Split by Channel in FL Studio allows you to break apart a pattern’s sounds into new unique patterns.

If you clicked-in 2 drum samples, 2 claps, a piano melody and a guitar melody with MIDI Notes, Split by Channel gives a total of 6 Patterns, where each sound’s notes are now in their own unique pattern:

Split by Channel in FL Studio Tutorial

What You Will Learn:

  • What is FL Studio’s Split by Channel
  • How to Use Split by Channel in FL Studio
  • Best Practices of Patterns When Making Beats

What is FL Studio’s Split by Channel

All Sounds are in One FL Studio Pattern [Split by Channel Example]
All Sounds are in One FL Studio Pattern [Split by Channel Example]

If you create one big pattern for your Drum Loop, Split by Channel creates a new pattern for each sound.

This may seem like a huge time saver, but if not done correctly, this can actually cause a lot of tedious organization, especially if you don’t know the keyboard shortcuts.

The secret to using Split by Channel is thinking ahead of how you want to group your sounds into patterns.

The image above shows one pattern called DRUM LOOP with 4 sounds used:

  • Kick 1
  • Kick 2
  • Snare 1
  • PIANO

Drum Samples are from my recommended Drum Bundle TRIO.

How to Use Split by Channel in FL Studio

Split by Channel Location in FL Studio (Pattern options drop-down menu)
Split by Channel Location in FL Studio (Pattern options drop-down menu)
Pay close attention to the pattern’s name DRUM LOOP.

Split by Channel is located in the Pattern options (beside a pattern name).

If we apply Split by Channel to this pattern, we’d get a total of 4 patterns.

A step (or note) is clicked into each sound, so we end up with 4 patterns.

Here’s an example of how Split by Channel relabels your new patterns (My original pattern was labeled DRUM LOOP, so it replaces the original pattern, and puts “DRUM LOOP -“ at the beginning of each new pattern):

Split by Channel FL Studio Example (Relabeled Patterns)
Split by Channel FL Studio Example (Relabeled Patterns)

Best Practices of Patterns When Making Beats

When I make beats, I think in terms of GROUPS.

If I talk about melodies, each melody gets its own pattern (unless layering).

If I make all of my melodies in one pattern for a super fast workflow when making a beat, Split by Channel would be awesome here! It’d put each melody into it’s own pattern for me (thanks technology! 😁)

The only manual stuff I’d have to do now is relabel and color (use keyboard shortcut F2).

But.. when we make a good drum loop, we often GROUP many sounds in one pattern, especially for percussion or hi-hat loops.

Here’s a drum loop break-out for patterns example:

  • Kick Drum (own pattern)
  • Kick Drum 2 (own pattern)
  • Clap / Snare (own pattern)
  • Hi-Hat Loop #1 (1, 2, or maybe even 3 sounds in one pattern!)
  • Hi-Hat Loop #2 (a cool technique for fullness.. maybe 1-2 sounds!)
  • Percussion Loop #1 (could have MANY sounds!)
  • Percussion Loop #2 (again, fullness.. and could have MANY sounds!)

We have many patterns for FULL CONTROL when arranging a song!

If I were to build a whole drum loop in one pattern, using Split by Channel could make things confusing, especially with Hi-Hat and Percussion Loops.

I’d think.. “Was this sound in Hi-Hat Loop 1.. or Hi-Hat Loop 2?”.

So in the case of a drum loop, it’s wiser to clone a pattern, and delete what you don’t want in that newly cloned pattern.

Alternatively.. you can CUT sounds with CTRL + X, add a new FL Studio pattern, then PASTE the sounds back in with CTRL + V (a similar approach to the cloning method, just different way to do it.)

Wrapping Up: Splitting Sounds Into New Patterns Automatically in FL Studio

Now you’re a Split by Channel Pro!

It’s all about thinking ahead.

If you do that, you’ll find Split by Channel in FL Studio becomes extremely powerful because it saves A LOT of time (except for the relabeling/coloring.. but you’d have to do that regardless!)

If you add all melodies in one pattern, split by channel will definitely speed you up, as it’s rare more than two melodies are in one pattern.

We do that so we can have full control with audio painting in our arrangement stage.

But.. if you’re making a pattern where you know SOME sounds will be grouped, and some won’t be grouped, that’s where cloning a FL Studio Pattern and removing the sounds, or cutting the sounds and adding a new pattern, is a better option to save steps!

That’s my workflow anyway, and it really works well 🙂

Do you have any FL Studio questions?

You can email me directly!

Or.. listen to my FL Studio Podcast !