WeeklyBeats.com - FM Synthesis talk for WB users

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-11T17:55:43Z

Agreed! When you have a chain of four operators, sound design can be a lot of trial and error, but I think it gets more fluent after a while. The effect tweaking has on the spectral content is not as naturally obvious to people as with simple filters, and there are no good metaphors to describe it.

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-11T15:45:14Z

I think you are right. One thing I'm starting to suspect though, FM seems to be a very subtle art. Tiny alterations in envelopes can drastically change the sound, I feel more so then with subtractive synthesis

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-11T06:46:16Z

Not that much later though... Probably <2ms in reality.

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-11T03:25:44Z

boomlinde wrote:

Tthe carrier attack for the noise pair. I think a real snare starts rattling slightly after the initial pop on the skin.

That is a great point, the rattle for a snare is springs streched across the bottom of the drum right? You hear the rattle when they snap BACK ergo they much be later than the initial hit, I never thought of that!

this thread.

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-11T00:53:50Z

Love some good FM, wish I was better at programming some sweet lead lines and percussion though.

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-10T22:18:15Z

Love FM! If I could find Virt's talk I would link it now... But FM really is great. The timbre is just so unique! For a while I've been working on Genny FM rave DJ sets ala Hizmi, to no avail. Perhaps that would be a good point to focus on in the coming weeks. I would love to hear some FM tracks on WB, link them if you make them. FM heads unite!

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-10T19:16:47Z

These snares are great!

The pair algorithm is probably best, yeah. Max out the feedback as you suggested (or at least until you get a good crackly noise) for the snare part. Then, for the other pair, use a short, snappy decay (no or very little sustain) for the modulator and a slightly longer one for the carrier to get both a pop and a ringing tone for the drum part. Experiment with the decays, and also the carrier attack for the noise pair. I think a real snare starts rattling slightly after the initial pop on the skin.

I'm not sure how the bass drums are gone (I'm spoiled with note slides in TFM ) but I guess you should focus on two operators as for the drum part of the snare. I hope that is of some help.

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-10T16:11:10Z

Yah, I think a lot of stuff I have found on the internet is either really pretty basic "this is a modulator this is a carrier" type stuff or terrifying quantam math that would scare Spock shitless. Not much in the intermediate areas where I am.

Re: FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-10T15:45:07Z

I've come to terms that FM synthesis is a form of wizardry.

FM Synthesis talk for WB users

2012-01-10T15:34:01Z

I'm super interested in finally unraveling the mysteries of FM synthesis as part of my weeklybeats project. I have a rudimentary grasp of FM and can manage quite a lot of sounds I like, eg, nice simulated filtery lead and bass sounds, little percussive tinny sounds and probably enough electric pianos to last a life time but there are a few sounds which I really have trouble with.

Alex Mauer posted an AWESOME video of custom drum sounds and 2 or 3 of them have me stumped. The snappy kick an boxy snare in the first drum loop and the very poppy/finger snappy sound from 0:15 to 0:20.

Im guessing the kick and the snare are made with a pair of modulators going into a pair of carriers with FB on op 4 using only sine waves (as im pretty sure that is all the FB01 had) but anyone have any more specific ideas?

Any other FM fans in the house?