FL Studio:
System Settings - MIDI
To open the MIDI
Settings
choose 'Options
> MIDI settings' from the
main menu or press the F10 function key on your
keyboard. The MIDI Settings page contains settings for MIDI
driver input, output and syncing. It also contains options
related to MIDI keyboard recording and automation. For a list
of supported MIDI devices, see Pre-configured MIDI Devices.
NOTE: If you have never connected a MIDI device to FL
Studio before, we recommend reading the MIDI Wizard section
of the manual first.
NOTE:
MIDI does not transmit audio, it is a control-data connection
(keyboard notes, knob movements, sound/program changes).
MIDI Output
These options are used
to select a MIDI Output interface, so FL Studio can
send MIDI signals to outboard gear (Synthesizer, Drum Machine,
Sampler, etc). Click on the MIDI output interface to be used,
once an interface is selected it will become highlighted. For
each interface selected you can make independent 'Send master
sync' and 'Port number' settings. While only one MIDI
Output interface can be used with FL Studio at a time, you
can daisy-chain multiple MIDI devices to the Output interface,
see the note below.
To map an output MIDI device
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NOTE: MIDI
allows you to daisy-chain a number of external MIDI devices.
Connect the PC to the MIDI Output interface, then
connect the first external MIDI device to the MIDI OUT and or
MIDI IN of the Output interface. Then connect subsequent MIDI
devices to the OUT or THRU ports of the device preceding them
in the chain. Make sure to set each MIDI device in the chain
to send MIDI data OUT or THRU its own MIDI ports, as
this may not be on by default (see the manual/s that came with
the device/s).
MIDI Input
These options are used
to connect to external MIDI input devices. FL Studio will
connect to a wide range of external MIDI controllers and MIDI
hardware.
External MIDI Clock
FL Studio will
not sync to an external MIDI clock. To control FL Studio
from other MIDI software use the Rewire Client
mode or host FL Studio as a VST plugin
inside the host application. FL Studio will however send MIDI
Clock sync so you can control the MIDI hardware using FL
Studio as the master MIDI device, see the MIDI Output section.
Connecting External Controller/s
These options
are used to select MIDI Input devices. If you have a
USB/MIDI keyboard or controller
it can be used to control FL Studio. The Input section
displays a list of controller devices that have been detected
by the Windows operating system.
- Lists detected devices that can be used for MIDI control
of FL Studio, for example MIDI/USB piano-keyboards and
external MIDI/USB knob-controllers. To select a device
click on the name in the list and select the enable
switch below. FL Studio is preconfigured to work with a
number of controllers as indicated in the Controller type list.
Enable -
Enables the selected controller. Each device in the list can
be independently enabled/disabled.
Controller type
- FL Studio supports all generic MIDI controllers. If your
controller does not have a custom driver,
select USB Audio Device (generic controller) in this
menu. Don't be concerned about using a 'Generic' driver if
your device is working correctly. However, as 'custom
drivers' supply the device name and any 'special' functions
the controller may have, it's worth checking if your
controller is in the list of custom MIDI controllers.
These allow support for 'unique' controls such as transport
functions, jog wheels, ribbon-strips, relative knobs,
motorized faders and custom switch controls. If your device
has a custom driver but does not show in this list by name
OR nothing is showing, try re-installing the driver
that came with the device (check the manufacturers web-site
for the latest USB driver, these are usually on the
technical support or downloads section).
Port
- MIDI input port. For use with multiple controllers and
Performance Mode.
NOTE: Piano roll recording is disabled in Performance
Mode.
To connect a controller -
Make sure
Enable MIDI remote control is selected in the Options menu,
'MIDI input' will be disabled otherwise.
Click on the device
in the Input list so that it is highlighted. Your controller
may not necessarily appear by its real name 'USB Audio
Device (generic controller)' is common. This appears
when the 'generic Windows USB driver' is used to interface
with the controller (see 'Controller type' above for more
details).
Select Enable. Each device in the
list can be selected/deselected separately.
If you are
successful the MIDI activity light on the Main Panel
will blink each time controller data is received. NOTE:
If the 'Debug
log' is open any MIDI
data received by FL Studio is displayed and logged,
useful for learning the MIDI CC numbers of controls or
troubleshooting connections.
NOTES:
- To create permanent links
between a controller, FL Studio and plugins use the 'Multilink
controllers' switch with
the 'Override generic links' option.
FL Studio can respond simultaneously
to multiple controllers, however,
to avoid controller CC conflicts (where more than one
controller tries to adjust the same software control on the
same MIDI channel) it is wise to assign each controller to
transmit on a unique MIDI channel. See the documentation
that came with the controller on setting MIDI send/transmit
channels. By default, FL Studio listens to MIDI data in OMNI
mode (all channels 1 - 16 simultaneously).
Multiple controllers & multiple plugin
channels - It is possible to use
up to 16 controllers simultaneously. To control 16 separate
plugins:
- First Set
each controller to transmit on a different MIDI channel
number (1 to 16, see the documentation that came with the
controller on setting MIDI send/transmit channels).
