SAVE/EXPORT FILE FORMATS

Export Project Dialog (*.wav; *.mp3, *.ogg, *.mid)

The export options include:

• Audio: WAV, MP3, OGG formats that save the complete audio mix of your project.
• MIDI: that will save the Step sequencer / Pianoroll note data to standard MIDI files.

Note: WAV/MP3/OGG files do NOT include any sound produced by external MIDI instruments/hardware, first record your external hardware into FL Studio as audio-clips and place the audio in the playlist. This audio will then be rendered along with any internal instruments.

Info

Shows information about the current project.

• Mode - Displays whether FL Studio will render the whole Song or currently selected Pattern.
• Total Time - Shows total time length of the song to be exported.
• Disk Space - Shows the disk space required to hold exported audio file/s. If more than one save format is selected in the Output panel the combined total is reported.
• Bar# - Reports the current bar being rendered and the total number of bars in the project (current/total).

Looping Mode

Looping mode only applies to audio formats (WAV, MP3 and OGG) and determines how any decaying sound after the last bar of your project/loop is rendered. For example, the tail of a reverb of a sound may be important for the impression of smooth continuity when looping, or to prevent the decaying reverb in a ‘straight’ render being chopped off. If, after rendering the last bar from the song there is still sound decaying, this option sets how FL Studio should proceed. Leave remainder is the default.

• Leave Remainder - Expands the song length to capture any decaying sounds.
• Cut Remainder - Cuts the render at the end of the last bar.
• Wrap Remainder - Wraps any decaying sound at the end of the song onto the beginning (useful when rendering loops with effects).

Quality

• Sample Interpolation - Select the waveform interpolation method used for Sampler/Audio-Clip channels. Interpolation is a curve fitting process that computes intermediate sample amplitude data between the known sample points (filling in the gaps). This is only required when samples are transposed from their original pitch and the program calls for a sample value out of sync with the source data-points. Without interpolation quantizing (amplitude) errors can create unwanted high-frequency harmonic artifacts (aliasing). FL Studio provides several methods of increasing computational complexity and therefore accuracy -
  • Linear interpolation is the fastest method. It provides basic linear averaging between samples, however it can result in aliasing (high frequency noises) if samples are transposed far from their original pitch.
  • 6-point Hermite has been optimized to be a quick curve interpolation method with superior quality to linear interpolation. It is ideal for exporting 'working drafts' of your audio files.
  • 64, 128, 256, 512-point Sinc methods provide increasing quality interpolation, but they are also very slow. We recommended that you use at least 64-point Sinc on your final render, or better still, the maximum Sinc value that you are prepared to wait to finish rendering.
• Dithering - Applies 32 to 16-bit dithering to 16-bit WAV and MP3 files.
• Alias-free TS404 - When enabled, prevents TS404 from "aliasing", but also slows down the rendering process.
• HQ for all plugins - Sets high quality mode for any plugins (effects and generators) used in the song.
• Disable Max Poly - Ignores the max poly setting in Miscellaneous Channel Settings but does NOT ignore Mono option if selected.

Output format(s)

Select the output format/s for the project render. To save in more than one format simply select multiple options on this panel.

Wave (Audio)

Wave is a lossless audio format and the preferred method for handling audio in a production environment (use it to save all your samples, sounds and archive material). The drop-down menu contains bit depth options for the exported wave file -

• 16bit int wave is the highest-quality audio file compatible with a wide range of playback devices. CD audio format: If you want to create audio files compatible with CD format use 44.1 kHz, 16-bit .wav files. Check that the Mixer sample-rate is set to 44.1 kHz in the Audio Settings window. Also note that FL Studio does not burn to CD format, it creates audio files ready for burning. Use any 3rd party CD burning program to create the audio CD.
• 32bit float is the native format of FL Studio mix engine. Render to 32 bit floating point format when you intend to continue mixing or editing the file in another application (wave editor or DAW) that supports 32 bit floating point format. 32 bit float provides more precision for mathematical operations on the audio and so will ensure the highest quality is preserved in your audio files during post production activities.

MP3/OGG (Audio)

MP3 (Mpeg Layer 3) and OGG (Ogg Vorbis) are both popular 'lossy' formats that compact the audio to save space. The slider sets bit-rate of the MP3/OGG audio file, as bit-rate increases the sound quality of the audio improves at the expense of file size.

What bit-rate should I use?

• 64 kb/s (or less) is a good bit-rate for internet demo tracks where you’d like people to hear your music without obtaining a quality copy.
• 128 kb/s is excellent for web streaming and e-mailing music files, although some artifacts will be audible it is about the point where acceptable ‘listening’ quality for most people starts.
• 160 kb/s is the rate where it becomes difficult for many listeners to distinguish CD from MP3 and so makes a good setting for most distribution and listening purposes.
• 224 kb/s (or greater) and MP3/OGG becomes practically indistinguishable from CD under normal listening conditions and so these rates can be handy when collaborating over the Internet and you need to share audio files that may be impractical in WAV format (1400 kb/s).

NOTES: The maximum bit-rate for MP3 is 320 kbps and OGG, 450 kbps. This means for MP3 you will get, at most, a 320 kbps file even if the slider is set to the max 450 while OGG will render at 450 kbps. Where possible it is recommended to use at least 16-bit WAV format for sharing raw audio in a production environment.

MIDI (Data)

MIDI is a standard note data format and will save the contents of the Step Sequencer and Piano Roll. As note data is saved along with FL Studio project, only export to MIDI if you intend to import the note data into a 3rd party application. There is a macro Prepare for MIDI export on the main Tools menu that replaces all channels with auto-configured MIDI-out channels that is useful for rendering projects to MIDI in an organized manner.

Note: MIDI is not an audio format.

Options

• Split Mixer Tracks - When selected, each Mixer track in the project is exported as a separate .wav file. Note: this option does not export to MP3/OGG formats.
• Save ACIDized - Saves additional information in the wave file that is read when using the rendered loop in Sony Acid (TM).
• Save Slice Markers - If enabled, each note will create a slice marker in the exported file. This means that FL Studio exports sliced drum loops which are automatically ready for slice re-ordering and high quality time stretching.
• Delay compensation - Applies only to WAV files. ON: Strips any PDC delay from the rendered WAV. Use this when start/end-timing is critical in the rendered WAV (when making loops for example). OFF: An amount of silence equal to the Master channel PDC will be added to the start of the WAV and the same again removed from the end.

Rendering Buttons

• Background Rendering - Minimizes and renders in background mode, allowing you to work on other Windows applications.
• Start - Starts Rendering. The name will change to Abort once rendering is underway.