FM synth recommendations please?
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Sound Mechanics Sound Mechanics https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=54454
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1618 posts since 10 Jan, 2005 from UK
I'm looking for a good FM softsynth?
Thanks
Thanks
- Banned
- 7624 posts since 13 Nov, 2015 from Norway
- KVRAF
- 11093 posts since 16 Mar, 2003 from Porto - Portugal
Sytrus (Image-Line) and Rhino (Big Tick) are two very good FM synths, that many times get under the radar, maybe because they can do other things (like very competent subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis, even sampling, etc.)
Toxic Biohazard (also Image-Line) is another very good FM synth.
Lin Plug Octopus (now discontinued) was another great Fm synth, that, IMO, didn't got the appreciation it deserved.
DeXed is an emulation of the old Yamnaha DX7 (still with some things to be added - is a WIP, but moving slowly)
FM8 is the synth to go, if you are searching for a classic FM sound, in the vein of the mentioned DX7, but with modern features.
Nemesis (Tone 2) also does FM (both Phase Modulation and true Frequency Modulation) as well as something they call Neo FM. It only can use up to four oscillators though.
Bazille (which also can only use up to four oscillators) can do FM, as well as PD (Phase Distortion) and a plethora of other things (thanks to it's modular architecture), but is not your regular FM synth.
UVI Falcon has FM (among many other things), and can go up to four operators.
Synthmaster can do FM too, but again, it is limited by the number of oscillators.
Of course, you have the two "modular monsters" that also can do FM, among basically anything else (Reaktor and Tassman). Reaktor even has many ready-made ensembles that are complete FM synths.
These are maybe the most important that come to mind at the moment.
Toxic Biohazard (also Image-Line) is another very good FM synth.
Lin Plug Octopus (now discontinued) was another great Fm synth, that, IMO, didn't got the appreciation it deserved.
DeXed is an emulation of the old Yamnaha DX7 (still with some things to be added - is a WIP, but moving slowly)
FM8 is the synth to go, if you are searching for a classic FM sound, in the vein of the mentioned DX7, but with modern features.
Nemesis (Tone 2) also does FM (both Phase Modulation and true Frequency Modulation) as well as something they call Neo FM. It only can use up to four oscillators though.
Bazille (which also can only use up to four oscillators) can do FM, as well as PD (Phase Distortion) and a plethora of other things (thanks to it's modular architecture), but is not your regular FM synth.
UVI Falcon has FM (among many other things), and can go up to four operators.
Synthmaster can do FM too, but again, it is limited by the number of oscillators.
Of course, you have the two "modular monsters" that also can do FM, among basically anything else (Reaktor and Tassman). Reaktor even has many ready-made ensembles that are complete FM synths.
These are maybe the most important that come to mind at the moment.
Last edited by fmr on Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Fernando (FMR)
- KVRAF
- 14985 posts since 26 Jun, 2006 from San Francisco Bay Area
Octopus was one of my favorites. I'm not sure if their going out of business sale is still on, but if it is, I'd snag it.
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- KVRAF
- 10260 posts since 19 Feb, 2004 from Paris
NI FM8 : ALL the classic FM tones AND plethora of new possibilities + lot of support from 3rd party quality soundbanks + integration into NKS and Maschine for those who have these kind of controllers.
You can't really go wrong with this one.
You can't really go wrong with this one.
http://www.lelotusbleu.fr Synth Presets
77 Exclusive Soundbanks for 23 synths, 8 Sound Designers, Hours of audio Demos. The Sound you miss might be there
77 Exclusive Soundbanks for 23 synths, 8 Sound Designers, Hours of audio Demos. The Sound you miss might be there
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Sound Mechanics Sound Mechanics https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=54454
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 1618 posts since 10 Jan, 2005 from UK
Thanks for the recommendations.
Dexed sounds identical to my old DX7. I love FM7 but it never had that vibe of the hardware.
Dexed sounds identical to my old DX7. I love FM7 but it never had that vibe of the hardware.
