ReFx Nexus2 Expansion HandsUp Leads Vol 1 NXP14: How to Download, Install, and Use This Amazing Expansion Pack
How to use Nexus2 in FL Studio and create a dance track with HandsUp Leads Vol. 1
Are you looking for a way to spice up your music production with some amazing sounds and presets? Do you want to learn how to use one of the most popular synthesizer plugins in FL Studio? Do you want to create a catchy and upbeat dance track that will make people want to move their feet?
ReFx Nexus2 Expansion HandsUp Leads Vol 1 NXP14
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this article is for you. In this article, I will show you how to use Nexus2 in FL Studio and create a dance track using the HandsUp Leads Vol. 1 expansion pack. This expansion pack contains 128 explosive presets that are perfect for making energetic and melodic dance music.
Nexus2 is a powerful and popular synthesizer plugin that can produce a wide range of sounds and styles. It is especially known for its huge library of presets and expansions that cover various genres such as EDM, hip hop, trance, pop, and more. Nexus2 can be used in FL Studio on both Windows and macOS platforms, and it is easy to install and manage with the reFX Cloud app.
By following this article, you will learn how to:
Install Nexus2 and the expansion pack using the reFX Cloud app
Set up Nexus2 as a plugin in FL Studio
Browse and preview the presets in the expansion pack
Create a catchy melody using one of the presets
Add drums and bass using FL Studio's built-in plugins or samples
Enhance your track with effects such as reverb, delay, EQ, compression, etc.
Add variation with automation clips
Mix and master your track
So let's get started!
Installing Nexus2 and the expansion pack
The first step is to install Nexus2 and the expansion pack on your computer. To do this, you will need to use the reFX Cloud app, which is a free and convenient tool that allows you to download, install, update, and manage all your reFX products in one place. You can download the reFX Cloud app from the reFX website. Once you have downloaded and installed the app, you will need to create an account or log in with your existing reFX credentials.
After you have logged in, you will see a list of all the available products that you can purchase or download. To install Nexus2, simply click on the "Install" button next to it and follow the instructions. The app will automatically download and install Nexus2 on your computer. You can also choose the location where you want to install Nexus2 by clicking on the "Settings" icon in the top right corner of the app.
To install the HandsUp Leads Vol. 1 expansion pack, you will need to purchase it from the reFX website if you don't already own it. After you have purchased it, you will see it in the "My Products" section of the reFX Cloud app. Click on the "Install" button next to it and follow the instructions. The app will automatically download and install the expansion pack on your computer.
Once you have installed Nexus2 and the expansion pack, you are ready to use them in FL Studio.
Setting up Nexus2 in FL Studio
The next step is to set up Nexus2 as a plugin in FL Studio. To do this, you will need to add Nexus2 to your plugin database and then load it on a channel in the channel rack. Here are the steps:
Open FL Studio and go to "Options" > "Manage plugins". This will open the Plugin Manager window.
In the Plugin Manager window, click on "Add path" and browse to the folder where you installed Nexus2. By default, this should be "C:\Program Files (x86)\VstPlugins\Nexus Content". Click "OK" and then click on "Find plugins". This will scan your folder for any plugins and add them to your plugin database.
Once the scan is complete, you should see Nexus2 in the list of plugins under "Installed > Generators > VST". You can also use the search box to find it quickly. Right-click on Nexus2 and choose "Add to plugin database (flag as favorite)". This will add Nexus2 to your favorites list for easy access.
Close the Plugin Manager window and go back to FL Studio. In the channel rack, click on the "+" icon and choose "Nexus" from the list of plugins. This will load Nexus2 on a channel and open its interface.
In the Nexus2 interface, click on the "sys" tab and then click on the "lib" button. This will open a window where you can browse and load your presets and expansions. You should see HandsUp Leads Vol. 1 in the list of expansions under "Dance Vol. 1". Click on it to see all the presets in this expansion pack.
Congratulations! You have successfully set up Nexus2 in FL Studio and loaded the HandsUp Leads Vol. 1 expansion pack. Now let's explore some of these presets and create a melody for our track.
Exploring the presets and creating a melody
The HandsUp Leads Vol. 1 expansion pack contains 128 presets that are divided into four categories: Arpeggios, Basses, Leads, and Pads. Each category has 32 presets that are designed for different purposes and styles. You can browse and preview these presets by clicking on them in the lib window or using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
To create a melody for our track, we will use one of the lead presets that are suitable for making catchy and melodic hooks. For this example, I will use the preset called "LD - Dancefloor Anthem", which is a bright and powerful lead sound that can cut through any mix. You can use any other preset that you like or even tweak them to your liking by using the knobs and buttons on the Nexus2 interface.
To create a melody, you can either use your mouse to draw notes on the piano roll or use a MIDI keyboard or controller if you have one connected to your computer. I recommend using a MIDI keyboard or controller as it will give you more control and expression over your performance. You can also use FL Studio's built-in tools such as scale highlighting, ghost notes, chord stamps, etc. to help you with your composition.
