That means when we program this sample into FL Studio, there is no more room to turn it up without distorting!ĭeceptively, FL Studio’s internal channels use 32 bit depth which is a scalar amplitude system. Drum sample producers want their drums to appear as loud as possible, so they maximize the level of the sample. Why? Because most of our drum samples are starting out normalized to maximum volume. Unfortunately, it’s very easy to do this. While we get the signal louder by turning it up, up, and up, we also lose punch and create a tonal quality that is usually worse than what we started with.
What does overloading mean? In the digital world we have a level ceiling, and once a sound exceeds that volume level it distorts. The most common mistake I see is people overloading either their individual channels, or their master channel. However, there is a good way to do this, and a not-so-good way to do this. Let’s be honest, we all want our productions to be more thumpy, and a big part of that is making the playback level loud and proud. Help end DAW/FL Studio Bias today! Mistake 1: Clipping Your Master Channel I mix a lot of records that were produced in FL Studio and there’s a few stand out mistakes I think need to be addressed. This leads to a lot of mistakes that are simple to fix, but often go unchecked.
DAWs are complex and reading manuals is boring. However, behind many biases are a grain of truth. It’s a great tool in all forms of electronic production, including Music For Film, Experimental Rock, and of course Hip-Hop, EDM and Electronica. Countless smash hit records have been made in FL Studio. This is marked by the belief that only amateurs and people without talent use FL Studio, and is usually accompanied by being a low-key hater of Hip-Hop and EDM. The most common and one of the most damaging forms of DAW Bias is FL Studio Bias. Notable signs of someone with DAW Bias are: blaming the DAW for the music made in that DAW, making sweeping statements about the capabilities of a DAW (without spending time to actually learn it), and randomly cursing people out on the internet for not using their DAW of choice. The latter is what we will focus on in this article.Digital Audio Workstation Bias (DAW Bias for short) is real, and it’s a problem. The music industry largely benefits from robust DAWs such as Ableton Live, Pro Tools, and FL Studio. It also allows them to arrange these sounds, apply extensive modifications on them via plugins, and eventually export the final work-or parts of it-in an audio format that can be shared with the rest of the world. Most indie artists enjoy playing around with samples for their beats and voice chops, but before any of this becomes possible, a digital audio workstation is often required.Ī digital audio workstation-or DAW, as it is often referred to-in its simplest definition, is a software with integrated tools allowing users to create, import, and record beats and melodies. Making music is fun if you aspire to be a professional producer, or if you simply have the talent to put together melodies in a manner that leaves your listeners amazed.
Isaac is an online music writer with years of experience in helping indie artists learn how to use digital audio workstations.