PLAYLIST

Playlist Basics

The Playlist window contains the sequence of Patterns (6), Audio Clip and Automation Clip tracks (9) that provides a work-space in which to assemble a complete song structure. A video tutorial is available on the FL Studio website.

1. Playlist Menu Button
2. Toolbar: Tools Menu; Draw ( P ); Paint ( B); Erase ( D); Cut ( C); Select ( E); Zoom to selection ( Z); Snap Selector;
3. Live Mode - This appears only when Live Mode is selected from the Playlist menu (1).
4. Time Markers - It is possible to jump between time markers (see below).
5. Horizontal Zoom (Timeline Zoom) - Zoom/Snap resolution may be increased by changing the PPQ settings (F11) in the General Project settings. However, the default PPQ should provide adequate zoom/resolution for most situations.
6. Pattern Tracks
7. Tracks Tools and Options
8. Audio/Automation Tracks Vertical Zoom
9. Audio/Automation Tracks

Patterns vs Audio/Automation Clips

This page covers some generic information about using the Playlist window. For more details on using the patterns and audio/automation clip tracks and when to use which, please check the following pages:

Pattern View

Audio tracks

Automation tracks

Note:Audio and Automation clips share the same tracks, as shown above.

Timeline and Time Markers

Time - Is represented horizontally in the Playlist in bars (displayed along the top of the window as a bar-count from the start of the song). The grid resolution is determined by A) The 'Timebase' (PPQ) settings in the General Project Options (F11). Higher PPQ settings offer greater the resolution, although you will find the default setting of 96 PPQ to be adequate for most situations. B) The zoom setting (5) and C) the window's 'snap' value (). Selecting 'Main' will use the global snap value as defined in the Recording panel.

To add a new time marker - Open the Playlist's menu (1) and select Add Time Marker. Type a name for the marker and press Enter. Right-clicking an existing time marker will show a popup menu enabling name changes and deletion. All new markers appears at the start of the timeline, however they can be moved to any position by dragging the left edge with the left mouse button held. Apart from noting specific parts of your song (such as 'chorus' for example), markers can be used to jump to a location or quick-select of a region between markers as described below -

Jumping directly to time markers - It is possible to jump between time markers using a MIDI keyboard (or keyboard short-cuts), see MIDI options - 'Song marker jump MIDI channel' settings OR the FF/RW transport keys on a multimedia keyboard. This can be very useful in Live Mode to create live performances.

Selection Methods

There are several ways to make a selection in the Playlist:

• Select rectangular area in the audio or pattern tracks: In draw () or paint () mode, hold Ctrl and drag an to define the selection area with the left mouse button. You can use left mouse button without Ctrl in selection mode ().
• Add to existing selection: Hold Shift and Ctrl while making a rectangular selection to add to the existing selection.
• Select a set of pattern tracks: Hold Ctrl and drag up/down inside the pattern name are on the left side of the screen.
• Select a time region: Hold Ctrl and drag left/right inside the timeline (4) area.
• Select a marked time region: Double-click a time marker in the timeline to select the time region from this marker to the next one (or to the end of the song in case it is the last one).

Playlist Menu

The Playlist menu button (1) displays many useful commands for managing the Playlist.

1. Edit

• Cut ( Ctrl+X) - Cuts all selected pattern bars and audio clips to the clipboard.
• Copy ( Ctrl+C) - Copies all selected pattern bars and audio clips to the clipboard.
• Paste ( Ctrl+V) - Pastes pattern bars and audio clips from the clipboard.
• Delete ( Del) - Deletes all selected pattern bars and audio clips.
• Delete All ( Ctrl+Del) - Deletes all pattern bars and audio clips.
• Select All ( Ctrl+A) - Selects all pattern bars and audio clips.
• Invert Selection - Inverts the selection.
• Quick Quantize ( Alt+Q) - Applies basic quantize to all selected pattern bars and audio clips depending on the global snap setting in the Recording panel (if nothing is selected, applies to all).
• Insert Space ( Ctrl+Ins) - Creates empty space that matches the current selection start and length by shifting all following pattern blocks forward.
• Delete Space ( Ctrl+Del) - Erases all pattern blocks in the current selection and shifts back the remaining blocks to close the gap.

2. Tools

• Quick quantize ( Ctrl+Q) - Aligns all selected patterns to the snap setting set in the Snap Selector.

3. Patterns

• Set Name - Opens a name popup allowing you to rename the selected patern.
• Open in Project Browser ( Alt+P) - Expands the Project Browser folders to show the selected pattern.
• Insert One ( Ctrl+Ins) - Inserts blank pattern before the currently selected one.
• Clone Selected ( Shift+Ctrl+C) - Inserts a clone of the current pattern right after it. The cloned pattern has the same note events (with their velocity, pan etc. properties) in the Step Sequencer as the original, but currently the events are not copied into the new pattern.
• Delete Selected ( Ctrl+Del) - Deletes the current pattern.
• Move Selected Up ( Alt+Up) - Moves all selected patterns one step up.
• Move Selected Down ( Alt+Down) - Moves all selected patterns one step down.
• Flatten Selected - This option merges the selected patterns in one large Piano Roll sequence(s) inside the pattern. The separate bars are replaced by a single big bar containing the entire sequence. With this feature you are able to quickly convert repeated patterns in a big sequence where you can variate the separate repetitions without creating a separate pattern for each variation. Note that this function converts all step grid sequences to Piano Roll notes.
• Merge Selected - Flattens all selected pattern tracks and merges them all in the topmost selected pattern.
• Split by channel - Creates unique pattern blocks for each Channel with note or automation data in the current pattern. This is a great way to break out parts from a large and complex pattern.

4. Audio Tracks

• Auto Zero Crossing - Enabling this command allows FL Studio to look for the closest zero (middle) level intersection when splitting an audio clip to bars, beats, or when using the Cut tool (). Splitting at zero intersection strongly reduces the chance of clicks and pops artifacts caused due to the abruptly start of an audio segment.
• Flat Mode ( Alt+F) - Switches between flat and 3D rendering mode for the audio tracks.
• Glass Mode ( Ctrl+Alt+F) - Turns on/off the glass shading effects for the audio tracks waveform preview.

5. View

• Grid Color - Opens a dialog box that lets you choose a color for Playlist's grid.
• Detached - When checked, the window is "detached" from the main environment of FL Studio and can be maximized on a second monitor (in a dual monitor setup).

6. Zoom

Contains a submenu with a set of quick zooming levels: Far ( 1); Medium ( 2); Close ( 3); Best Fit ( 4); On Selection ( 5);

On Selection zooms the time line to fit the selection (the command will be disabled if no time region is selected in the timeline).

7. Live Mode

Turns on/off the live mode feature of the Playlist. In live mode, you can see an on/off switch next to the name of each pattern track (8), which enables you to quickly turn a pattern playing on and off without drawing a fixed sequence with bars. As the name suggests, this feature is useful primarily for live performances and for testing various playlist arrangements on the fly.

You can also control the on/off switches and jumping to time markers using the keys on your MIDI keyboard (see MIDI Settings).

Note: In LiveMode the songmarker will only jump to the next bar/time marker when the playing bar is finished in order to keeping the timing intact. This differs from standard mode where the jump is immediate.

8. Add time marker

Time markers are used to annotate the Playlist and can also serve as jump-to points, for more information see the section above 'Timeline and Time Markers'.

9. Center ( 0)

Center (grid) centers the Playlist's grid so the play position marker is in the middle. Useful when you want to see the playing position in a long sequence.