20 years of FL Studio workflow compressed into one checklist. Run through this before every session and you'll finish more tracks this week than you have in the last month.
How to use this: Work through each section in order before you start making sounds. The first 5 minutes of prep saves you 2 hours of frustration.
Set a session goal — one specific outcome
Example: "Finish the hook" / "Build the 808 pattern" / "Mix the vocals"
Pick a reference track
Tip: A song that sounds like where you want this to go. Play it before you start.
Set a time limit for the session
Tip: 90 minutes with a clear goal beats 4 hours of drifting. Use a timer.
Close everything except FL Studio
Close: Browser, social media, Discord, everything. Notifications off.
Set your tempo before anything else
Tip: Decide the BPM first. Changing tempo mid-session breaks everything.
Set your key signature
Why: Stamp → Key. Lock it in so every instrument and MIDI stays in key.
Load your mixer template
Tip: Don't start from a blank mixer. Use a pre-labeled template — saves 20 min.
Name and save the project immediately
Format: Artist_TrackName_BPM_Key.flp e.g. LarryOhh_Untitled_140_Cm.flp
Save a blank template project with your mixer already set up, master FX chain loaded, and default plugins open. Load that instead of a blank project every single session.
Map out your song structure in the playlist first
Basic structure: Intro → Verse → Hook → Verse → Hook → Bridge → Outro
Decide how many bars each section is
Standard: Hook = 8 bars, Verse = 16 bars, Intro/Outro = 4 bars
Place empty markers in the playlist for each section
Why: You'll fill them in. Empty markers stop you from building forever with no structure.
Pick your 808 or bass sound first
Rule: Don't go searching for hours. First 3 options — pick one and move on.
Pick your main drum sounds (kick, snare, hi-hat)
Tip: Lay drums first. Everything else fills around them.
Set a 5-minute timer for sound selection
Rule: When the timer goes off, stop browsing and start building. Imperfect sounds finish tracks. Perfect sounds don't.
Sound browsing is procrastination in disguise. The best producers finish with whatever sound they picked in the first 5 minutes.
Save every 10 minutes (Ctrl+S)
Don't lose your session.
Export rough mix at end of session
Even if it's not done — get a WAV of where you are.
Write one note about what to do next
Future you will thank you.