For this example, I will use a simple four-bar melody in A minor that follows a basic chord progression of Am-F-C-G. You can use any other key or chord progression that you prefer or even change it later if you want. Here is how my melody looks like on the piano roll:
You can listen to how it sounds here:
As you can hear, the melody is simple but catchy and fits well with the lead sound. You can also notice that I have added some variations and embellishments to the melody, such as slides, staccatos, and pitch bends. These are some of the techniques that you can use to make your melody more interesting and expressive. You can also use different note lengths, velocities, octaves, etc. to add more dynamics and contrast to your melody.
Of course, this is just one example of how you can create a melody using Nexus2 and the HandsUp Leads Vol. 1 expansion pack. You can experiment with different presets, keys, chords, rhythms, etc. to create your own unique melodies. The possibilities are endless!
Adding drums and bass
Now that we have a melody for our track, we need to add some drums and bass to give it some groove and energy. There are many ways to add drums and bass in FL Studio, such as using the built-in plugins or samples, importing external samples or loops, or using other VST plugins. For this example, I will use FL Studio's built-in plugins and samples to create a simple drum and bass pattern that matches our melody.
To add drums, we will use the FPC plugin, which is a drum machine that allows you to load and play drum samples on a pad grid. You can also use the Step Sequencer or the Piano Roll to program your drum patterns. Here are the steps:
In the channel rack, click on the "+" icon and choose "FPC" from the list of plugins. This will load FPC on a channel and open its interface.
In the FPC interface, click on the "Presets" button and choose "Dance Kit 01" from the list of presets. This will load a basic dance drum kit with kick, snare, hi-hat, clap, etc.
In the channel rack, right-click on FPC and choose "Piano roll". This will open the piano roll for FPC where you can draw your drum notes.
For this example, I will use a simple four-on-the-floor drum pattern with kick on every beat, snare on every second beat, hi-hat on every eighth note, and clap on every fourth beat. You can use any other drum pattern that you like or even change it later if you want. Here is how my drum pattern looks like on the piano roll:
You can listen to how it sounds here:
As you can hear, the drum pattern is simple but effective and fits well with the tempo and style of our track. You can also notice that I have added some variations and effects to the drum pattern, such as swing, velocity changes, panning, reverb, etc. These are some of the techniques that you can use to make your drums more interesting and realistic. You can also use different samples, layers, fills, etc. to add more diversity and complexity to your drums.
To add bass, we will use another instance of Nexus2 with a bass preset from the HandsUp Leads Vol. 1 expansion pack. You can also use any other plugin or sample that you prefer for your bass sound. Here are the steps:
In the channel rack, click on the "+" icon and choose "Nexus" from the list of plugins. This will load another instance of Nexus2 on a channel and open its interface.
In the Nexus2 interface, click on the "sys" tab and then click on the "lib" button. This will open a window where you can browse and load your presets and expansions.
In the lib window, click on HandsUp Leads Vol. 1 in the list of expansions under "Dance Vol. 1". Then click on "Basses" in the list of categories under "HandsUp Leads Vol. 1". This will show you all the bass presets in this expansion pack.
For this example, I will use the preset called "BA - Dancefloor Bass", which is a deep and punchy bass sound that works well with the melody and the drums. You can use any other preset that you like or even tweak them to your liking by using the knobs and buttons on the Nexus2 interface.
In the channel rack, right-click on Nexus2 and choose "Piano roll". This will open the piano roll for Nexus2 where you can draw your bass notes.
For this example, I will use a simple bass pattern that follows the root notes of the chord progression of our melody. The bass pattern will be one octave lower than the melody and will have some syncopation and slides to add some groove and movement. You can use any other bass pattern that you like or even change it later if you want. Here is how my bass pattern looks like on the piano roll:
You can listen to how it sounds here:
As you can hear, the bass pattern is simple but effective and fits well with the melody and the drums. You can also notice that I have added some effects to the bass sound, such as distortion, EQ, compression, etc. These are some of the techniques that you can use to make your bass more powerful and punchy. You can also use different presets, layers, octaves, etc. to add more depth and richness to your bass.
Now we have a basic drum and bass pattern for our track. Let's see how it sounds together with the melody:
Not bad, right? But we can make it even better by adding some effects and automation to our track.
Enhancing the track with effects and automation
One of the ways to improve your track and make it more interesting and professional is to use effects and automation. Effects are plugins or tools that can modify or enhance the sound of your tracks, such as reverb, delay, EQ, compression, etc. Automation is a way of controlling or changing the parameters of your tracks or effects over time, such as volume, pan, filter cutoff, etc.
By using effects and automation, you can add more color, depth, space, dynamics, variation, etc. to your track. You can also create transitions, builds, drops, etc. to make your track more exciting and engaging.
There are many ways to add effects and automation in FL Studio, such as using the mixer, the channel settings, the playlist, etc. For this example, I will use the mixer and the playlist to add some basic effects and automation to our track. Here are the steps:
In FL Studio, go to "View" > "Mixer" or press F9 on your keyboard. This will open the mixer window where you can adjust the levels, pan, stereo width, etc. of each track and add effects to them.
