How to Make Your First Beat in FL Studio
Create your first track with this step-by-step beat making tutorial. Learn to program drums, add melodies, and arrange your song.
This guide helps you create a basic drum loop and melody from scratch. You will learn the workflow from selecting sounds to arranging them in the timeline.
Follow these steps
Build a Drum Loop
Open the Channel Rack and use the default Kick, Clap, Hi-hat, and Snare. Left-click the steps to create a simple '4-on-the-floor' drum pattern.
Add a Melody
Right-click a new instrument channel and select 'Piano roll'. Draw in a simple four-bar melody using your mouse to add a musical element to your drums.
Arrange in the Playlist
Go to the Playlist (F5) and select your pattern from the picker on the left. Paint the pattern onto the grid multiple times to create the length of your track.
Mix the Volumes
Adjust the volume knobs next to each instrument in the Channel Rack to make sure no single sound is too loud or clipping into the red.
Common mistakes
- Not changing the 'Pattern' to 'Song' mode, causing the Playlist to stay silent during playback.
- Placing too many sounds on the same beat, creating a cluttered and 'muddy' mix.