you use the real-time reverb effect included with FL Studio - Fruity Reeverb, see Effects).
• Stereo Delay (S.DEL) - This effect applies a short delay between the left and the right side of the sample, which creates a pseudo stereo effect. Turning the knob to right slides the left channel forward, while turning it left slides the right channel forward. Note that it is recommended not to use that effect on looped samples. Since all loop points are sample aligned, sliding either channel may cause clicks.