Which "FM" synths really are FM?

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Instruments Discussion
Locked New Topic
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

Read somewhere that the DX7 was actually phase modulation synthesis. I don't know how credible it was but here is the article https://moinsound.wordpress.com/2011/03 ... hnologies/
SW: Cubase 9.5 | Komplete 11 | Omnisphere 2 | Perfect Storm 2.5 | Soundtoys 5
HW: Steinberg UR28M | Focal Alpha 50 | Fender Jazz Bass | Alesis VI25

Post

I found this distinction:
"In PM synthesis, the phase angle of the modulator is changed rather than the frequency." :?
MuLab-Reaper of course :D

Post

For the record, I'm not planning on purchasing any synths based on this discussion. I've already got too many of them as it is! :lol:

I'm just trying to get a better understanding of how they work, what it is I've got, etc.

Great discussion! :tu:

Post

wagtunes wrote:Here are a few true FM synths that I personally know of. There may be more.

Dexed
Double Six XXL
Six
These appear to be Windows VST only. Know of any 64-bit AU FM synths..?

Hm, I wonder if Logic's EFM1 is truly FM...

Post

Naenyn wrote:
wagtunes wrote:Here are a few true FM synths that I personally know of. There may be more.

Dexed
Double Six XXL
Six
These appear to be Windows VST only. Know of any 64-bit AU FM synths..?

Hm, I wonder if Logic's EFM1 is truly FM...

Dexed is cross-platform, scroll down to the binary downloads section : https://github.com/asb2m10/dexed

Post

wagtunes wrote: If you ever owned a DX7, you'll see that these are FM synths.
"Yamaha claimed that the DX7 used FM, but it actually implemented Phase modulation synthesis."

Quoted from:

http://www.yamaha-tech.com/wiki/Yamaha_DX7
None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Post

jdnz wrote:Dexed is cross-platform, scroll down to the binary downloads section : https://github.com/asb2m10/dexed
Indeed, there is a Mac version of the VST. No AU though, which is what I'd need. :?

Post

:oops:

Post

Oh I see you deleted your post so I'll delete the quote........ :hihi:
None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Post

Teksonik wrote:Oh I see you deleted your post so I'll delete the quote........ :hihi:
I was about to suggest Obxd because it has an AU version but it isn't a FM synth at all... :oops:

Post

Voice303 wrote:Synthmaster can do PM and FM.
If we go by that ANY synth i mean ANY can do FM including Bazile, Diva, Zebra...
Blue 2 can do even a loott more then those. But there is still synths like FM8 which are FM/PM.
Reality is a Condition due to Lack of Weed!

Post

And yes, these 3 are closer to an original FM/PM synth:
Dexed
Double Six XXL
Six
Reality is a Condition due to Lack of Weed!

Post

BasariStudios wrote:But there is still synths like FM8 which are FM.
...which uses PM instead, according to the OP...given they really emulated the DX7 precisely...

(Damn, you're faster than me in editing your posts! :hihi:)

Post

Yes, you are right...not just FM8, DX7 it self was PM. Then you had the one from Korg,
what was its name that was an FM/P, synth. The DX7 i mastered completely but never
understood the theory, i just knew what the parameters do, how? I don't know.
Actually it was few from Korg, DS-8, 707 (which i owned one) and few others.
Reality is a Condition due to Lack of Weed!

Post

PM and FM are two approaches to getting some sort of angle modulation, which essentially is what we want the synth to do. Without knowledge of the modulation function it would be hard to tell if a resulting signal is PM or FM-based. For the simple case of sinusoids, the equation for the signal is more or less the same, with the only difference being the way the modulation index is defined. For all practical purposes, PM and FM are essentially equivalent. The question should be: which synth does angle modulation? Tons of them. But if what we mean by a "true" FM synth is one that implements operators and operator diagrams, then there aren't that many.

Locked

Return to “Instruments”