Unleash Your Sustain Pedal in FL Studio (in 3 minutes)

Everything you ever wanted to know - and then some - about using a sustain pedal with FL Studio, packed into a brain-frying three minute micro-rant.
Guaranteed to instantly turn you into a virtuoso pianist, or your money back.
Air Guitarist Extraordinaire: Frank Schwichtenberg

[@moonootoo]

i wish basic things like these were more intuitive and not hidden under a ton of Generators / Omnis / Etc Etc

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Yeah, hopefully Image-Line will put that Omni link in all their factory templates - like they already do for pitch bend, modulation, and aftertouch. Then it will 'just work' and most users won't even need to know about it. I'm genuinely mystified that they haven't done so already.

[@DUKEisALIVE]

How do you not have more views???? Comedy gold and super informative!

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

[Written back when it had

[@DUKEisALIVE]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 I really like that about the video though. Sometimes people spend too much time on unimportant things but you really focused on the important stuff while still keeping it entertaining and fun to watch.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

@@DUKEisALIVE Yeah, I'm not a bit fan of ten-minute-long introductory rambles, either. All the best with your music production.

[@raverone909]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 Oh man, I'm just now discovering this, and I'm with TwoFaced FIlms here. I've been a fluent user of FL Studio for years, and found this video so dense with new and amazing shortcuts/workflow hacks. There seriously isn't enough content like yours here. Please make more, and don't change a thing! Brilliant, comedic, visually/editorially perfect, and extremely helpful. Thank you!!

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

@@raverone909 Thanks for the positive feedback!

[@siposattila_tutorials]

I was suffering with this for hours then I found this video. I can not describe how grateful I am for this. This is a huge help. Thank you very much!!!

[@Ketzunouka]

your explanations & the way you edit this make me auto like + subscribe, we need content creator like this

[@mac0285]

Great video! Helpful and fun with nice production values.

[@AmitKilo]

Love the editing, thanks for this.

[@ternitamas]

Awesome tip! also that grading card is priceless😂👌

[@WangleLine]

This was incredibly useful, thank you very much!!

[@b.z9940]

This fixed 2 of my Problems instantly. You can do the same for the Modwheel! You are my Hero.

[@beniiadjei]

You solved my problem in seconds! Thank you man!

[@ToffeeBun]

You have solved all of my problems. Thank you king

[@ALARICFILMS]

So clear and pro tuto, thanks

[@BenHirons]

Brilliant mate, thank you

[@binh1298ify]

OMG YOU SAVED MY LIFE!!!

[@th3cro]

very useful, thanks!!

[@jonaferrari98]

very well explained, thank you:)

[@ahimsaz]

Thanks, this still helped! Although the bug having no sustain effect while not having the window of the piano vst open seems to be fixed.

[@ernandesn]

Awesome video, really helped me a lot!! I was bothered by the fact that I would press the sustain pedal and the pedal light in Kontakt wouldn't go on.... I knew there was something wrong because I also noticed a big difference in sound sustain during playing.... Good job, sir!!

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Thanks for the feedback - I'm glad it was helpful.

[@gustavofrancom.2944]

Thanks a lot... your video was so helpful... i wasn't able to solve this issue

[@koregmusic]

This is the best video ever

[@ludwigsupraphonic9288]

Thanks man..appreciate it.

[@unknown_error101]

Dude, Tysm! This helped a ton!

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Glad to hear it - you're welcome.

[@greatwelkynd]

Thank you, very useful.

[@peraelawey]

This looks so intimidating

[@alyctro8158]

Liked & Subscribed! Why haven't i found this sooner.

[@thiagodorville5883]

thank you so much you saved my cover!!

[@ostmusiccomposer]

It helped a LOT! Thanks. I want to try a different approach to create my tracks and after 15 years of "classic" DAWS (Logic, Studio One, Reaper) I decide to look at FL studio, I started a long time ago with FL studio 4 and was curious what it can do today. And things like this are so frustrated for me.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Thanks for the feedback. Wow, FL Studio 4 - that's going back a way! Yeah, I've tried lots of DAWs too, and I'm really happy with FL.

