Getting Started – M-Audio Oxygen Pro in FL Studio

M-Audio Oxygen Pro Installation Guide for FL Studio Users

This page covers how to setup the M-Audio Oxygen Pro with FL Studio.

The M-Audio Oxygen Pro has been the best MIDI Keyboard for FL Studio over my years of beatmaking in terms of price, performance, and features.

The Oxygen Pro is fairly priced, offers a semi-weighted 49-key model, and is jam-packed with knobs, sliders, drum pads, powerful MIDI Mapping software, and doesn’t require lots of software to run.

The M-Audio Oxygen Pro FL Studio setup was very tricky, but after much testing the MIDI Keyboard is VERY versatile with FL Studio’s MIDI Scripting, and free M-Audio Oxygen Pro Preset Editor (MIDI Editing Software).

M-Audio Oxygen Pro – Quick Startup

I created a FREE Oxygen Pro MIDI Script to fix the transport buttons..

And a Premium Oxygen Pro FL Studio Template.

The Premium Template is not required, but gives a better experience and comes with two versions:

Version 1 sets up normal operation for Drum Pads, Knobs, and Sliders.
Version 2 gives a powerful workflow using the Oxygen Pro Drum Pads.

Okay, let’s start with my M-Audio Oxygen Pro FL Studio Review

M-Audio Oxygen Pro REVIEW

Read M-Audio Oxygen Pro Review

If you’re a member, this MIDI Keyboard allows you to follow my workflow.

How to Buy a MIDI Keyboard

Here’s what I look for, and recommend to students, in a MIDI Keyboard:

49-Key Model (semi-weighted keys are nice to have)
Transport buttons (Play, Stop, Loop, Forward, Back, Record)
Knobs/Sliders are nice to have

Students often go for a 61-Key model.. but it’s more expensive and WAY bigger on your desk.. preventing your audio interface sitting close to you for workflow.. And yes, a 49-Key allows you to play piano really well!!!

Let’s now move onto best Oxygen Pro Setup in FL Studio.

Step 1: Oxygen Pro MIDI Script

First, Download the Oxygen Pro MIDI Script.

Next, Install Oxygen Pro MIDI Script in FL Studio.

The Oxygen Pro’s LOOP button out of the box did not switch between Song and Pattern Mode in FL Studio, so this simple MIDI Script fixes that.

I like a MIDI Keyboard’s transport buttons to operate like this:

PLAY = PLAY (Pause When Audio Playing)
STOP = STOP (1 Press Stops, 2 Presses Resets)
LOOP BUTTON = CHANGE SONG/PATTERN MODE
RECORD = ENABLE/DISABLE RECORD
FORWARD = 1 BAR FORWARD
BACK = 1 BAR BACK

Step 2: PRESET vs. DAW Mode

Hold DAW button, and select “FL ST.” (Use “PUSH TO ENTER” knob to save!)

Then, then press PRESET MODE.

Make sure to always use PRESET MODE with the M-Audio Oxygen Pro in FL Studio.

DAW Mode is very buggy, and gives a bad FL Studio experience.

Step 3: Set TEMPO SYNC to EXTERNAL

Make sure to set TEMPO SYNC to EXTERNAL.

INTERAL is why the Transport Buttons don’t work good in FL Studio.

There’s two ways to set Oxygen Pro MIDI Keyboard to EXTERNAL tempo sync.

Hold TEMPO SYNC button on Oxygen Pro MIDI Keyboard, use the Knob to select EXTERNAL, then push down “PUSH TO ENTER” knob to save.
Install free M-Audio Oxygen Pro Preset Editor, set TEMPO SYNC to EXTERNAL in the software, then File -> Send Preset, then overwrite a preset.

I think with Option #1, you have to do this each time you turn off/on the Oxygen Pro. So Option #2 is the way to go..

Alternatively, just import my Premium Oxygen Pro Template.

M-Audio Oxygen Pro 49 Preset Editor - Set Tempo Sync to External

Step 4: Oxygen Pro Setup Complete!

If you’re only using my FREE Oxygen Pro MIDI Script, that’s it!

You downloaded and installed the MIDI Script, and enabled the MIDI Keyboard.

To troubleshoot, look in the top left of FL Studio. There should be an orange knob appear when you pressing keys or moving sliders/knobs showing you activity!

Premium Experience:
M-Audio Oxygen Pro Template

M-Audio Oxygen Pro User Preset for FL Studio

Buy Premium Oxygen Pro Template

View the Oxygen Pro Preset changelog for new updates!

To clarify, two versions are included with Premium Preset, and is different than the free MIDI Script we just covered:

Version 1 sets up your knobs and sliders over the 4 banks, gives each bank a unique color, and fixes the EXTERNAL Tempo sync (easy fix)
Version 2 gives a very powerful FL Studio workflow based off the drum pads.. it’s intuitive and I’m always tweaking it for my own workflow.

V2 was a huge update for a very powerful workflow.

M-Audio Oxygen Bad Reviews

At first, things were buggy in FL Studio, which lead to bad reviews of the M-Audio Oxygen Pro.. but after lots of testing, I found a great workflow!!

The main Oxygen Pro bugs were:

Transport Buttons Intermittent
M-Audio Oxygen Pro Pitch Wheel Not Working

BOTH ARE SOLVED IN FL STUDIO!!!

Fix Oxygen Pro Transport Buttons in FL Studio:

The Transport Buttons are fixed by setting TEMPO SYNC to EXTERNAL!

This video breaks down FL Studio MIDI Script Installation, Setting Tempo Sync to External, and a bit about the Premium Oxygen Pro Template for FL Studio.

For convenience, click here to go to Step 1 of the Oxygen Pro Installation Process.

Fix Oxygen Pro Pitch Wheel

Sometimes a MIDI Keyboard’s Pitch and Mod Wheel don’t work good in FL Studio.

Here’s How to Fix M-Audio Oxygen Pro Pitch Wheel in FL Studio:

And that’s it for the M-Audio Oxygen Pro bugs in FL Studio!

Best Oxygen Pro Setup in FL Studio

I want to quickly discuss what a “good midi keyboard” means.

Understand that a MIDI Keyboard has no sounds in it by itself.. and that a cheap and expensive MIDI Keyboard are the exact same for melodies!

So.. why buy an expensive MIDI Keyboard?

Is the M-Audio Oxygen Pro the BEST MIDI Keyboard for FL Studio?

Companies trick new producers into thinking if they pay more for a MIDI Keyboard it will make them a better beatmaker.. FALSE!

What matters is how well a MIDI Keyboard works with your DAW!

Even expensive MIDI Keyboards may not work well with your DAW!

What’s the difference between cheap and expensive MIDI Keyboards?

It’s their build quality and additional features like knobs, sliders, drum pads.. and features like auto-chord mode, arpeggio mode, and similar things…

Be careful of MIDI Keyboards that lock you into their eco-system.. it looks appealing, but it’s better to be able to switch hardware any time you’d like!

Also.. I don’t like fancy MIDI Keyboard features like “auto-chords”.. my platform will teach you how to play piano as a beatmaker!

So there you go!

The M-Audio Oxygen Pro checks all the boxes and is priced fair!

Remember, I suggest a 49-Key.. it fits good on your desk, it’s more affordable, gives you a great workflow with your audio interface to the side, and you can follow along with my FL Studio courses!

You can read my M-Audio Oxygen Pro Review.

For the best experience, try my M-Audio Oxygen Pro FL Studio Template!

Buy Oxygen Pro Premium Template >>

M-Audio Oxygen Pro [Help Articles]:

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