Basically, what do I do when I first want to make a beat? Do I start chopping up a sample?
I can usually find a loop within a beat, but beat-making seems so much more complicated than this. People do mad effects, mixing/mastering, and all that stuff. I don't know how to do transitions essentially. I can do a melody with a drum, but I don't know how to separate hooks and verses.
Thanks for the help, brother. I appreciate it.
don't worry too much about the fx and mixing and mastering yet. ultimately its extremely important in the final product but you're not making a final product right now. it sounds like you're on the absolute basics...you're a baby deer trying to walk.
so for one, there are a million youtube tutorials on fl (or any other daw you wanna use) that can teach you how to use the program, so check those out. as far as transitions and hooks/verses goes, i'd say don't just listen to songs you like, analyze them, really pay attention to what the differences are between sections. hell, even write down all the elements you're hearing as you listen to a track (or at least what you're finding is different) ie.
X happens after the first 8 bars or they took out
Y during 'this part' or there's added
Z during the chorus, when the vocals came in, etc.
hell, go as far as dragging a song you like into fl and straight up try to copy their structure/sound. i
still do that. not only when making beats but when mixing them. that probably sounds kind of wack and unoriginal on it's face as a new guy but anyone who's been doing this for a while (from bedroom producers to hit artists/producers/engineers) do the same shyt. they call them 'reference tracks' and they certainly have their value...even more especially once you have your musical and/or technical abilities on point.
all that said, you're a beginner, don't over-think it. it's not 'so much more complicated than this', particularly when you're starting out. just do what you want to do, be as creative and experimental as your mind takes you, be completely derivative if you want...whatever, just fukk around and have fun with it. polishing it all up comes later.