[@enotion8594]

Thank you very much!

[@Coronavirus-yd2cl]

Hey Man it not showing up in remote control settings. What to do?

[@stateboliracku1]

Thanks very much!!

[@azuraga_melody]

omni link is such a time saver

[@neon_one]

well it's good to see yours says unknown event. I want it to just say "foot pedal - omni (wrapper)" or something like mod wheel does. midi cc stuff in fl studio is a serious headache sometimes. in some vst linking multiple parameter is like closing a dictionary then re-opening it to find the next word.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Yeah, there is some weirdness around how FL names links in the Browser. Personally I really like how powerful and versatile linking is, overall, but you're right that it can be less intuitive than some DAWs, and not everyone likes it.

[@Joshua_Griffin]

The amount of times I return to this video to create a new template

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Templates rock.

[@alexkennedy888]

Super helpful! Thanks mate! Sorted! :)

[@kipchickensout]

Thanks!!!

[@spartan456]

Holy crap, thank you so much for this video. I've been using FL Studio in tandem with my digital piano for the better part of a year now and always ran into weird inconsistencies with how the pedal responded. I did notice that changing the input MIDI port for a particular VST would allow the pedal to function (in my case, this was MIDI Port 1), but even still I would occasionally run into weird problems with it. Do you think the same omni links would need to be established for other pedals? I want to get a 3 pedal unit one day so I can take advantage of sostenuto and una corda, provided the VST I am using works with it. Also, what about VSTs that support half-pedaling? I have a continuous pedal, and now I'm not entirely sure that is working the way it's supposed to in FL Studio. Is there any way I can check that?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Glad it was helpful. Yes, FL Studio has the most powerful Midi linking and mapping features of any DAW (IMHO). Check out my other video, on linking in FL. Also, I'd recommend getting familiar with FL's Debug window, which reports all incoming Midi messages, and how they're handled. Good luck!

[@1arkosno]

best teacher in the cosmos

[@thiagodorville4629]

saved my life!

[@lukasbahurinsky3997]

You saved my music making :D :)

[@falolagabriel2201]

Well can u help whenever I'm in FL studio and I'm working on a project the moment I press down my pedal It sustain the sounds all through even when I take my foot up Any note I hit still gets sustained except I restart the project So basically I can't use the sustain What do I do

[@soletes]

Helpful

[@Billy908GamingChannel]

THANKYOUU !!

[@ConnorIronWolf]

Hello I have an Arturia Essential 88 and I'm a pianist. I want to play on FL Studio with my real pedal sustain like I'm playing piano with my real sustain but it doesn't worked can you help me please ?

[@siceloshabangu4698]

Thanks man

[@ottomanbeatsofficial]

you should definetly do one for expression. Bc image line doesnt just allow you to link the knob and have it work . some people say use patcher, but that shit is confusing as hell

[@ayan251]

How do I do this on Logic Pro X?

[@CordaroRodriguez]

This is wonderful! Thank you! Would you recommend doing that for other CC controllers, CC1 and CC11? Or are there any unforeseen problems that might result?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Thanks for the feedback. No need to set up an omni link for CC1, since Image-Line have already added it to all starting projects, including 'empty'. For other CC's you use repeatedly, I'd say it's worth setting up, but there are two downsides: (a) if you use a lot of templates, it can be a pain to add a new omni link to all of them, and (b) it's recommended for CC messages which have specific functionality, and which you're aware of, like CC1, CC7, CC10, CC11, CC64, etc. That should make the omni links more predictable, less confusing, and less likely to affect a plugin in ways you didn't intend. Your mileage may vary. Good luck.

[@roshangeorge314]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 i did the steps in the video but the parameters in my fl studio are different from urs I cant find midi cc 64 delay in there

[@jesussaddle]

I have my "foot pedal controls note off" enabled but Pianoteq and several other things seem to be working as expected. I think you're right though, Kontakt had a problem with it.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Yeah, I didn't mean to disparage the "foot pedal controls note off" option, in my video. It will probably give most users the basic sustain functionality they want.

