REWIRE SUPPORT

Host Mode

FL Studio can function as a ReWire host for installed ReWire devices. The host functionality is implemented via the ReWired plugin. Each instance of the plugin lets you host one ReWire device (to use multiple devices, simply add multiple instances of the plugin to your project).

The ReWire client sends all of its audio output to the ReWired plugin. The client synchronizes with the FL Studio transport controls as well (playback/stop, song position) and provides ability to transmit MIDI data from and to the ReWire client.

Parameters

Client - Here you can select the ReWire device to host.
Show Panel - Once you select the client, click here to launch the ReWired application. Note that some ReWire client might not launch from this button (such as ReBirth). In this case simply use their Start Menu shortcut. The ReWire client will detect the FL Studio host automatically at startup.
Online Device Information ("?" button) - Click this button to open your default browser and see more information about the ReWire client currently set in the Client combo box. You need to be on-line to use this feature.
Multi Outputs - Normally the whole mix from the ReWire client will be sent to the mixer track the ReWired plugin is linked to. If the ReWire client takes advantage of the multiple audio outputs ReWire supports, you can enable this option to send each ReWire output to an individual mixer track. For example, if ReWired was linked to track 10, output 1 will be sent to track 10, output 2 to track 11, output 3 to track 12 etc.
MIDI Options - This button launches the MIDI output dialog where you can map ReWire MIDI busses (input and output) to standard FL Studio MIDI ports. For more information, see "MIDI Connectivity" below.

General Usage

In most cases you need to follow these steps to get a ReWire client connect to FL Studio:

Add an instance of the ReWired plugin.
Select a ReWire device from the Client combo box (if the device is not present in the list, make sure the ReWire client is properly registered/installed).
Click the Show Panel button to launch the ReWire client (this button might not work properly with some clients, in this case launch the application manually from its Start Menu shortcut, but always after you have selected the client in the ReWired plugin).
Now the client is connected with FL Studio. Its audio output streams into the ReWired plugin and the playback and song position is synchronized.

After you have completed this setup you can also make use of the MIDI connectivity features of ReWire (if the client supports it), see MIDI Connectivity below.

MIDI Connectivity

ReWire allows the host (FL Studio) to send and receive MIDI data from the client.

FL Studio implements this functionality by mapping the ReWire input/output MIDI busses to regular FL Studio MIDI ports. To adjust the MIDI mapping settings, click the MIDI Options button in the ReWired plugin.

For this functionality to work, the client needs to make use of the MIDI connectivity features of ReWire, otherwise the controls in this window will be empty/disabled.

Mappings - Displays any existing mappings you have created for this ReWire client.
Map - Lets you select Input or Output port to map. Input port sends MIDI data from FL Studio to the client, output port maps MIDI data coming from the client to FL Studio MIDI port.
Port - Lets you select the FL Studio MIDI port to map.
To - Lets you select the ReWire MIDI bus the port will be mapped to.
Add/Change - Adds the mapping you've defined via the Map/Port/To control to the Mappings list.
Delete - Deletes the selected mapping from the Mappings list.
Channels - The list displays the synths/controls that are linked to each of the channels for the currently selected ReWire MIDI bus (selected by the "To" combo box). The list is informative, you can not edit the assignments.

You can perform several operations with the MIDI connectivity provided by ReWired:

Control the client via MIDI

To control the client and its synths from a MIDI Out channel, you map an input port to a ReWire MIDI bus. To do this:

Via the MIDI Options of the ReWired plugin, map an input port to a ReWire MIDI bus.
In a MIDI Out channel, set the same port as an output port.
In the MIDI Out channel, select the MIDI channel to use (you can look at the Channels list in the Options window for a reference of the channel assignments).

Control a VSTi/DXi plugin from a client

Via the MIDI Options dialog of the ReWired plugin, map an output port to a ReWire MIDI bus.
Make sure the client is set up properly to send MIDI data to the same ReWire MIDI bus.
In a VSTi/DXi channel, set the same port as an input port.

You can use similar setups to control a ReWire client from another ReWire client or send MIDI data from a VSTi/DXi plugin to a ReWire client.

NOTE: Even if no mapping exists for a ReWired plugin, adding a sequence for it (events, notes etc.) automatically sends the generated MIDI data to the default ReWire bus. It is recommended to use MIDI Out channels for greater control over the MIDI data mapping.

Step By Step Guide

The following sections describe how to setup and use two popular ReWire clients with FL Studio:

Using FL Studio with ReBirth

Using FL Studio with Reason