Are There Any Good Hardware FM Synthesizers?

[Lotuzia]

Sy-77, Sy-99 or TG-77 (cheaper = the one I still have) are by far the best ones afaik. Not a lot of knobs though. Dx7-IIFD is not so difficult to program you have direct access thru a lot of pages with the switches. Then select a parameter and use the data input slider. Agree its not the top of ergonomy but well if you have a precise idea of what you want to do its rather quick.

If you find a Dx7-IIFD difficult to program, hmmm, maybe you should put a bit more your hands in the engine or maybe FM is not for you.

Basic point with FM is that its more predictive than analog knob tweaking imho so that when you modify a parameter usually you will kwnow approximatively the result. If not its very easy to make some ""ooooops wrong planet" in FM.

Tx-802 is fun too with its round-robin mode beetween all the 8 FM presets. (Still have one somewhere).

Hope this helps

LtZ

[aMUSEd]

You can do FM synthesis on a Virus and with the Ti you also get waveforms to use.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug04/a ... ustips.htm

I'm sure it's not as good for FM as a dedicated FM synth but on the other hand maybe it's a reasonable compromise as you do get the knobs etc you want.

[fac]

G2 can't use samples as carriers, not sure how two 6op sections would work on it (and definitely polyphony would be hurt, not so with TG77), and it sounds nothing like a TG77, especially with some "unconventional" (which is some of what FM is best for for my taste) routings and "gritty" settings.

You're right about the samples, but that's about the only thing missing on the G2. In any case, the G2 oscillators can generate a wide range of waveforms.

About polyphony, well, I have an expanded G2 and it can do 16 voices of typical 6-op FM synthesis, more if you use less operators. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but we're talking about a modular architecture here.

I don't know if the G2 can sound like the TG77, but the OP didn't ask for TG77 sounds, he asked for FM sounds. And trust me, with the G2 you can make some quite unconventional routings. Sure, there's the DX7 routing module, but you can do your own routings any way you like.

Anyway, I'm not saying the G2 would be better than the TG77, but the OP asked for a synth that could do FM and would allow one to program it by turning knobs instead of browsing through endless menus, and the G2 can be programmed to do just that (besides a zillion other things).

[The Chase]

Why not build one yourself, Chase?

www.ucapps.de

Still need to knock down that mbSID project I'm pushing in front of myself for years now.

You know, this is really seeming like a better and better idea, and my college might even cover it if I integrate it into a class project.

I could buy a cheap used laptop and build it into the midi controller's exposure...could have the interface linked to Hexter params via MIDI, or one of my reaktor ensembles via OSC. Would interface it with something like this: http://www.doepfer.de/pe.htm

[phraggle]

the programming of which making me want to stab a baby in the face with a broken bottle.

Lovely choice of imagery, I'm sure.

[Shy]

fac: of course the original poster didn't ask for TG77 specifically or TG77 vs G2, you did. You asked for a reply regarding "and G2 can't do what it can either" and I replied to you with a little list of stuff (there are more, "minor" things) and one of the things it can't do is sound like it either.

Anyway, there are many well featured FM synths, software too, but none actually has the hands-on control The Chase wants. As Himalaya said, Clavia seems like the one for the job of making something with tons of knobs . I really don't think they'd do an FM synth though. It would have to be a synth with multiple synthesis types, one of them being modular 6op (or more) FM. But why not just make a crazy controller-only with tons of knobs like that jellinghaus DX-programmer? Come on Clavia .

[Cygnus X-1]

The FS1r is not an "FM synth", it's a "Formant Shaping / FM synth". As a pure FM synth, it's not really complex. Its unique architecture is what makes it such a unique, great sounding synth.

From the FS1R manual:
========================
The FS1R actually takes FM synthesis to new levels of musical versatility and control. Unlike Yamaha's original FM synthesizers and tone generators the FS1R provides a range of 88 algorithms to choose from, and a choice of 8 different waveforms for each oscillator, thus significantly expanding the range of sound which can be produced. And of course the ability to combine Formant Shaping with FM opens a whole new universe of musical possibilities.
========================

Add to that the fact that it can import DX-7 presets, and that it has a total of 88 algorithms utilizing 8 operators (as aopposed to 45 algorithms utilising only 6 operators on the SY-99), I don't know what you mean when you say it's not an FM synthesizer.

