By AnotherBob
On 28th March 2004
Version: 1
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I owned a Yamaha DX7 for a few years. It was cheap, light, and one of the first affordable synths with velocity sensitive keys. With all the benefits of using this keyboard on stage I hated the sound. FM7 is a software version of the DX7, developed by Native Instruments with the blessing of Yamaha. When FM7 hit the market I wondered why anyone would want a program that sounded like the thin, lifeless DX7. It was a year before I gave in to the positive reviews and tried this VSTi. To my surprise this is the one VSTi based on a hardware synthesizer that sounds better than the hardware. Much better. No DX7 ever made the luscious pads available on FM7. This is partially due to greater processing power of the host computer, a higher processing rate, better D/A’s, multi-stage eg’s and a decent effects section.
There are 100’s of patches available online for the DX7 and FM7. I received the extra sound set from NI free when I bought FM7. It has 128 beautiful and useful patches. Programming FM is very different than subtractive synthesis but at least FM7 has a tab designed for simple programming. I prefer to tweak patches created by others rather than start from scratch.
FM7 responds will to sustain pedal, after touch, pitch bend and modulation wheels. However, it does not allow the right click CC control assignment found on many new VSTis.
User Interface - Looks nice and provides tabs to access many functions and an easy mode page.
Sound - Very good.
Features - FM synthesis with excellent eg’s and effects.
Documentation - A decent book book.
Presets - Not a lot but what you get is good.
Customer Support - Better than what you get from a hardware company.
Value For The Money - A bit expensive for but this is still THE FM VSTi.
Stability - Never crashes my system.
Copy Protection - Occasional CD check.
Frequency Of Use - Maybe half of my songs.
CPU Load - Very light.
Remote Patch Change - Patch increment and decrement works from my keyboard workstation. Only holds one bank so bank change is useless.
Fun Factor - Medium if you like programming FM.
I would buy again, but first I would consider some of the competition that is half the price. The low CPU usage for a sound this good is probably the best reason. |
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By bandasound
On 4th February 2004
Version: 1.2
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1 of 5 people found
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I think this is one of my DXi (like the B4) that are 'mature'. I think this kind of software programing needs to be applauded. I use this intrument %80 percent of the time. Glassy Piano...and tons of other presets are delicious. I also like the fact that you can import DX7 patches all day long....whewww....need i say more...the FM7 rocks |
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By DevonB
On 9th January 2004
Version: 1.1
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I came into the synthesis world in love with the sound and character of FM, and that love has not changed to this day. You can just imagine how happy I was to discover the likes of FM7, and even with me owning it now for over a year and a half, I still find myself turning to it over and over. I have noticed you'll find some days, you'll just love the sound, and other days, you can't figure out what you can do with it, but this synth is one that for sure grows on you over time. Hard to imagine that an old VSTi these days, but despite the age, FM7 is still aging well. I keep hoping NI will do a major update to FM7, but I simply can't imagine what they could do to drastically improve upon such a powerful FM emulation. I cannot recommend FM7 highly enough if you truely like FM synthesis, as NI took FM to the next level. |
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By ukelele
On 29th October 2003
Version: 1.1
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ukelele
2 of 4 people found
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I have used the FM7 for quite some time now, and I still turn to the synth quite often when I'm searching for a nice warm FM sound.
It's not the easiest synth to program from scratch. Thing is, however, that there are many patches to choose from and alter until you get the sound you need.
Another great plus is that the FM7 really has its own sound, which not many other FM synths can claim.
If you want warm, lively FM sounds, this might just be the synth you're looking for. Oh, and the CPU load is minimal, another great plus:) (system it runs on: 2.0ghz, 256ram) |
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Last edited by ukelele on 29th October 2003
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By x_bruce
On 9th April 2003
Version: 1.1
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Make no mistake, FM7 is a great plugin and when it first came out it was beyond anything in this type of sound really available. For DX-7 emulation and enhancement you won't find anything better. But almost two years after release independent developers like Big Tick and it's excellent Rhino, fellow NI Absynth, almost ready to be released at 2.0 and to a degree rgc:audio's z3ta+ all cover a similar range with Rhino and z3ta+ and the VirSyn CUBE on the horizon being more flexible in their own sonic signatures.
But that is the issue to consider. Do you want a DX-7 that is super-sized with filters, effects and a modulation matrix that really allows for some outstanding timbres or do you want a synth that works differently but achieves similar timbres? That is the central question to ask about FM7.
The manual will not teach you how to program FM synthesis, and this is the real deal, not a analog subtractive emulation as many FM implementations attempt to use. To seriously program you will need to study. To convert DX-7 patches and mess with them FM7 will rock, but it is something to consider especially when looking at the price.
I like FM7 and some of the timbres that are included are exceptional although one wonders why NI couldn't have included more banks of DX-7 freeware and spent more time exploiting the synthesizer they unleased. And it is important to take a historical consideration to FM7 because it was one of the first new breed VST instruments, one that was able to emulate and beat the hardware hands down.
So, I appreciate what FM7 can do although it's time for a new version, maybe one with a step sequencer, formant filters or a similar design to Yamaha's FS1r which had incredible potential and a horrible interface. It would also be good if NI took a look at the SY77/99 as sample import and/or interpolation would make FM7 2.0 a top of the list synth.
As FM7 stands it is pricey but worth having if you like FM synthesis. Being able to work exactly like you did on a hardware synth only with a vastly better interface may be priceless to the right user.
Casual users spend time with the demo and see if you are happy with the programming options. There is a simplified mode but you get simplified results from it.
Considering other 2 year old synths FM7 has aged well, but it 'has' aged. At the $69 deal it's a no brainer purchase. At it's normal price you will need to give some serious consideration.
Recommended. |
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