Split you seem like how I used to be before I got into making beats a little heavier... I think it's one of those stages where you need to just go play with it more, and ask questions less.
There are 2 basic routes you can go with making "beats".. whether it's hiphop, instrumental shit, or whatever.
1)Sample based stuff - meaning the core of the song (chorus,verse etc) would contain a "sample" form another song, or anything really.
2) "keyboard" beats (beats without samples) - meaning this is 100% original melody, drum patterns, etc etc.... No using breaks, or loops from other stuff, and you create all ur own melody.
Primo for example, would be a sample based producer, stemming from his roots as a DJ.
Where as Scott Storch would be a "keyboard" beats type of producer where he rarely samples anything from other peoples work. (not to mention the Copywrite nightmares)
The demo version of FL, has everything you need.... you just can't export your work... and you can't save more than 1 file I think. If you can get a torrent version of FL10 you can do a lot with the crack'd producer version. There are tutorials on youtube on how to get it.
Once you got FL10... you have everything you need to make an entire beat from start to finish. Sounds, a mixer, effects, a sequencer (arrangement of patterns), EQs, masters etc.
You'll learn as you go how to EQ, mix better, clean up your mixes, but dont worry about that stuff just yet... I'd focus on creating some simple drum patterns, laying some instruments over them like a bass, some keys/strings, and some percussion (symbols, shakers, etc)... Then if you want to try to use some sample stuff, just to make ur beat stand out a little more. Edison will be ur program.
Like Sony Sound Forge, Edison is just a wave editor. There are a lot of good free ones out on the net, like Audacity.. but all these programs essentially accomplish the same thing. It's just a visual interface for you to "chop" up your sample, into manageable pieces for you to fuck with.
This is getting a little lengthy now, so I'll leave it at this... but here's my last little tip or whatever. Get FL, hit f-8, open up the Sytrus plug-in, browse through the presets for an instrument/sound you think might sound good, and then use ur keyboard as a midi-device to play with some possible bass lines, melodies you might want to make into a beat. Then you'll want to lay down some drums, the vintage "hiphop" pack drums have some decent library stuff to start....
Hoped this helped a little....
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