[Shy]

I said it's a "Formant Shaping / FM synth" and not just an "FM synth". It has more algorithms simply because it has 2 more operators. TG99 has many more waveforms and can use samples for the carrier as well.

[Muzik 4 Machines]

oldish dx200 groovebox, it has 6 knobs IIRC (6 times more than any other dx/fm synth on the market)

[kuniklo]

This is sort of a left-field suggestion, but the FM machines in the Elektron Monomachine are actually pretty capable. They're quite a bit simpler than even the DX7 but their integration with the sequencer and the rest of the sound engine makes them pretty interesting FM synths in their own right and the knobbage and interface are second to none. You won't be able to do those big evolving FM pads but all the clangorous percussive stuff is easy achievable as are typical lead & bass FM sounds.

The high-pitched tremolo arp bit in the first tune on my virb page (called 'mir') comes from one of the Monomachine FM synths.

[Shy]

I've heard lots of cool stuff from Monomachine. They can sometimes be found for really cheap, maybe I'll get one some time, especially if I need a portable synth/beatbox.

[kuniklo]

I've heard lots of cool stuff from Monomachine. They can sometimes be found for really cheap, maybe I'll get one some time, especially if I need a portable synth/beatbox.

The MM certainly has limitations, and it can't really be your only synth, but it's a lot of fun and always a source of surprises.

[zerocrossing]

I made my own! I hooked this:

http://www.novationmusic.com/products/m ... remote_sl/

up to this:

http://www.native-instruments.com:80/in ... d09127f8d9

Sorry gang, I've owned DX7s and other FM Hardware synths in my day and really nothing else comes close for ease of programmability. SL's automap will give you a bunch of knobs and the vast amount of of great presets will give you great places to start and maybe you'll even find something you like out of the box so you can get to playing music instead of sound design.

[Compyfox]

Why not build one yourself, Chase?

www.ucapps.de

Still need to knock down that mbSID project I'm pushing in front of myself for years now.

You know, this is really seeming like a better and better idea, and my college might even cover it if I integrate it into a class project.

I could buy a cheap used laptop and build it into the midi controller's exposure...could have the interface linked to Hexter params via MIDI, or one of my reaktor ensembles via OSC. Would interface it with something like this: http://www.doepfer.de/pe.htm

The only problem is... where to still get an old audiocard which has that chipset. I was thinking of building one of those things myself, but I didn't even start on that mbSID one. Then again, the waiting was worth it, cause now it can do more than just C64 sounds or basslines. Still... I'm happy to be able use a 1xSID chip system only, as these chips are friggin rare.

Still worth it though - the synth of your dreams, and you actually built it. Circuit bending was yesterday, indeed.

[NiFF]

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The FS1r is not an "FM synth", it's a "Formant Shaping / FM synth". As a pure FM synth, it's not really complex. Its unique architecture is what makes it such a unique, great sounding synth.

It's not as complex as my wife.

But compared to the DX7's 6 operators, the FS1R is pretty advanced. It has 8 voiced and 8 unvoiced operators, resonant filters, all sorts of routing and you can have 4 voice programs play simultaniously.
With a 32 note polyphony that's 512 operators playing at once, each with their own envelopes, keyboard tracking, waveform, etc.

Where the DX7 operators can only play a sinus "waveform", the fs1r also has different types, like cleverly constructed formant generators: each of those with skirt,bw bias and resonance parameters.

One of its applications is to construct spoken vocals with those formant oscillators by using so called formant sequences, but even without those it's still a killer FM machine.

However, without a proper editor it's nearly impossible to control this beast because the interface has been specifically designed to frustrate you. I wonder how many babies have died because of the front-panel interface.

Better stick with female front-panel interfaces, that's my tip of the day.

Check out some formant weirdness:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~niff/fs1r/fseqs/mp3/ (http://www.xs4all.nl/~niff/fs1r/fseqs/mp3/)

regards,
Wouter