TROUBLESHOOTING

Optimizing FL Studio performance

These tips will help you to get the most out of your computer's CPU and memory. Generally, items that reduce CPU load are far more important than memory usage, unless you are experiencing memory errors or the projects memory requirements exceed your installed RAM. Further information is available in the FL Studio Optimization YouTube playlist.

The top 3 things to check

• Audio settings - One of the most important settings is to select an ASIO soundcard driver from the Input / output menu. Look first for an ASIO driver that installed with your soundcard OR if one is not available use the generic ASIO4ALL driver. Whichever driver you use, download the latest from your soundcard manufacturer or from www.asio4all.com. Make sure the Buffer length setting is not less than 10 ms (441 samples). Buffer lengths below 10 ms will eat significant CPU power with little or no perceived change in program responsiveness.
• Increase the audio buffer length - The Buffer length setting is found on the Audio settings page. You will need to click the 'Show ASIO panel' button there, to see the settings if you are using an ASIO driver (as you should be!). Starting from 10 ms (441 samples) keep adding 5 ms (220 sample) increments until you notice a drop in CPU usage. Buffer lengths over 50 ms (2205 samples) make live playing difficult but will be fine for mixing CPU intensive tracks where you are making adjustments to controls rather than recording a performance.
• Is your CPU running at full speed? Do you have some wimpy energy saving/CPU throttling mode engaged. If you are serious about your music production then you will be prepared for, at least, some melting of the polar ice caps. See the Windows 'Start > Settings > Control panel > System & maintenance*** > Power Options'. *** Whether or not this sub-menu shows depends on your windows settings. Set your power management to 'High performance mode'.

NOTE: sample latencies quoted above assume a 44100 Hz sample rate is set.

More things to check if required

• Competing & background programs - Close all non-essential programs that may be competing for resources, e.g. Instant messaging programs (AIM, MSM/WLM, Skype, Yahoo! Messenger), torrents, web browsers, audio/video players, etc. If you experience intermittent issues, check for scheduled activity like virus scans, backups, windows updates, disk defragmentation, even Wi-Fi & Blue-Tooth adapters have been known to cause isses, particularly if they are constantly re-making flaky connections.
• Multithread support - Make sure Multithreaded generator processing and Multithreaded mixer processing are selected on the Audio Settings panel.
• Turn OFF 'Keep on disk' for any Sampler and Audio Clip channels. This ensures samples are pre-loaded into memory avoiding underruns caused by disk-to-RAM swapping delays.

• ASIO Options - Under the ASIO settings try the Mix in buffer switch and Triple buffer options.
• Smart Disable - Enable Smart disable on the Audio Settings and then run the Tools Menu > Macros Switch smart disable for all plugins. This will disable effects & instruments when they are not making any sound and can decrease CPU usage significantly. If this global option causes issues with any plugins it can be disabled for those individual plugins using the wrapper menu setting 'Smart disable'.
• Reduce the plugin count - Try to reduce the number of plugins (instrument and FX). These are the most CPU hungry parts of the program.
• Freeze mixer tracks - Render some Channels to audio and then mute the instruments in the Channel Window or delete them. Remember that FL Studio records mixer tracks so you will select several mixer tracks to record, then mute or remove the Channels feeding those mixer tracks.
• Limit Polyphony - Use the maximum polyphony setting to reduce the maximum polyphony of channels (see Miscellaneous Channel Settings). This often reduces dramatically CPU usage in complex melodies. You can still set FL Studio to ignore the maximum polyphony settings when exporting to wave/mp3 file (see Exporting to .wav/.mp3/.mid).
• Disable MIDI - Disable all the 'Enable MIDI...' options using the Options menu as MIDI processing uses CPU resources even when not in use.
• Extend your memory - Use the extended memory version of FL Studio.
• See also - Buffer underruns & maximizing FL Studio performance.