How to Make Slowed + Reverb in FL Studio
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Working in FL Studio? Then you do not need an extra plugin for a slowed + reverb version. There is only one thing to get right: speed and pitch have to drop together, like a record spinning too slow. FL Studio has a stretch mode for exactly that, called Resample. Here is how to use it step by step, and how to add a reverb that does not smear your mix.
What you need
- Your track as a WAV or MP3. Your own song or a beat you are allowed to edit. Not sure? Read can you upload slowed + reverb songs first.
- The tempo of your track. Not sure what it is? Check it with the free Beat Lab BPM and key finder. Then you also know what the new tempo will be.
- FL Studio. According to Image-Line, Resample and Fruity Reeverb 2 come with every edition.
Step 1: put your track in the Playlist
Drag the file from your folder or the Browser into the Playlist. FL Studio turns it into an audio clip with its own channel in the Channel Rack. Place the clip at the start of a bar, so it is easy to count later.
Step 2: choose Resample as the stretch mode
Open the clip's Channel settings by clicking your track's channel in the Channel Rack. Under Time stretching, set Mode to Resample. Image-Line's manual says Resample then behaves like a tape or record: the pitch changes with the playback speed. That is the classic slowed sound.
Two things to avoid:
- The Stretch mode. It keeps your track at the same pitch. It gets slower but not lower, and you lose the dreamy character.
- The PITCH knob. It only changes the pitch, not the length. According to the manual, it also switches the mode to Auto.
Step 3: make the clip longer
Pick the Stretch tool in the Playlist (Shift+M) and drag the right edge of the clip to the right. The Playlist manual says stretching follows the clip's time stretch settings. With Resample, a longer clip means slower and lower.
How much longer? A clip that is 1.25 times as long plays at 0.80× speed. That is the usual starting point for slowed + reverb. An 8 bar section becomes 10 bars. Set snap to bars and it is easy to land on the exact length.
| Speed | Make the clip | 8 bars becomes | Pitch drops by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.90× | 1.11 times | about 8.9 bars | almost 2 semitones |
| 0.85× | 1.18 times | about 9.4 bars | almost 3 semitones |
| 0.80× | 1.25 times | 10 bars | almost 4 semitones |
| 0.75× | 1.33 times | about 10.7 bars | 5 semitones |
| 0.70× | 1.43 times | about 11.4 bars | a little over 6 semitones |
The tempo follows along: at 0.80× a 140 BPM track becomes 112 BPM. Go below 0.75× and everything, the vocal included, slides deep into the low mids. That can sound great, but it gets muddy fast.
Step 4: add the reverb
Route the channel to its own Mixer track. In the Channel settings, pick a free track in the Mixer track selector, or select the channel, right-click a Mixer track and choose Channel routing, then Route selected channels to this track (Ctrl+L). That is how the Mixer manual describes it.
Then load Fruity Reeverb 2 into an effect slot on that Mixer track. A few tips:
- Start with the wet level low. Raise it until it sounds dreamy but the lyrics are still easy to follow.
- A longer decay gives you that sleepy, spacious tail. Too long and the words run into each other.
- Cut the low end from the reverb with the low cut. Your 808 and kick stay tight instead of turning into a cloud.
Prefer a send? That works too: put the reverb on its own Mixer track and send your track to it. For more on fitting reverb into a mix, read how to make slowed + reverb: the basics.
Step 5: export
Done? Export your version as a WAV or MP3 from the File menu. All the options and the settings that matter are in how to export a beat in FL Studio.
Making a sped up version in FL Studio
For a sped up version you do the same thing the other way round: make the clip shorter with the Stretch tool. A clip at 0.8 times its length plays at 1.25×, which sounds almost 4 semitones higher. Leave the reverb off or keep it very low: sped up usually sounds best tight and dry. More on speeds and vocals in how to make a sped up song.
FAQ
My slowed version gets slower but not lower. Why?
The stretch mode is probably not set to Resample. Modes like Stretch keep the pitch the same. Set Mode to Resample in the Channel settings and stretch the clip again.
What speed works best?
Around 0.80× is the most common starting point. That is the clip at 1.25 times its length. For a heavier, sleepier version, head towards 0.70×.
Can I do this without FL Studio?
Yes. Drop your track into the free slowed + reverb maker and you have a WAV within a minute. You can try the bass boost, lo-fi, vinyl and 8D effects there too.
Can I do this with any song?
No. Use music you are allowed to edit: your own tracks or beats with a licence that allows it. Read can you upload slowed + reverb songs.
Sources: Image-Line's FL Studio manual on Channel settings, the Playlist and the Mixer.