In the mixer window, you will see a list of tracks or channels on the left side and a master track on the right side. The master track is where all the other tracks are routed to and where you can apply some global effects or mastering techniques to your track.
To assign a track or channel from the channel rack to a mixer track, simply right-click on an empty mixer track and choose "Link selected channels > Start from this track". This will link all the tracks or channels from the channel rack to consecutive mixer tracks starting from the one you selected.
For this example, I will assign FPC to mixer track 1, Nexus2 (bass) to mixer track 2, and Nexus2 (lead) to mixer track 3. You can rename or color-code your mixer tracks by right-clicking on them and choosing "Rename/color".
To add an effect to a mixer track, simply click on one of the slots under the track name and choose an effect from the list of plugins. You can also drag and drop an effect from the browser window or use third-party VST plugins if you have them installed.
For this example, I will add some basic effects to each mixer track as follows:
Mixer Track Effect Settings --- --- --- 1 (FPC) Fruity Reeverb 2 Wet level: 20%, Room size: 50%, Decay: 1 s 1 (FPC) Fruity Parametric EQ 2 Cut some low frequencies below 50 Hz 2 (Nexus2 - bass) Fruity Fast Dist Mix level: 50%, Threshold: 50%, Preamp: 100% 2 (Nexus2 - bass) Fruity Parametric EQ 2 Boost some low frequencies around 100 Hz and cut some high frequencies above 10 kHz 2 (Nexus2 - bass) Fruity Limiter Gain: 6 dB, Ceiling: 0 dB 3 (Nexus2 - lead) Fruity Delay 3 Time: 4 steps, Feedback: 40%, Mix level: 30% 3 (Nexus2 - lead) Fruity Reeverb 2 Wet level: 40%, Room size: 80%, Decay: 2 s 3 (Nexus2 - lead) Fruity Parametric EQ 2 Cut some low frequencies below 200 Hz and boost some high frequencies above 10 kHz These are some of the effects that I have added to each mixer track to enhance their sound and create some space and depth. You can adjust the settings of each effect to your liking or use different effects if you prefer. You can also add more effects to each mixer track or to the master track if you want.
To add automation to a track or an effect, you can use automation clips or automation envelopes. Automation clips are separate tracks in the playlist that can control the parameters of any track or effect over time. Automation envelopes are part of the track or effect itself and can control only its own parameters over time.
For this example, I will use automation clips to add some automation to our track. Here are the steps:
In FL Studio, go to "View" > "Playlist" or press F5 on your keyboard. This will open the playlist window where you can arrange your tracks and automation clips.
In the playlist window, right-click on an empty track and choose "Insert one". This will create a new track for your automation clip.
In the mixer window, right-click on the parameter that you want to automate and choose "Create automation clip". This will create an automation clip for that parameter and place it on the selected track in the playlist.
In the playlist window, you can edit your automation clip by using your mouse to draw or modify the points and curves on the clip. You can also use the tools in the top left corner of the playlist window to cut, copy, paste, delete, etc. your automation clip.
For this example, I will create an automation clip for the filter cutoff of the lead sound. To do this, I will right-click on the filter cutoff knob in the Nexus2 interface and choose "Create automation clip". This will create an automation clip for the filter cutoff and place it on track 4 in the playlist.
In the playlist window, I will edit my automation clip by drawing a curve that goes from low to high over four bars. This will create a rising effect that will make the lead sound more exciting and dynamic. You can use any other shape or length for your automation clip if you want. Here is how my automation clip looks like in the playlist:
You can listen to how it sounds here:
As you can hear, the automation clip adds some variation and movement to the lead sound. You can also notice that I have added some markers and labels to my playlist to organize my tracks and sections. These are some of the techniques that you can use to make your track more interesting and professional. You can also use different parameters, shapes, lengths, etc. to add more automation to your track.
Now we have added some effects and automation to our track. Let's see how it sounds together:
Wow, that sounds much better! But we are not done yet. We still need to mix and master our track.
Mixing and mastering the track
The final step is to mix and master our track. Mixing is the process of adjusting the levels, pan, stereo width, etc. of each track to make them sound balanced and harmonious. Mastering is the process of applying some global effects or techniques to the master track to make it sound louder, clearer, and more polished.
By mixing and mastering our track, we can improve its sound quality and make it more appealing and professional. There are many ways to mix and master your track in FL Studio, such as using the mixer, the channel settings, the playlist, etc. For this example, I will use the mixer and the master track to do some basic mixing and mastering for our track. Here are the steps:
In FL Studio, go to "View" > "Mixer" or press F9 on your keyboard. This will open the mixer window where you can adjust the levels, pan, stereo width, etc. of each track and add effects to them.
In the mixer window, you will see a list of tracks or channels on the left side and a master track on the right side. The master track is where all the other tracks are routed to and where you can apply some global effects or mastering techniques to your track.
To mix your track, you will need to adjust the volume faders of each track or channel to make them sound balanced and harmonious. You can also use the pan knobs to adjust the stereo position of ea