[@kill7769]

The template Saved as a empty project and not a template selection and I put it in the folder idk what's wrong

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

You'll need to restart FL Studio, before the new template will register. It can also be helpful to put the template project inside its own folder, with the same name. Good luck!

[@ShikharKumar-fz6ti]

Great Video !!! But is the problem is I want note lengths too in order to create midi videos. Is there any way to use cc64 and get exact note lengths too ?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Fair question. You'll want to turn on the "Foot pedal controls note off" option, so that your notes appear at the correct length, in the piano roll. This mean that you won't be able to use the pedals CC64 messages for anything else, such as linking to your plugins. But in most cases, it probably won't matter much (or at all). Things should look and sound fine. Good luck!

[@tristanbach8308]

This works for my 3rd-party VSTs, but how do I make the sustain pedal work on FL Studio plugins, such as FLEX, which don't have CC 64?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Image-Line plugins require the Foot Pedal option (shown at 00:29) to be turned on.

[@emexproducer5546]

Can we do this with Packs>Instruments>Grand piano, I want it to work with the grand piano under "Packs", will it work? Please I need help

[@emexproducer5546]

Because I tried, it doesn't work, maybe I'm doing it wrong

[@iggyboyo]

This is a long shot because this is a long video. But is there any way to link cc64 to a computer keyboard key (like spacebar) instead of a midi device? I am trying to find this information everywhere but no luck so far.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

No, you can't. But if you're using your spacebar to trigger something related to music production (such as transport controls) then you can probably link directly to that. Good luck!

[@almangihad1252]

i cant find the CC64 all i got in my generator (no matter what instument) is some stupid 01: xyz 02: xyz all the way to 12: xyz ... nothing to be found of midi or sth like that pls help

[@ernandesn]

Go to your VST window in FL and click on the arrow on the left top edge, then click on Browse Parameters. Justo roll down and you will find your CC64.

[@roshangeorge314]

@@ernandesn i still cant find it its not there

[@NerdPanic]

@@roshangeorge314 Same here, that shit is nowhere to be found. SOO frustrating.. did you find a solution?

[@roshangeorge314]

@@NerdPanic i gave up

[@Yoyo1235]

bruh just saw this video and i recorded a whole good session only to find out kontakt does this qwq ty....

[@NerdPanic]

1:30 I'm lost. I can't find that Midi CC #64 that you have there... I am sooo frustrated and stressed about FL studio and other software. And people say these are good for beginners... basic shit you can't do :(

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Sorry to hear you're having a frustrating time. I agree that parts of FL Studio - and other music software - can be pretty intimidating. Music production can take years to get halfway decent at, so it's important to find ways to enjoy the journey. KZbin channels like *In The Mix* can help. This video isn't really beginner-friendly (not to mention being too rushed, and Kontakt-centric), so you're probably best to ignore it. Good luck!

[@plexsheep1296]

Either this has been simplified in a recent update, or my third party vsts are magical.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Yeah, a sustain pedal will always sustain notes, even for 3rd party plugins. But some instruments sound even better when CC64 messages reach them.

[@plexsheep1296]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 thank you for the explanation! I will look it up later.

[@boboscurse4130]

I get up to 2:20. I turn on Omni, but when I press the pedal nothing happens. Auto-detect is on.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

1. Double check the "Foot pedal" checkbox, mentioned at start of video. It must be off. 2. Watch FL Studio's Debug panel, to see if it is receiving a Midi Message. 3. Check the Input Devices (on the Midi Settings page) to make sure your midi devide is recognized and enabled. Good luck!

[@gilangrachmat869]

In my fl studio not have Kontakt Factory Library 😥 anyone can help?

