A member asked a question about FL Studio’s new color selector. This article is an answer to that question!
Note, FL Studio 20.7 updated the color selector. My FL Studio 20 Beginner Book and FL Studio 20 Beginner Course used the previous color selector.. this video explains the NEW COLOR SELECTOR, with a fast workflow.
What You Will Learn:
- The New Color Selector Overview
- How to Use the Gradient Editor
- Best Practices when Coloring in FL Studio
The New Color Selector Overview
Within the Channel rack, you can color your sounds in two ways:
- Color a Single Sound
- Use a Gradient to Color Multiple Sounds
Color a Single Sound:
Simply press your Middle Scroll Wheel on the mouse to make the rename and color pop-up appear (or SHIFT + LEFT-CLICK):
As a pro-tip for a fast workflow, simply press F2! .. then Hit Enter to save it!
To access the new Color Selector (color palette selector), simply click the far right color as shown with the blue arrow below:
- Select from 3 different modes (Circle Mode, Box Mode, Preset Mode) [I like Circle Mode 🙂)
- Enable the Magnet to have “Quantized Colors” for easy selection, and disable the lock (SAFE COLORS.. allows more color)
- Color History.. Remembers last used colors.. 0 is most recent.. (very useful to re-use colors over and over).
- Dice “Randomizes” (useful to find color quick.. similar to F2).. # (custom HTML color.. not good for fast workflow).. D (default color to get things back to normal).
Use Gradient Colors in FL Studio Channel Rack
FL Studio now offers us a Gradient Editor (which is new from when I created my FL Studio Beginner Book and FL Studio 20 Beginner Course!).
The Gradient Editor allows us to select multiple sounds to be the same color at once, or have multiple sounds gradually change from one color to another over time.
You must select more than one sound BEFORE using the Gradient Editor, otherwise it will highlight all sounds..
Here’s an example of how to use the Gradient Editor in FL Studio:
Let’s say I have 3 Kick Drums.
Select sounds with RIGHT-CLICK on the vertical rectangle beside a sound [it turns green] (or use MIDDLE SCROLL CLICK or.. SHIFT + LEFT-CLICK.. there’s many ways to do things in FL Studio sometimes.. you’ll find your own workflow eventually).
Access the FL Studio Gradient Editor from the Channel rack‘s top-left menu arrow, hover “Color selected -> Gradient…” (notice the keyboard shortcut is SHIFT + ALT +C):
The Gradient Editor is on the left, but notice it also loads up the new Color Selector on the right, too!:
- When the Gradient Editor first opens, you can select a color from the color selector on the right, which applies the color to “First” under “Gradient colors”.
- Press the Right Arrow (above Step 2) to copy the “First” color to “Last”. JUST HIT ACCEPT FROM HERE..
- *OPTIONAL*… if you want to use different colors on the Gradient Editor for a real gradient (gradually changes color over multiple sounds), then select “Last” and choose a different color from “First”, then hit “Accept”.
The reason on #2 I say to copy the same color to “Last” then hit Accept is because I think in terms of patterns when selecting colors.
My own personal recommendation is to think of sound color in terms of patterns.. it makes beatmaking, arrangement, mixing, and mastering SO EASY. (Explained in the video above, it’s worth your time.)
– GratuiTous
If I had a percussion loop of 5 sounds, I like those 5 sounds within the loop to be the same color. It’s quick, easy and fast.. here’s an example of a project that is color-coded in the Channel rack, Playlist, and Mixer!:
Recap: Using FL Studio’s New Color Selector
I hope that breaks down my own personal workflow for how to use the FL Studio Color Selector and Gradient Editor for a fast workflow.
The video above breaks the workflow down with real examples, and even using Make Unique to spice up your drum loops with my SAFE SPOTS Drum Loop Training Curriculum!
If you have any questions, leave a comment below, contact me directly, visit the shop, or become a member to watch all my FL Studio courses!