KVR Audio

Dewdman42 · Post by **Dewdman42** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:13 pm

This might be a crazy idea, but does anyone know if there is a synth which can do FM synthesis, using oscillators that are a little more virtual analog instead of pure digital?

What I'm looking for is something that can do pretty extensive and flexible FM synthesis, but possessing some natural sounding imperfections

Jace-BeOS · Post by **Jace-BeOS** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:41 pm

Yeah, I've often thought that using other types of oscillators in FM synthesis would be more interesting than just sine waves... A hybrid would be neat. Few synths have tried it.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:00 pm

Tone 2 Nemesis offers real FM (with the "Neo FM modes) instead of the phase modulation of most other FM synths (including DX7).
You could load and save custom waveforms and there is a simple additive (16 partials) waveform editor.

Many VA synths like e.g. Tone 2 Elctra 2, Synthmaster, Diversion, Largo etc. offer FM between oscillators too.
all of those could use complex waveforms or could even load custom waveforms.

Not sure if this is what you are searching...

Jace-BeOS wrote:Yeah, I've often thought that using other types of oscillators in FM synthesis would be more interesting than just sine waves... A hybrid would be neat. Few synths have tried it.

Ni FM8 offers sevral differnt waveforms besides just a Sine. Ableton Operator has a built-in additive like waveform editor.Tone 2 Nemeis could use any waveform including custom ones and has a simple additive like waveform editor.

Many FM synths offer more than a Sine and also some analog synths includin the good old Minimoog are able to do FM (or "crossmodulation")

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:01 pm

Sytrus can do it.

Echoes in the Attic · Post by **Echoes in the Attic** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:06 pm

I love Poly-Ana for this kind of thing personally. Also there's DCAM Synth Squad's Cypher and U-he ACE. Or even the ARP 2600 emulations like Arturia's or the Timewarp one.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:08 pm

I would imagine that Reaktor could do it.

Dewdman42 · Post by **Dewdman42** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:11 pm

I'm looking forward to trying Sytrus when its ready for the mac. So many people love the way it sounds.

I'm not personally looking to frequency modulate complex waveforms. Generally that is going to be difficult to get musical sounding tones I think. Some people have talked about using filters on the operators in order to filter out some of the weirdness that can happen from operators being slightly out of tune with each other, especially as you move up and down the keyboard or try to play musical lines.

yet, combining perfectly pure sine waves together is somehow TOO perfect, if you know what I mean. FM is extremely powerful, particularly for growl sounds, etc. Just trying to to find a way to goose a little more warmth out of it.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:22 pm

Dewdman42 wrote: I'm not personally looking to frequency modulate complex waveforms. Generally that is going to be difficult to get musical sounding tones I think. Some people have talked about using filters on the operators in order to filter out some of the weirdness that can happen from operators being slightly out of tune with each other, especially as you move up and down the keyboard or try to play musical lines.

Most FM synths are using phase modulation instead which indeed des not work properly with complex waveforms. Tone 2 Nemeis with the Neo FM modes offers real Fm which works with any waveform.
Eacch operator has a filter (not exactly a typical analog filter) to "smoothen" the waveform if necessary.
Besides "real" FM there are several other synthesis modes to combine the ipaertaors like e.g. phase modulation (like in the DX7), a formant mode, wavetable (= wave morph) or phase distortion. Some of the FM modes include additional harmonics like a second oscillator or a Sub-Osc.

Using FM in analog emulation like e.g. TimewARP 2600 as others mentioned could lead to nice results too.

Ingo

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:28 pm

Bazille would be an obvious candidate.

Grab it now during the pre-sale, you'll easily get your money back later if you want to sell it second-hand.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:32 pm

Numanoid wrote:Bazille would be an obvious candidate.

Grab it now during the pre-sale, you'll easily get your money back later if you want to sell it second-hand.

Bazille seem to be interesting indeed. Currently testing the public beta myself. Anyway i think that Nemesis, FM8 and Bazille are diifferent enough for using all three of them (at least for me).

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:33 pm

Bazille is a versatile FM synth... you can easily explore what you are looking for and beyond... the sound quality is very high... and the filters!

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:34 pm

Ingonator wrote:Anyway i think that Nemesis, FM8 and Bazille are diifferent enough for using all three of them (at least for me).

Yeah, think so too, FM8 for the more "tradtional" DX approach, Bazille for the modular approach, and Nemesis for NeoFM synthesis

Dewdman42 · Post by **Dewdman42** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:37 pm

what is NeoFM?

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:40 pm

Dewdman42 wrote:what is NeoFM?

Ingo, do you know what the Tone2 concept is?

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:49 pm

Ingonator wrote:Anyway i think that Nemesis, FM8 and Bazille are diifferent enough for using all three of them (at least for me).

Yeah, all 3 are quite different...

FM synth with VA operators?