[@t1rrr0n]

You need to buy Kontakt seperatly, or download the free Kontakt Player

[@BwsBoss8879]

Is there a way I can set the sustain pedal up to not extend notes visually but keep the sustain sound?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Hi Adam. Yes you can (as demonstrated at the end of the video), but only if the plugin responds to CC64 messages (e.g. Kontakt). On the other hand, if the plugin _doesn't_ recognize CC64 messages (such as instruments by Image-Line), then you're out of luck - you will have to use the 'extend note length' option. In my experience, it's mostly just Image-Line who use that approach, so third-party plugins should be Ok. Good luck.

[@BwsBoss8879]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 Thank you!

[@David222222100]

"MIDI CC" DONT SHOW AT ALL FOR ME, NOTHING FOR MY MIDI IS SHOWING. IM USING AN ACTUAL KEYBOARD THAT CAN CONNECT TO A COMPUTER, COULD THAT BE IT?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Midi Parameters are only available for 3rd party (VST) plugins, not native plugins (by Image-Line).

[@kaushiksivakumar4035]

Can you please tell me how to record MIDI with the sustain pedal so that the notes on the piano roll don't sustain but the sound sustains

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

You can do this (as demonstrated at the end of the video), but only if the plugin responds to CC64 messages (e.g. Kontakt). On the other hand, if the plugin doesn't recognize CC64 messages (such as instruments by Image-Line), then you're out of luck - you will have to use the 'extend note length' option. In my experience, it's mostly just Image-Line who use that approach, so third-party plugins should be Ok. Good luck.

[@kaushiksivakumar4035]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 I have tried spitfire audio, Ivy Audio Piano, Keyzone and a number of other VST's but when I connect the CC64 and link it to controller, the sustain pedal just disconnects. The second I move out or close the pop up for connecting the sustain pedal, the connection disconnects. I have even tried the omni approach but even the omni connection disconnects

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

@@kaushiksivakumar4035 I recommend that you learn about FL Studio's Debug panel, which logs all incoming MIDI messages, and reports how they're handled. This helps you to diagnose most MIDI problems. Good luck.

[@kaushiksivakumar4035]

​@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 Thanks for the help :)

[@oddy3079]

I don't have a pedal can I assign a keyboard key to sustain? which would work just like a pedal? Edit: 'Because I don't have a sustain port on my piano.'

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Yes, that does work. (Assuming your instrument recognizes CC64. Which - as pointed out in the video - Image-Line plugins do not). And assuming you don't mind playing with one hand tied behind your back, so to speak.

[@oddy3079]

​@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 I don't need to tie my hand behind my back, cause what I'm gonna do is, I'm gonna use a secondary keyboard as a macro keyboard and place it under my feet to use that as a pedal. I just wanna know how I could use the "J" key for example as sustain instead of a midi note. I can assign one of my piano keys (cause they are midi keys), but not my keyboard keys that's the problem.

[@oddy3079]

​@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 Just for context, I just can not have a sustain pedal connected to my piano cause I don't have a sustain port on it. That's the reason I need to do these crazy things. But if I could connect a sustain pedal directly to my PC then I can get or make one myself. But that doesn't seem to be a thing, cause the audio jack can't transfer data to PC I assume.

[@oddy3079]

For example: lkzbin.info/www/bejne/fnSkgZyZqJ2tq5I. Just wanna know how to do that in FL studio

[@jitspoe]

I don't understand why things like this and the mod wheel don't just work by default.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

I agree that FL Studio should include a 'foot pedal' omni link in all their templates. Just like the existing mod-wheel link. (The Mod wheel should work automatically in FL Studio, btw).

[@jitspoe]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 Hmm, I had to do something to get the mod wheel to work at some point. There was a way to do it so I never had to touch it again, so I don't know if that configuration is still working or if they've fixed it to work by default, now.

[@MrESECentral]

Can you do this in FLEX?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Good question. Because Flex is by Image-Line, it falls into the same category as other Image-Line synths - in other words, it doesn't respond to CC64 messages. So you'll want to turn ON the "Foot pedal controls note length" option, as shown in the video. Good luck!

