| TROUBLESHOOTING Sample Pitch or Tempo Problems When you load a sample, it should work seamlessly in the context it’s being used. However, this relies on many automatic functions running in the background that control how samples are played. If you encounter issues, such as samples playing too fast or too slow, changing pitch unexpectedly, not changing pitch (see point 3 below), or drastically altering their length when placed in the Playlist, it’s likely due to incorrect meta-data in the sample, although it could also be something else. Here's a checklist for you to follow when diagnosing these issues ... Correcting Sample Pitch or Tempo problems Pitch issues will be related to data saved in the sample or FL Studio pitch modifier controls. - Correct sample meta data - Some samples contain 'meta data' that includes the pitch or tempo they were recorded at. If this is wrong then it can cause all the issues as described above. Open the sample in Edison. Press (F2) to open the Sample Properties dialog. Check the Tempo (BPM) field is empty (or set to the correct BPM) AND/OR the Middle note is set to C5 (the default). Low and High should be set to C0 and G10 respectively. You can also set FL Studio to ignore this data by deselecting Read sample tempo information and or Read sample root note.
- Override the sample settings - Click on the Audio Clip or Sampler Channel to open the Channel Settings SMP tab. Right-Click the Pitch and Multiplier knobs and select 'reset'. Right-Click the Time knob and select '(none)'.
- Ignore BPM - The General Settings option 'Read sample tempo information' (sample meta data) can be deselected and the BPM will be ignored. Middle note errors can't be ignored and must be corrected in the sample (see above).
- Disable Sync - Shown when you hover over the Sample Preview area in the Browser and also the SOUNDS Tab. This will allow samples to play at their original Pitch and BPM. More information on Tempo vs BPM.
- Omni MIDI preview channel - When you have Omni MIDI preview channel set each key from C5 triggers a different Instrument Channel and so you cant play polyphonically as usual. To disable set to '---'. The purpose is to allow you to use a Layer Channel to create a multi-sample percussion instrument from a stack of Channels with one-shot samples.
- Root note & Add to key - Check the Root note is set to C5 (if that is what the root note should be). Right-Click on the strip above the preview keyboard to set. If samples have their root note set to 0 in their meta data (see 1 above) this can cause the Root note to jump to C1 which is probably wrong and will make the sample play back very fast & high-pitched. Set it to whatever it should be, and no we don't know what that is. You are the producer here, you figure it out :)
- Main pitch slider - Check the Main pitch slider is at the default position. Right-Click it and select 'Reset'.
- Piano roll - Check the Piano roll integrated Event Editor Note fine pitch and Channel pitch settings are not causing the unexpected pitch changes. Use the Target control to select these modifiers for inspection.
- Piano roll snap to scale / Snap incoming MIDI- Is Snap to scale on, preventing you choosing notes or changing notes you added/moved? If its problems with a MIDI Controller playing notes correctly, is the option 'Snap incoming MIDI' on?
- Stepsequencer & Piano roll - Check the Stepsequencer Graph Editor and Piano roll Event Editor modifiers are not the cause of unexpected pitch modifications.
- Playlist & time-stretching/pitch-shifting - Make sure you are not inadvertently using 'Stretch' mode on the Audio Clip Focus tab. This will stretch the samples and make them play off-pitch or tempo. See the section Working with the stretch/pitch functions for more details on synchronizing/beatmatching audio clips to the project tempo.
- Tempo automation with constant pitch - If you want to maintain constant pitch as the tempo is automated, use Time stretching: Mode > Realtime > Stretch.
- Unintended automation - Look for unintended Event Automation in the project. This can happen if you move any control while FL Studio is recording. Event automation is saved as a Pattern Clip and is traceable from the Browser > Current project > Patterns folder. Event automation will show with a knob icon and can be clicked to open the Event Editor so you can delete the data. Also check the Initialized Controls Folder. Unintended initialized controls will jump to a value you are not expecting at the start of the project.
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