AKAI PROFESSIONAL Flex Beat Plug-In User Guide
- June 10, 2024
- AKAI PROFESSIONAL
Table of Contents
Flex Beat User Guide
v1.0
User Guide
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Flex Beat plugin effect. Flex Beat is a new
plugin from Akai Professional that allows you to warp pitch, time, and volume
of any audio source in your WAD. Rearrange and create beat chops, add DJ style
scratches and trance gates, or reverse and half-time audio with ease.
This user guide explains the features and functions of the plugin instrument.
For more information on using this plugin with other software, please refer to
your software’s documentation for adding and using plugin instruments.
System Requirements & Product Support
Flex Beat supports VST, VST3, and AU formats.
For complete system requirements and compatibility information, visit
akaipro.com.
For technical support, visit
akaipro.com/support.
Installation and Setup
1. Double-click the .exe (Windows) or .pkg (macOS) file you downloaded.
Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software.
2. Open a supported DAW host software.
3. Open your software’s Preferences, Options, or other menu to scan for Flex
Beat as a new plugin. Consult your software’s documentation for more
information.
4. In your project, add Flex Beat as an insert effect to any audio or MIDI
track, and then open the plugin window.
5. Click Sign In to sign into your in Music Brands Profile using your
Internet browser. If you do not have an in Music Brands Profile yet, you will
be prompted to create one.
6. Once you have signed in, click Activate in the plugin window to enter your
serial key to unlock the plugin. You can unlock each plugin on up to three
devices at a time.
7. If you do not have a serial key, you can click Try Unlicensed to explore
the plugin with intermittent audio alerts.
You can also click 10-Day Trial to initiate a free, fully featured trial of
the plugin for 10 days.
If you would like to purchase a serial key, click the link to purchase a
license at profile.inmusicbrands.com.
To reauthorize Flex Beat from a device, open the plugin application, click the Flex Beat logo in the upper-left corner of the window, and then click Reauthorize. The plugin will return to demo mode with intermittent audio alerts. The next time you open the plugin, you will be prompted again to sign into your account and authorize the plugin.
Operation
Overview
- Performance Pads: Use these 16 pads to apply a preset to the current audio. See Operation > Performance Pads for more information.
- Library: Click this icon to open the Library, where you can browse effect presets to add to the performance pads. See Operation > Library for more information.
- Grid Editor: Use the grid editor to create new patterns of time and volume effects. The length of the grid is equal to one bar at the tempo of your project. See Operation > Grid Editor for more information.
- Editing Tools: Use these tools to edit the current preset. See Operation > Grid Editor for more information.
- Quantize: Click this icon to activate quantization, so that each pattern is launched on the first beat of the next bar. When deactivated, presets will launch immediately when selected.
- Dry/Wet: Turn this knob to control the overall mix between the original audio signal (Dry) and the audio signal with the preset applied (Wet).
- Tool tips: Click this icon to enable or disable tool tips, which will be shown here when you mouse over certain parts of the user interface.
Performance Pads
The 16 performance pads are loaded with presets that contain time stretch
and/or volume envelope patterns.
Left-click a performance pad to trigger the preset. When enabled, the selected
performance pad will change color, and a bar along the bottom of the
performance pad will show the pattern progress. The preset’s envelope pattern
will be shown in the Grid Editor, and its effects will apply immediately to
the current audio input.
Right-click any performance pad to open a menu with the following options:
Play Modes: Select how the pattern on the selected performance pad is
triggered:
- One Shot: The preset plays once, then reverts to the previously selected preset.
- Loop: The preset loops indefinitely. This is the default play mode.
- Hold: The preset will play and loop for as long as the performance pad is held.
Load: Click to load a new preset.
Save: Click to save the selected preset.
Rename: Click to rename the selected pattern.
Clear: Click to clear the current preset from the selected performance pad.
Presets: Use this menu to select another preset to add to the performance pad.
This is the same as browsing using the Library.
Library
Click the Library folder icon to browse the included presets. The presets
are divided into categories according to their style and effects. The
categories include:
| Momentary | Stutter | DJ Gates |
|---|---|---|
| Patterns | Turntable | DJ Scratch |
| Clanging | Gates | Factory |
| Pitch shifter | DJ Patterns | User Presets |
Drag and drop a preset from the browser onto a performance pad to load it.
Click the Preview headphones icon to automatically audition presets as they are selected within the browser. You can also view the presets envelopes next to the Preview icon. When audio is playing, a bar below the envelope preview will show the pattern progress.
Grid Editor
You can edit any preset or start from scratch with the Empty preset to create
your own. Use the editing tools at the top of the grid to edit the preset:
Time: Click to select and edit the time envelope. In this mode, Y-axis of the
grid represents two bars of time in the audio buffer.
Volume: Click to select and edit the volume envelope. In this mode, the Y-axis
of the grid represents the volume level.
Edit: Click to enable adding points on the grid with a left-click.
Snap: Click to activate or deactivate snapping points to the grid
subdivision value.
Snap Grid: Click to select the subdivision value for the grid: 1/16,
1/12, 1/8, 1/6, 1/4, or 1/3 beats.
Click the three dots icon to open a menu with additional options: Envelope
Tools: Use these tools to quickly edit the entire envelope.
- Flip vertically: Reflects the selected envelope so that, for example, 100.00% values are now 0.00% values.
- Normalize levels: Expands the range between the largest and smallest values to between 0.00–100.00% and distributes all points in between across the entire Y-axis.
- Sliding Point Move: When this feature is enabled, moving a curve point along the X-axis will shift the remaining pattern to the right of the selected point by the same amount.
Import envelope: Click to load an envelope file.
Export envelope: Click to save an envelope file. This will save only the
currently selected Time or Volume envelope. You can then load this envelope
shape into the Time or Volume envelope of another preset.
Load preset: Click to load a saved preset.
Save preset: Click to save the current preset. User saved presets are
stored in the User Presets category of the Library. The Preset folder can be
found in the following locations:
Windows: C: \Program Files\Flex Beat\Presets macOS: Macintosh
HD/Library/Application Support/Flex Beat/Presets
The envelopes in the grid contain two types of nodes used for creating
patterns: curve points (filled circles) and tension points (empty circles).
Left-click and drag a curve point to move it.
Right-click a curve point to access additional options:
Delete Point: Removes the selected point from the pattern.
Mode: Adjusts the type of curve controlled by the tension point to the left of
the selected curve point. Choose Single Curve, Double Curve, Alt Single Curve,
Alt Double Curve, Hold, Stairs, Smooth Stairs, Pulse, Wave, Half Sine, or
Smooth.
Copy Value: Copies the current Y-axis value of the selected curve point.
Paste Value: Pastes the copied Y-axis value to the selected curve point.
Right-click along the envelope to add a new curve point (when Edit is
deactivated).
Double-click to remove a curve point.
Left-click and drag a tension point to modify the curve segment between two
curve points.
Right-click a tension point to reset the curve to a straight line.