- KVRian
- 707 posts since 29 Dec, 2016 from India
in free section
dexed or oxefm(still love oxe <3) synth are yout two option
in paid section
1.with many osc
FM8 and Sytrus
pick up sytrus if you know sound design with fm and additive
2.with wavetable
the synth every young hip guy will have "serum"
3.all rounder(you need to be good at sound design)
Mpowersynth and falcon
i picked up mpower due to its many ways of osc modulation(mix,fm,rm,sync,convulation(yes thats a option of osc modulation in it)) + additive/VA/custom hand draw-able shapes oscillator + waveatable(it needs special process to make it work like a wavetable synth)+8 lfo with custom shapes enable+8 custom banks for modulating multiple paramaters using single mod source
on a conclusion it is sytrus on steroids + meth + cocaine + LSD
P.S. i am not a partner of the melda production i still wanted to buy Falcon(that time) but my mom and dad did't allowed me to spend that much in 2015 so.... and later i became familiar with mpowersynth
P.S. sorry for this long ass explanation
dexed or oxefm(still love oxe <3) synth are yout two option
in paid section
1.with many osc
FM8 and Sytrus
pick up sytrus if you know sound design with fm and additive
2.with wavetable
the synth every young hip guy will have "serum"
3.all rounder(you need to be good at sound design)
Mpowersynth and falcon
i picked up mpower due to its many ways of osc modulation(mix,fm,rm,sync,convulation(yes thats a option of osc modulation in it)) + additive/VA/custom hand draw-able shapes oscillator + waveatable(it needs special process to make it work like a wavetable synth)+8 lfo with custom shapes enable+8 custom banks for modulating multiple paramaters using single mod source
on a conclusion it is sytrus on steroids + meth + cocaine + LSD
P.S. i am not a partner of the melda production i still wanted to buy Falcon(that time) but my mom and dad did't allowed me to spend that much in 2015 so.... and later i became familiar with mpowersynth
P.S. sorry for this long ass explanation
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mainly use REAPER, MTotalbundle, Unfiltered Audio TRIAD and LION, NI classic collection,......... ETC
- KVRAF
- 2772 posts since 22 May, 2017
I'll add another vote for:
Dexed
OxeFM
Octopus
Sytrus
I'll also add:
Zebra, it can do some great FM stuff.
Dexed
OxeFM
Octopus
Sytrus
I'll also add:
Zebra, it can do some great FM stuff.
I like Serum because it's an incredible synth, not because it's "hip".Apratim wrote: 2.with wavetable
the synth every young hip guy will have "serum"
- KVRian
- 937 posts since 31 May, 2017
Definitely Dexed. And I would not call it simple as one poster above has. It is an exact replica of the DX7 (with the small absence of the portamento section, but it does add a resonant low pass filter that the DX7 didn't have so there you go). Same 6 operator architecture, same envelope generators, same algorithms. You can coax some amazing sounds out of this thing if you know what you are doing. And it really nails the sound of an actual DX7 perfectly. But it is even better than the hardware because it is obviously easier to program with a computer GUI, but also the things you can do with DAW automation (automating modulator frequency for example, or even modulating algorithm changes) take it beyond what you can easily accomplish with the hardware.
It is one of my favorite soft synths at any price (really amazing that it is free). The one thing is that you better really know how to use fm synthesis for this one because it is a dedicated fm only synth. Many of the others being mentioned here are hybrids and in some cases the fm part is simplified so it is like fm synthesis with training wheels. Which is not a bad thing if that is what you're looking for.
It is one of my favorite soft synths at any price (really amazing that it is free). The one thing is that you better really know how to use fm synthesis for this one because it is a dedicated fm only synth. Many of the others being mentioned here are hybrids and in some cases the fm part is simplified so it is like fm synthesis with training wheels. Which is not a bad thing if that is what you're looking for.
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Mister Natural Mister Natural https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=164174
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- 2834 posts since 28 Oct, 2007 from michigan
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- 4590 posts since 7 Jun, 2012 from Warsaw
Yes, very fast to program and can do enough for every purpose.Mister Natural wrote:Ableton Operator . . . if you fancy LIVE
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