[@ProdDJD]

Still they never added this 😮‍💨

[@karlhans6678]

i dont have empty with 4 sends

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Yeah, that's a legacy template, from the pre-FL20 days. But you can add Omni links to any or all of your favourite templates.

[@paulpoulter9185]

Anything to do with controller pedals is a source of frustration with FLSudio. Omni is the obvious solution on paper if you want to restore the direct pedal to VST relationship but it doesn't work consistently with all piano plugins. Pianoteq is OK, Ivory II is not. A global link is the only consistent solution I've ever found but they have to be configured separately for each plugin. VST programming rules have all been broken by the team at Image line. Maybe the original product design deliberately avoided VST conventions for internal plugins (more efficient) but either way it's a bit of a mess. Shame really because otherwise it is an excellent piece of software.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Sorry to hear you've had frustration. I really like FL Studio, partly because it's so flexible, but I agree that sometimes that flexibility can make the software a bit more challenging. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[@maluniversity]

i find that imageline is not receptive and will often lash out when given criticism about fl studio

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

I've always admired the team at Image-Line for remaining professional, helpful, and generous, despite the vitriol they are occasionally subjected to.

[@maluniversity]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 Back before Fair Use became the standard, ImageLine would harass viewers on my videos and give me copyright strikes when I mentioned some of FL Studio's flaws like the Fruity Limiter, which has come a long way, and how unintuitive the process of recording vocals is. I also mentioned that Mastering music works is not recommended for FL Studio. This was in 2011 and eventually my channel (200k subs) was shut down, mostly my fault. A few weeks ago, they released Tuner which is a plugin that allows creators to adjust the pitch of their project. My argument to Image-Line was Why not integrate that functionality into FL Studio's current Master Pitch selector and save on resources. Their reply was something to the effect of "The comments show that customers actually want this." Maybe I keep getting the same person.

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

@@maluniversity I'm kind of new to FL Studio, compared to you - my first version was FL 11.

[@maluniversity]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 yep. the quality of their product is industry-leading, so they're definitely doing something right. as an external stakeholder, i do think they should continue to excel and not be left behind by competition. that all begins with at least considering feedback, no matter how mean or seemingly irrelevant.

[@misterzornus2032]

red doch bisschen langsamer

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Sehr richtig, es ist zu schnell.

[@endritduraku6706]

i can't find the "Kontakt"

[@365expressions5]

Endrit Duraku ummm have you already purchased it? 😅

[@endritduraku6706]

@@365expressions5 thanks 😂

[@sercanavc8439]

Normally when i play the piano i can easily fade out the sound by slowly lifting up the pedal, but in midi keyboard i always find myself editing the values in DAW. Because the sustain pedal in midi keyboard operates with a binary logic (on/off) without any interval sensitivity. The midi value comes as either 0 or 127 as in this video. Is there any type of pedal or midi setting to generate interval values depending on the pressing intensity?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

Yes, CC11 (Expression) midi messages are used to do what you describe, i.e. control the volume of an instrument in real time, during a performance or recording. CC11 is usually controlled with either a slider (which leaves only one hand free to play the keyboard), or an expression pedal. The Oxygen 88 even has an expression pedal input. For keyboards without an expression pedal input, you can connect an expression pedal to the computer, for the same effect. Great for everything from synths to orchestral instruments. Virtual pianos are more commonly controlled by other pedals (soft pedal, sostenuto pedal, and sustain/damper pedal) but to each their own. Good luck.

[@sercanavc8439]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 Thank you for the detailed explanation!

[@fawcue5844]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 how do i connect my pedal to cc11?

[@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283]

@@fawcue5844 See 1:15. Good luck.

[@fawcue5844]

@@adventuresincreativesoftwa6283 what I'm tryna do is when i slowly let off the sustain pedal i want the note to slowly fade out not just right away

[@dbp_pc3500]

You saved my life. What a dumb setting...

[@BrJD-ii4iv]

So glad I found this video to let me know that it’s an FL Studio issue. However, these instructions didn’t work for me nor will it work for many others as well.

[@AmitsMusicChannel]

Thanks !!!!