This article shares quick and easy tips for sampling in FL Studio 20, straight from Slime Green Beats. It covers everything from finding good samples to using various effects and mixing techniques to make your beats stand out. If you're looking to improve your sampling game, this guide has some solid advice.
Getting Started With Samples
Finding good samples is the first step to making great beats. A good place to start is Looperman.com. It's a site where you can find lots of loops and samples. Just create an account, log in, and you can download them to use in your projects. It's a simple way to get creative with your music.
Once you have a sample you like, drag it into FL Studio. The first thing you'll want to do is match the project's BPM to the sample's BPM. This makes sure everything stays in sync. Also, it's a good idea to normalize the sample. This makes it louder and ensures it's at a good volume level, so it doesn't get lost in your mix.
Essential Sampling Techniques
After you've got your sample in and set up, there are a few tricks you can use to make it sound even better:
- Time Stretching: You can change the length of your sample without changing its pitch. This is great for fitting a sample into your beat or creating a different vibe. For example, if a sample is at 9, you might stretch it to 5 to make it shorter and faster, or longer and slower.
- EQ (Equalization): Using a parametric EQ, like the Fruity Parametric EQ2 in FL Studio, is super helpful. You can use presets to quickly adjust the sound. A common trick is to cut out the low ends of a sample. This helps it sit better in the mix and leaves room for your bass and 808s.
- Gross Beat: This is a cool effect that can add a lot of character to your samples. You can use it to do things like half-speed your sample, which can create an eerie or unique sound. Just be aware that Gross Beat might be a feature of the pro version of FL Studio.
- Reversing Samples: A simple but effective trick is to reverse your sample. This can create a really interesting and unexpected sound, especially when combined with other effects. Just hit the reverse button in the sample settings.
Mixing and Adding Elements
Once you have your sample sounding good, it's time to add other elements to build your beat. Always make sure your sample is routed to the mixer. A good rule of thumb is to keep your sample's volume below -12 decibels. This leaves plenty of headroom for other instruments.
Adding an 808 is a common next step. You can even add some distortion to your 808 to make it hit harder. Don't forget to EQ your 808 too, so it blends well with your sample. Finally, throw in some hi-hats and a snare pattern to complete your beat. It's all about getting those creative juices flowing and experimenting with different sounds.
Key Takeaways
- Use Looperman.com for free samples.
- Always normalize your samples and match the BPM.
- Experiment with time stretching and reversing samples.
- Use EQ to clean up your samples, especially by cutting low frequencies.
- Try Gross Beat for unique effects like half-speed.
- Keep sample volumes below -12 decibels in the mixer.
- Add 808s, hi-hats, and snares to build your beat.
