How To Sample In FL Studio – A Complete Guide [Part I/Setup]

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Greetings bass head and welcome aboard!

In this guide I’ll be going over my tried and true method of sampling inside of FL Studio from start to finish, taking into account pairing your device, audio settings, the FPC, the Fruity Slicer, Edison, EQ, Mastering, and much more.

This protocol has worked for me for many years, but I needed a refresher course after a long hiatus away from making beats. Now that I’m back in black like AC/DC, I wanted to share with you the process from A-Z. HAAH! I RHYMED!

For this demo, I’ll be using the KORG padKONTROL, which takes a bit of getting used to. I’ve used one on and off since 2007, and still love it! Fortunately for you, I’m going to make the process of assigning samples to the pad and saving them really simple and concise. Related: How to Choose a MIDI Keyboard [Beginner’s Guide]

After you read through this guide, you should be ready to lay down some sick chops!

*UNDER CONSTRUCTION// I am currently editing this post from years ago and converting it into a step by step guide. If you happen to stumble across this page, don’t fret! The producer series is getting a complete makeover!!*

Let’s start from the beginning. This guide assumes you are brand new!

Step 1

Pair your device with FL Studio

Connect your drum pad to your PC or laptop via the USB cable. My padKONTROL utilizes Type-B. Turn the unit on and fire up FL Studio.

Go to OPTIONS > MIDI SETTINGS. Alternatively, you can press F10 as well. Related: What is MIDI? [Beginner’s Guide]

If your pad isn’t visible, click “Rescan MIDI devices” at the bottom. You should see the pad appear. Now just click the “Enable” box and you’re ready. You can also look for yours in the drop-down menu where it says “Controller type”, but generally speaking it should just appear under Input.

Step 2

Import some Soundpacks

For my drum sounds, I’ve been using the same Soundkit for years and love it. There’s a plethora of different kicks, snares, hi-hats, etc. for you to use. You can also make your own packs, which I will be doing for my readers!

To import, simply go to OPTIONS > FILE SETTINGS. Now just click on one of the folders and browse your PC for the packs you’d like to import. Simple as pie!

Step 3

Configure your audio settings

Go to OPTIONS > AUDIO SETTINGS, and under the drop-down menu find whatever you’re using and click on it.

I have 15 Amps & DACS on my desk (which is utterly ridiculous), but I’m currently listening to some Smokey Robinson with the AKG K240M and a Topping A50s/D50s combo.

Whatever you’re using should show up here^. Click on it and now your audio should come through your headphones or monitors. If you’re using an audio interface with some studio monitors, you’ll select the interface. Related: What are Studio Monitors?

Now we’re ready to sample. This is where you get creative. I sample from vinyl and also rip songs from the internet, always making sure to flip the sample in such a way that no one knows where it came from! ?

If you’re interested in my favorite turntable for sampling and chopping, check out my Audio Technica AT LP60 review! I’ve had it since 2014 and it’s still going strong!

You’ll basically be using the USB turntable to record the vinyl into a program like Audacity, saving it as a .WAV on your PC, and then chopping it up with Edison.

Speaking of Edison, let’s dive in and see how it works.

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