How To Load Samples Into FL Studio (3 Ways) [Tutorial]

Do you want to learn more about how to load Samples Files into FL Studio?

Maybe you’re an Electronic Music producer and you are searching for how to import audio samples to create your first track in FL Studio. Or you’ve purchased a Sample Pack and you want to start playing around with the sounds?

You’ve come to the right place!

After recently going through “How to load MIDI files into FL Studio“, we have now designed this easy-to-follow guide to help you learn how to import samples into FL Studio.

This guide starts by outlining what a sample is and how to use samples & audio loops to make music. Then I will show you three ways of importing a sample into FL Studio.

What is an audio sample and what are they used for?

A sample (usually .wav or .aiff) is a simple file containing audio data. The audio could be anything, from random noise to a percussion/drum, a melody, a sound effect, or a recorded vocal. You may import audio samples onto audio tracks in all DAWs including FL Studio.

Sample = digital file containing audio data

In contrast to MIDI files and MIDI tracks, audio samples provide less flexibility and creative possibilities, because the audio is already recorded. Of course, you can still loop it, slice it into smaller parts, time-stretch it, or add effects to it.

Despite the flexibility issue, many music producers use audio samples for specific elements of their tracks. This can range from drums to sound effects, vocals, and more.

How to load samples into FL Studio

We often receive Emails asking us how to import audio samples into FL Studio. There are three major ways of importing a sample into FL Studio. Please note that all three ways achieve the same result: adding a specific sample to a specific audio track inside your current FL Studio project.

Option 1: Drag & drop the sample from a folder on your computer

This is our favorite and fastest way of importing single audio samples while working on a track. If you already have an audio track set up in your FL Studio arrangement window, and you want to import a single sample directly into this track, just do the following:

1. Open the folder on your computer containing the audio samples.

2. Drag the audio file from the folder and drop it onto the FL studio playlist view.

3. You’re done! FL Studio has loaded the sample into a new “Audio Clip” channel and placed an instance of the audio clip in the playlist for you, and you can now see the sample’s waveform.

Option 2: Drag & Drop the sample from the FL Studio browser panel

This second way of importing samples into FL Studio is quite similar to the first one.

The only difference is that instead of dragging & dropping from a folder window on your computer, you’re going to drag & drop from the FL Studio browser panel.

First, make sure you have the browser panel opened (click the “View” option in the top menu, then “Show Browser”.

Then, just make sure you have access to your Samples folder in the browser (you can do this by going to “Options/File Settings” and adding your samples folder to the “Browser extra search folders” section.

Once you’ve done that, here’s how it goes:

1. In the FL Studio browser, navigate to the folder containing your audio samples.

2. Drag the sample from the browser and drop it onto the playlist view.

3. You’re done! Your sample is imported. FL Studio has loaded the sample into a new “Audio Clip” channel and placed an instance of the audio clip in the playlist for you, and you can now see the sample’s waveform.

Option 3: Create Audio Clip channel and load the sample manually

FL Studio also allows you to import audio by adding the audio sample to an “Audio Clip” channel that you create manually. This is the third way to use audio samples in FL Studio.

1. Go to the Channel Rack and click the “+” sign at the bottom of the panel. Then click “Audio Clip” which is located in the Misc section.

2. Select the new Audio Clip channel, which open the channel settings window. Click the directory icon in the top left part of the window, which will open a browser window.

3. Browse to your audio samples folder, select the appropriate file, and click “Open”.

4. You’re done! FL Studio has added your sample into the audio clip channel. You can now use it as you wish in your track.

Conclusion

We hope this post about how to import/add audio samples into FL Studio has helped you in some way. Did you learn something about how to load samples into FL Studio? We hope so. Let us know in the comments!

Also, if you don’t know this yet, Myloops offers 4GB+ of FREE sounds (Samples, MIDI Files, presets, and more) for your productions. They are super useful to get started with making your own tracks. We are proud to offer packs with some of the best samples available online. Just click the “FREE SOUNDS” footer menu to check them out!

Alternatively, you can just fill the form below to subscribe to our newsletter and access the FREE sounds section directly!

Finally, if you are looking for samples for FL Studio (or any other DAW that supports WAV files), you can check our premium Sample Packs section, where we offer hundreds of sample packs usable in FL Studio and for various genres of music.

Good luck!