MENU BAR

Tools Menu

The Tools menu contains useful tools for working with channels, patterns, effects and provides the ability to use external applications as tools inside FL Studio.

Commands

• Browser smart find ( Ctrl+F) - Searches the directories in the Browser for any text entered here.
• One-click audio recording:
  • I want to record audio...
  • Into Edison audio editor/recorder - Loads Edison into the Master Mixer track and prompts for an audio input. See the Audio Recording section for advanced training (highly recommended).
  • Into Playlist as an Audio Clip - Records audio from the Master Mixer track and prompts for an audio input. See the Audio Recording section for advanced training (highly recommended).
• Macros
  • Patterns:
  • Rename current pattern ( F2) - Launches the pattern rename dialog.
  • Jump to next empty pattern ( F4) - Switches to the next pattern that does not contain any note events (either in the Step Sequencer or the Piano roll) in any channel.
  • Panic:
  • Stop sound ( Ctrl+H) - Stops all notes playing.
  • Cancel recording - Cancels the current recording and purges the .wav file.
  • Misc:
  • Prepare for performance mode - Prepares the project for use with performance mode and with view to live performance where audio underruns must be avoided. Modifications include:
    • 1. Adding a Start marker to the Playlist to create the 'Performance Zone'. This zone defines triggerable clips.
    • 2. Adding 16 Time markers to define column or rows of buttons, depending on the controller.
    • 3. Switching on Play truncated notes in clips so that starting playback in the middle of a note will still sound that note.
    • 4. Selecting Performance mode activating the performance zone.
  • Switch smart disable for all plugins - This macro switches on 'Smart Disable' for all plugins (instruments & effects). The Smart Disable switch is found on the plugin wrapper menu. Smart Disable turns off plugins when they are idle and can significantly reduce CPU load. NOTE: Some plugins can cause audio glitches if disabled, so use the per-wrapper switch to turn smart disable off.

    There is also a global Smart Disable option on the F10 Audio settings panel. This ONLY flips the state of active Smart Disable wrapper settings. Inactive Smart Disable settings are not turned on by the Audio settings option, so use the Switch smart disable for all plugins here if you want all plugins to be disabled at idle.

  • Prepare for MIDI export - Replaces all channels with auto-configured MIDI-out channels. Use this before rendering to MIDI. If you want the file to play on any soundcard using the inbuilt general MIDI (GM) sounds then you will need to assign GM patches to each channel:
    • 1. Load a Fruity LSD plugin into a Mixer track.
    • 2. Set the various MIDI Out channels to the same port number as the LSD plugin.
    • 3. From the MIDI Out Patch control, select general MIDI sounds that match as closely as possible your original channels.
    • 4. Render to MIDI and the MIDI file will play on any soundcard with the correct GM sounds. NOTE: if you are making GM files from scratch you should build your song this way from the start.
  • Select unused channels - Selects all channels that do not contain any notes (neither in the Step Sequencer or the Piano roll) in any pattern.
  • Purge unused audio clips - Removes any Audio Clips that do not have associated note data or appear in the Playlist (i.e. are not being used in the current project.
• Riff machine - Opens the Riff machine, an automated score generation wizard. Opening the Riff Machine from the Tools menu, rather than from the Piano roll Menu will auto-create a channel, with a randomly chosen preset, from an Image-Line approved list of sounds. After all, you are in a creative slump and need all the help you can get!

Clipboard

These options are grayed out if no data is available.

• Save audio clipboard to browser - Creates a .wav file of the current Audio Clip-board and saves it in \Data\Patches\Clipboard files of the FL Studio installation directory.
• Save MIDI clipboard to browser - Creates a .mid file of the current MIDI clip-board data and saves it in \Data\Patches\Clipboard files of the FL Studio installation directory.

Score logger

• Dump score log to selected pattern - Saves the contents of the score logger into the Piano roll of the selected pattern and channel. The score logger is always on and buffers all note activity from external controllers or typing keyboard to piano activity from the last 3 minutes. A copy of the current log can be dumped to the Piano roll at any time. Never lose that perfect improvisation again!

Last tweaked parameters

• Last tweaked - Several options that apply to the last tweaked parameter on any part of the GUI including plugin GUI's. NOTE: The last tweaked parameter name will be displayed at the top of the menu.
  • Edit events - Opens the Event Editor for the last tweaked control. This data will be saved in the currently selected pattern. There are also sub-options to edit events in a 'new window' or in the integrated 'Piano roll' editor.
  • Edit events in new window - If an Event Editor window is already open, this option will become available to allow you to edit a last tweaked parameter in a new event editor window.
  • Edit events in piano roll - If a Piano roll is already open, this option will become available to allow you to edit a last tweaked parameter in a new Piano roll.
  • Init song with this position - Defines the starting position for the control/knob when the song starts to play. You will need to press STOP, then PLAY, for this to take effect.
  • Create automation clip - Creates an automation clip linked to the last moved knob.
  • Link to controller - Opens the Remote control settings dialog that allows an external controller to be linked to the tweaked control.
  • Copy value/Paste value - Allows you to copy and paste the values of knobs and other controls.
  • Override volatile link - Creates a 'Generic floating-link' between the last tweaked user interface parameter and the controller knob that was moved when the 'volatile link' was initiated. Endless knobs or a jog-wheels make good volatile target controllers. See the section on linking hardware controllers for more details.
• Before last tweaked - Several options that apply to the second last tweaked parameter on any part of the user interface including plugin user interface's. NOTE: The second last tweaked parameter name will be displayed at the top of the menu.
  • See Last tweaked options.

External

• External tools... - Opens the External Tools dialog that allows you set external applications (wave editors, sample browsers, etc.) as tools in FL Studio.