FL Studio’s Piano Roll is a powerful tool for creating music, but it also holds some hidden gems that can elevate your productions to new heights. Let’s explore a few of these underutilized features that can add depth, inspiration, and dynamism to your tracks.

1. Effortless Chord Creation

Transform your melodies into rich chords with the Piano Roll’s built-in chord generator.

  1. Open the Piano Roll and select the “Stamp” tool.
  2. Choose the desired “Chord Type” from the menu.
  3. Place a note on the Piano Roll.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to create a chord progression.

2. Scales in Harmony with Your Chords

Complement your chords with harmonious scales using the Piano Roll’s scale generator.

  1. Select the “Stamp” tool.
  2. Choose the desired “Scale Type” from the menu.
  3. Place a note on the Piano Roll.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to create a scale pattern.

3. Riff Machine: Your Creative Catalyst

When creativity gets stuck, let the Riff Machine spark your inspiration.

  1. Select the note(s) you want to base the riff on.
  2. Open the “Tools” menu and choose “Riff Machine.”
  3. Experiment with different riff types like chords, arps, grooves, or even “art” for unexpected results.

4. Dynamic Drums for a Living Groove

Add life to your drum patterns with FL Studio’s quantization feature.

  1. Create a basic drum pattern.
  2. Open the “Tools” menu and choose “Quantize.”
  3. Select a quantization option from the menu.
  4. Observe how the velocity of your drum notes changes, adding a human-like feel.

5. Conclusion

FL Studio’s Piano Roll offers a wealth of hidden tricks waiting to be discovered. Embrace these features to enhance your melodies, chords, rhythms, and overall production quality.