CHANNEL SETTINGS / GENERATORS / PLAY LIST

Automation Clips

Automation clips move (automate) linked controls on the FL Studio interface or plugins. They are closely related to Event automation. Unlike event data they are not bound to a specific pattern and exist as a special type of Generator, loaded into a Channel. Automation clip data can be displayed in the Playlist window as a line-graph, as shown below.

Note: Once an Automation Clip is loaded it will appear as an 'Internal controller' link option in the 'Link to controller' right-click dialog on automatable controls.

Automation Clip Editing & Channel Settings

Creating an Automation Clip

There are several ways to create an Automation Clip:

1. Native FL Studio controls - Native controls are those on the FL Studio interface and plugins. Target controls can be right-clicked to show a popup menu. Select 'Create automation clip'. A clip will be added to the Playlist Clip-Track area (as shown above).
2. VST plugin controls - Move (tweak) the target control on the VST using your mouse, then, from the Wrapper Menu select 'Last tweaked parameter > Create automation clip'.
3. Add a Channel - Add an Automation Clip to a channel from the Channels > Add One > Automation Clip dialog. In this case an Automation Clip display won't automatically show in the Playlist.
4. Convert from Event Data - All recorded automation is saved as Event Data. Convert Event Data to an Automation Clip from the 'Edit > Turn into automation clip' command in the Event Editor menu.

Arranging Automation Clips

• To place the Automation Clip in the Playlist: Left-click in the Playlist window while in 'Draw' or 'Paint' mode, so that it may be edited to almost any shape and aligned to the correct position in the song.
• Change length: Drag the last control point to stretch the clip as the default is one bar. When Automation Clips are created they will span the length of the Playlist that is either selected or filled with data.
• Slicing: Clips may be sliced ( Shift+C) and then re-arranged. Once a clip is sliced any data outside the visible window may be accessed with the slip editing tool ( Shift+S).
• Values: The top of the Automation Clip graph represents Max and the bottom Min automation values.
• Modulation: The envelope is usually played back along with the Playlist patterns, sending modulation data to any linked controls (one Automation Clip may feed multiple controls or multiple Automation clips can be linked to a single control).
• Triggering: Automation Clips can be triggered with the Piano roll, Step Sequencer or live with a controller keyboard. The clip will automate while the note is held, note pitch will vary the automation speed. Clips do not need to be placed in the Playlist to be effective if triggered by note data.

A video tutorial is also available on the FL Studio website.

Automation Clip Curve Editing

The following operations may be performed in the Clip Track area of the Playlist.

• Play List Controls - To the left of the clip area are several controls:
• Wave focus - Selects the WAV layer for editing (middle track shown above).
• Automation Clip focus - Selects the Automation Clip layer for editing (bottom track shown above). Useful for placing WAV and Automation Clips on top of each other.
• Pattern clip focus - Selects the Pattern Clip layer for editing (top track shown above).
• Step - When selected, allows you to draw relatively free-hand curves by laying down a new control point each time a left-clicked mouse is dragged past a grid line.
• Slide - When selected, slides any grabbed control points to the right of the selected point without changing the shape. When de-selected the moved control point will move relative to the points to the right of it.
• Add a new Control Point - Position your cursor over the line until the add point cursor appears (). Right-click to add a new point.
• Reposition a Control Point - You can drag the control points using your left mouse button. Hold SHIFT while dragging to lock vertical position or CTRL to lock horizontal position.
• Delete a Control Point - Right-click a control point and select Delete, or hold ALT and left-click.
• Change Segment Type Tension (Acceleration) - Drag the tension handle of each spline up/down to change the spline appearance. Right-click the handle to reset to a straight line. Hold CTRL during adjustments to fine-tune.
• Right Mouse Context Menu - Right-clicking on a control point will open the following context options:
• Delete - Deletes a point.
• Single curve - Allows a single curve tension to be applied to the curve joining any two points (default behaviour).
• Double curve - Allows a double curve tension (S-shape) to be applied to the curve joining any two points.
• Hold - Holds the point value until the next control point is reached (creates steps).

Automation Clip Channel Settings

Note: As an alternative to placing the Automation Clip in the playlist, you can directly trigger the Automation Clip by putting notes in a Piano roll channel associated with the clip. Pitch will control playback speed and note duration controls Automation Clip automation duration.

• Min - Increases the minimum value at which the Automation Clip returns.
• Max - Increases the maximum value at which the Automation Clip returns.
• Time - Controls the speed at which the Automation Clip plays back.
• Fine - Fine adjustment for the speed at which the Automation Clip plays back.
• LFO Switch - Enables and shows a preview of the LFO and its amplitude envelope inside clips placed on the Playlist tracks. It is important to remember that turning on the LFO section does not disable the 'main' envelope of the clip (although not visible). It will still be in effect and you can determine how to combine it with the LFO with the Multiply switch (see below).
• Speed (SPD) - Sets the speed of the LFO.
• Tension (TENS) - Sets the LFO shape 'tension', like a shape morph for selecting the exact LFO shape - starting with square (pulse), sine, triangle and 'spikes'.
• Shape Skew - Skews the LFO shape. Together with triangle shape, the skew can be used to create saw and reversed saw LFO shapes.
• Pulse Width - Sets the pulse width of the LFO shape. Usually associated with square/pulse LFO shapes, however here it modifies all supported LFO shapes.
• Level - Sets the LFO amplitude (strength). Set it to the middle position to reset level to 0 and effectively disable the LFO. Turn it left for negative amplitude (inverted values) or right for positive amplitude.
• Multiply - Allows you to combine the LFO values with the 'main' spline envelope of the Automation Clip. When the switch is enabled the two values will be multiplied, i.e. the LFO acts as an amplitude modulator for the envelope. This is useful for unipolar properties such as cutoff frequency, volume etc. When the switch is disabled both values are added together, i.e. like an LFO 'offsetting' the envelope. This is useful for bipolar parameters such as panning.