FM synthesis experts, could you recommend books or video tutorials to learn it?

[JeanSelway]

For those who master FM synthesis, what books or video tutorials do you recommend for learning it? I currently have Kilohearts' Phase Plant and NI's FM8 and have tried to make some sounds with those synths but I always reach a point where I don't know what to do or find myself stuck. FM synthesis is quite unpredictable and I don't know how to approach the topic of algorithms.

Most YouTube tutorials only briefly mention FM synthesis and rarely delve into the subject in depth. The other day, I asked the creator of Syntorial if they would ever make a version of their learning software focused on FM synthesis and they said it might happen someday as it is among their options.

[telecharge]

I'm neither master nor expert, but this is a great resource - https://www.yamahasynth.com/learn/synth ... cle-series

[ElVincente]

If you can speak french, I'd recomend that one :
https://elearning.sawup.fr/courses/mait ... ynthese-fm
Not cheap but it gets 50% off from time to time.

[JeanSelway]

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If you can speak french, I'd recomend that one :
https://elearning.sawup.fr/courses/mait ... ynthese-fm (https://elearning.sawup.fr/courses/maitrisez-la-synthese-fm)
Not cheap but it gets 50% off from time to time.

I wish I could speak French. Thanks for the info tho

[lobanov]

I like two books. Both are relatively old but I don't think FM synthesis has been changed.

1. Old one but really good one: "Fm Theory and Applications - By Musicians for Musicians". Good mix of theory and practice. Systematic approach. One of the authors is John Chowning, the inventor of FM synthesis. You may find this book on the net. Not sure it's legal but this book is everywhere.

2. More modern one is "How to Make a Noise: Frequency Modulation Synthesis" by Simon Cann.

[Chris-S]

If you own NI FM8, it's usefull to set it to the spectrum display mode and whatch the harmonics while changing the levels.

Example:

fm8.png

Here we have a simple FM pair (Carrier-Modulator) with ratio 1:3, so F has ratio 1 and E has 3.

You see that harmonics 3,6,9 etc are missing.
This is because you get the harmonics 1+3, 1 + 2*3, 1 + 3*3, ... and 1 - 3, 1 - 2*3, 1 - 3*3,...
Negative freqs are mirrored to positive, so 1-3 = -2 gives +2.
So, you get harmonics 1,4,7,10, ... and 2,5,8,11, ..., together: 1,2,4,5,7,8,10,..

For short: with ratio 1:1 you get sawtooth like spectra, with 1:2 you get square like spectra and with 1:3 pulse like spectra.

To get inharmonic sounds you use some non-integer ratios like 1: 3.47 -> bell tone.

Also play with the feedback amount (5 in the picture), increasing this gives first more spiky waveforms and finally noise.

Envelopes: envelope on carrier is the amplitude envelope and envelope on modulator is kind of filter envelope.

The rest is playing around and experimenting.

[k2006]

this is good http://www.javelinart.com/FM_Synthesis_ ... uments.pdf

[digitalboytn]

this is good http://www.javelinart.com/FM_Synthesis_ ... uments.pdf

Harmonic analysis of existing instruments and their recreation through synthesis,is one area that really interests me....

I've been moving away from sample based libraries and replacing them with synthesizers and with so many great tools available to us these days,it's been really inspiring ..

Productive too