Step1
Download and install FL Studio
Open the official Image-Line download page, choose Windows or macOS, install FL Studio, and launch it.
The free Trial is sufficient for this tutorial and can export MP3.
Download FL Studio
How to Create Square-Wave Music for a Tesla Coil
Convert a MIDI melody into clean, monophonic square-wave audio for playback with WARDENCLYFFE® Tesla Coils.
Before you start
The free FL Studio Trial is enough for this tutorial
The official FL Studio Trial can create and export MP3 files. Its main limitation is that a saved project cannot be reopened after closing FL Studio unless the software is unlocked.
Recommended: finish and export your MP3 in the same FL Studio session, or unlock FL Studio if you want to save the project and continue editing later.
The workflow
From MIDI to Square Music
FL Studio reads the MIDI notes, 3x Osc converts them into square-wave tones, and you simplify the score so only the main melody remains.
01Get FL StudioOfficial Trial is enough
02Prepare MIDIUse a .mid file
03Square waveUse 3x Osc
04Clean melodyOne note at a time
05Export MP3Finished Square Music
The most important rule
Only one note should be active at any moment.
When chords or overlapping notes appear, keep the main melody and remove the accompaniment. The highest note is often the melody, but melody continuity matters more than always keeping the highest note.
White = melody to keep · Gray = overlapping accompaniment to remove
What you need
Two things before editing
1. FL Studio
Download the current Windows or macOS installer directly from Image-Line. The interface may look slightly different from the older screenshots below, but the workflow is the same.
Official FL Studio Download2. A MIDI (.mid) file
Prepare a MIDI file you own or have permission to use. Choose a song with a clear main melody; simpler arrangements require much less manual cleanup.
Step-by-step
Create your Square Music
Every essential action is written below, so you can still follow the guide even if your version of FL Studio looks slightly different from the screenshots.
Step2
Prepare the MIDI file
Prepare the song as a .mid file. A song with a clear lead melody and fewer chords will be much easier to edit.
Before continuing: you should now have FL Studio open and one .mid file saved on your computer.
Step3
Add 3x Osc
In FL Studio, click the + button in the Channel Rack and select 3x Osc.
Click + to add an instrument.
Select 3x Osc.
Step4
Configure 3x Osc for square wave
Set all three oscillator waveform selectors to Square. Set the three pitch-offset controls shown on the right side of the screenshot to 0.
Set all three oscillators to Square and the shown offsets to 0.
Step5
Import the MIDI into the Piano Roll
Drag the .mid file into FL Studio as shown, then open the imported notes in the Piano Roll.
- If an Import MIDI Data window appears, choose the track or channel that contains the main melody and click Accept.
- Press Space to play or pause and confirm that you imported the melody you want.
Drag the .mid file into FL Studio.
Open the notes in the Piano Roll.
Step6
Keep only the main melody
Delete chords and overlapping accompaniment so only one note remains active at any moment.
- Right-click a note to delete it.
- When several notes are stacked vertically, the highest note is often the melody, but listen and follow the melody rather than applying this rule blindly.
- Also check notes whose lengths overlap even when they do not start at exactly the same time.
Remove redundant notes and keep one continuous main melody.
Step7
Set note velocity, check tempo, and switch to SONG mode
Use the lower Velocity lane in the Piano Roll to make the note levels consistent, then preview the complete melody.
- Raise the velocity bars to a consistent level across the melody.
- Use Space for play or pause and the tempo control to adjust playback speed if needed.
- Switch FL Studio from PAT to SONG mode before exporting.
- Make sure the full song is included in the Playlist or timeline, not just a short selected section.
Preview the melody and check the tempo.
Make the note levels consistent.
Switch to SONG mode.
Make sure the complete song is included.
Step8
Export the finished track as MP3
In current FL Studio, use File → Export → MP3 file. Choose the file name and location, then render the complete song.
- If your older FL Studio version looks like the screenshots, the menu wording may differ slightly.
- In the render window, confirm that the project mode is Full song / Song and MP3 is selected, then start rendering.
Open the export or save menu.
Choose MP3 as the output format.
Render the complete track.
Finished: you should now have an MP3 containing a clean square-wave melody with only one active note at a time.
FAQ
WARDENCLYFFE® Square Music recommendations
Which export format should I use for WARDENCLYFFE® Tesla Coils?
We recommend MP3. It is the standard format used in our current WARDENCLYFFE® Square Music workflow.
What kind of songs work best with WARDENCLYFFE® Tesla Coils?
Songs with a clear main melody, fewer chords, and less note overlap usually work best and require less manual editing.
How should I handle chords or overlapping notes when preparing Square Music?
Keep the main melody and remove overlapping accompaniment notes. The highest note is often the right one to keep, but follow the melody rather than using this as a fixed rule.
Create and play your own Square Music
Prepare the melody, export the MP3, and use it with your WARDENCLYFFE® Tesla Coil.