How to Turn Off Monitoring in FL Studio
To turn off monitoring in FL Studio, select the Mixer track your mic or guitar is routed to, press Ctrl+Enter to open Mixer Track Properties, and set Monitor external input to Off. That stops FL Studio from playing your input back to you, per Image-Line's Mixer track properties manual page.
- Open the Mixer and click the track your mic feeds.
- Press Ctrl+Enter. Mixer Track Properties opens for that track.
- Find Monitor external input below the recording locations.
- Choose Off. The same control is mirrored on the Playlist.
| Setting | You hear the input |
|---|---|
| Off | Never through FL Studio |
| When armed | Only while the track is armed to record |
| On | Always |
Use direct monitoring instead
If your interface has a direct monitor knob or button, turn monitoring Off and use that. Near-zero delay. Image-Line's recording manual says audio monitored through FL Studio is delayed by your buffer length and "may echo against the live source." At a 256-sample buffer and 48 kHz, that's about 5.3 ms each way.
Want your FL Studio effects in your cans while you track? Keep When armed and lower the buffer. On Windows, use your interface's own ASIO driver, since the manual says FL Studio ASIO "can introduce latency." The full vocal setup is in how to record vocals in FL Studio, and other DAWs are on best DAW for beginners.
Related questions
How do I turn off mic monitoring in FL Studio?
Select the Mixer track your mic is on, press Ctrl+Enter, and set Monitor external input to Off. Your mic stops playing through your speakers and headphones.
Why do I hear an echo of my voice in FL Studio?
FL Studio delays monitored audio by your buffer length, so it slaps back against your live voice. Turn monitoring Off and use direct monitoring, or lower the buffer; see how to monitor vocals while recording.
Will I still see the input meter with monitoring off?
Yes, if you turn on Always show external input levels in the Mixer menu's View options. The meters then react to the mic while monitoring is Off or When armed, per Image-Line's Mixer menu page.
More answers: Home recording FAQ