Before you start

You finish with: FL Studio makes a sound in your headphones.

Only 15 minutes? That’s enough. This takes about ten, once.

Step 1: Which FL Studio

Check your edition: Producer Edition or higher covers the whole course.
On the free trial? The tools for Part 1 all work, but FL Studio won’t reopen a saved project until you buy it.
On the trial, export a WAV at the end of each session (File, then Export, then WAV, Full song), so you keep what you made.

The trial doesn’t run out and can save and export; reopening saved projects is the one thing it holds back.

On Fruity Edition?

Image-Line describes Fruity Edition as being for sequencing with the Piano Roll and pattern clips, without audio recording or more than 8 Audio Clips. The recording lessons need Producer Edition or higher.

Trial projects after you buy

The detail, if you want it · Official reference · Image-Line knowledge base: trial projects reopen once you register.

Open the reference (new tab)

Step 2: Headphones on, volume low

Put your headphones on.
Turn your computer’s volume low.

Start low and turn it up once you can hear something.

Step 3: Windows or Mac

Using a Mac? Choose Mac at the top of this page and every key switches to Cmd and Option.
On a Mac, read Ctrl as Cmd and Alt as Option.
Check the switch worked: this save key should match your computer: Ctrl+S (Mac: Cmd+S).

Your choice is kept on this device.

Step 4: Make FL make a noise

Open FL Studio.
Open Options, then Audio settings (F10).
Windows: choose your interface’s ASIO driver as the device.
Not listed? Choose FL Studio ASIO.
Mac: choose your interface, or Built-in Audio.
Open the Browser (Alt+F8 (Mac: Option+F8)).
Go to Packs, then Drums, then Kicks.
Left-click a kick to hear it.

Macs use Core Audio rather than ASIO, so the ASIO lines are for Windows.

Listen for: one short kick, in your headphones.

Silent?

Check the selected audio device in Options, then Audio settings and your headphone output. Still nothing? Spend one session on setup at most: hum an idea into your phone and pick up setup next time.

Audio settings

The detail, if you want it · Official reference · Read the audio device and buffer settings.

Open the reference (new tab)

The check: You heard a kick in your headphones. You’re ready.

Next: Make a sound you can reopen →

Or stop here. Your place is kept on this device.

Step 1: Which FL Studio

Step 2: Headphones on, volume low

Step 3: Windows or Mac

Step 4: Make FL make a noise

Finish