- Then
Right-click as many channels in the Channel Window
as you have active controllers. The controller
transmitting on the lowest MIDI channel number will
be assigned to the top-most selected Instrument Channel.
Selected instrument channels below are assigned by
ascending MIDI channel number (i.e. lowest MIDI channel =
top selected instrument channel, highest MIDI channel =
bottom selected instrument channel). When only one
channel is selected then all controllers will play
that instrument channel. When more instrument channels are
selected than there are active MIDI controllers, then top
most instrument channels will be assigned.
Changing controller to plugin
relationships
- The simplest method is to move the target Instrument Channel
up/down in the Channel Window stack (select the target
instrument channel, hold the Alt key and press the
up/down arrows on your keyboard). Remember that instrument
channels are assigned to controller MIDI numbers, from top
to bottom in the stack.
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Supported
controllers:
For the latest list of supported devices visit the MIDI Controller Reference
forum.
Controller
templates - There are a number of
controller templates in the FL Studio installation directory
(\Program Files\Image-Line\FL Studio\System\Hardware
specific). These templates are loaded into the editor
that came with your controller and will map it to FL Studio.
You may then be required to select the controller type in
the Input settings (if FL doesn't do so automatically).
Miscellaneous MIDI options
- This option affects the linking of knobs/sliders, etc. on
your controller/s to FL Studio and plugin interface targets.
When selected, the MIDI Remote Control pop-up
will close as soon as you tweak (move) the control on your
external MIDI device and the link will be made. If this
option is deselected, you will need to click the OK
button on MIDI Remote Control pop-up
to accept the controller link and then close the box.
Support hold and sostenuto
- If selected, FL Studio will use foot-pedal messages to
sustain notes held on a MIDI keyboard. NOTE: For some
VST plugins you may need to turn this off for the
pedal-sustain to work correctly, it depends on how the
programmer has decided to handle foot-pedal MIDI messages.
Omni Preview MIDI channel
- Allows you to
set a channel on your MIDI keyboard, where each keyboard key
(starting at C5) previews a separate channel in the Step Sequencer.
This is particularly useful for percussion/loop-triggering
where each channel holds a unique sample/loop in a Channel Sampler.
Performance mode MIDI channel
- For use with generic controllers to trigger Clips in
Playlist
window (in Performance mode).
This also enables the Typing Keyboard to trigger clips
when set to Channe 1.
Song marker jump MIDI channel
- Set the MIDI channel to be used to accept MIDI note data
to control Playlist Time Marker jumping. See Playlist Time Markers
section for more details.
Generator muting MIDI channel
- Lets you
set a channel on your MIDI keyboard, where each keyboard key
mutes/unmutes a channel in the Step Sequencer.
Toggle on Release
- Determines how momentary buttons/switches on the MIDI
controller interact with target controls in FL Studio. When
enabled, the target control will change state when the
button is pressed and revert back to the original state when
the button is released. If off, a second click is required
to revert the target back to its original state.
Link note on velocity to
- [none] - If this option is selected, FL Studio will
ignore note-on velocities sent by controller input devices
(MIDI keyboards, etc.) and assign a fixed velocity to all
notes (a MIDI velocity of '100' or 78% is used, 127 = 100%).
Velocity enables mapping note velocity from MIDI
devices to per-note velocity sensitive plugins in FL Studio.
Mod X / Mod Y MIDI key note on velocity is mapped to
Mod X or Mod Y and passed to any instruments or effects
using these MOD parameters.
- Curve -
Opens the Velocity Mapping Curve editor. This curve sets
the relationship between the MIDI controller (note on)
velocity and the value passed to FL Studio. Control points
can be added with right-mouse clicks and function curves
by Left-clicking on the tension handle, as with any
envelope editor in FL Studio. For the curve to take effect
'Note on' must be linked to one of the options shown
above. TIP: If you play your controller while the
Velocity Mapping Curve editor is open, the note velocity
will be visible as a vertical line. This will help you to
tune the curve shape to your playing style.
Link release note velocity to
- [none] - If this option is selected, FL Studio will
ignore release velocities sent by controller input devices
(MIDI keyboards, etc.) and assign a fixed release velocity
(100) to all notes. Release - Some MIDI keyboards can
send the velocity of a note release, if so this enables
mapping of note release velocity from MIDI devices to
per-note release velocity aware plugins in FL Studio. For
the curve to take effect 'Note on' must be linked to
'Release'.
- Curve -
Opens a velocity mapping editor. This allows you to set
the relationship between MIDI controller 'note release'
velocity and the value passed to FL Studio. Control points
can be added with right-mouse clicks and 'between point'
curves by Left-clicking on the tension handle as with any
envelope editor in FL Studio.
Rescan MIDI devices
- If you install a controller after FL Studio has started,
or a controller that appears in the Input list
becomes unresponsive, this option will rescan and connect to
the device.
See also:
Interfaces, Keyboards and Controllers

MIDI is a
trademark of MIDI Manufacturers Association Incorporated.
About MIDI -
Making Music with MIDI
- MIDI Controllers -
MIDI Products -
MIDI Glossary

VST
is a trademark of Steinberg Soft- und Hardware GmbH
FL Studio is a registered trademark of Image Line Software
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