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There's some hullabaloo on a different forum regards best form factors of FM Synthesis.
I obviously threw my hat in the ring singing praises for FM-X, but found myself rapidly sinking out of my depth.
Brief Google's on Linear vs Exponential, and Frequency vs Phase Modulation... made my brain melt.
So... definitively.... which camps does FM-X lie in?
(btw... background in Telecom's, where Phase Mod and Frequency Mod are just different means to the same end result... but musically ???. Some are swearing there's a massive difference).
I like my FM-X.... so this is curiosity. Nothing technical will dissuade me from that.
Posted : 10/12/2022 11:14 am
It's Phase Modulation Synthesis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_modulation
Stare at that animated diagram for a while and it'll click.
Brian on these forums was the one that woke me up to this, as I couldn't get my coded signals to match 1:1 when using Frequency Modulation, but could once given the tip that it's actually Phase Modulation... which is also why there's so many horrid sounds possible, whereas purely FM synthesis doesn't have such a big range of variation.
https://www.yamahasynth.com/forum/fm-x-ratio-1-1-what-exactly-is-going-on
After playing with it a LOT, in both the MODX and code, Phase Modulation and in particular the modulation of Phase Modulation properties, began to become somewhat intuitive... but it did take a LOT of experimentation before it clicked.
The way Korg does FM (which is actually PM) in their OpSix is arguably significantly better AND more musical than what's going on in the MODX/Montage.
Have a listen to some sounds on Korg OpSix... techno, but GOOD!
Posted : 10/12/2022 2:52 pm
Topic starter
Last night, I thought I had a dog in the fight.
After a good night's sleep, I now realise I don't care. The Synth Elites like nothing better than to bicker and split hairs over the most trivial details.
FM-X sounds good, therefore it is good. I'll leave it there.
Posted : 10/12/2022 11:44 pm
