Thank You Cassie for the Annoncement and Manny for this great FM-X article 😉

Thanks a lot Cassie! Learning FM and FM-X is a timeless experience, i.e. it requires a lot of time at your side.

Thank You Cassie, Really looking to understand the potential of FM-X better, loving the parts and performances on the Montage, so playable, and dynamic. Learning how to tweak, and build my own FM-X seems like a lot fun:D. I have another scuba weekend between you and Bad Mister.... Loving it!

Hi all,
this is a great tutorial and so easy to help us understanding FM and FMX.
For me as a blind user I read the article and be glad to have all parameters signed up to the knobs, buttons etc.
Thanks for that.
Rainer

Since the MODX doesn't have the ribbon controller, what do you all recommend that I should use as a suitable replacement for modulating the feedback on the sine wave modulator?

I don't mind your question here. It's spot on topic and something worthy of fleshing out for this article series because it's pre MODX.

Reading the article and looking at the available controllers, you'll see all of the usual suspects are already assigned to something. Even pitch bend.

I would take this Performance and change FC1 or FC2 (foot controllers aka expression pedals - Yamaha FC7 pedal for example) and change the assigned CC to something that is not a function. By default these will control either volume or Superknob and changing the CC value will make the Expression pedal more generic.

Then use expression (whichever pedal you chose) as the modulation source.

I'm not going to get on your case. I would just request, with an open mind, that you take a second look.

When considering assigning a different controller (as is the case here) you should consider the nominal Reset status of the physical Control in question and the values that it is capable of sending.
__ These factors should be considered when attempting to substitute a different Controller.
You would certainly need to do so when converting MONTAGE programs to the MODX/MODX+ (can’t see why some folks can’t see that, oh well). The MODX/MODX+ do not have the physical Ribbon Control (cc16), nor do they have Aftertouch (Dn)

Issue: MONTAGE has both a Ribbon Control and Aftertouch — that the MODX/MODX+ do not.
If you run across either of these (because the original programmer used a MONTAGE) here are some things to consider:

The Ribbon Controller defaults to reset condition = Center. The left side is minimum (-64); Center is zero (0); the right side is maximum (+63). You can understand that this is normally going to be good for values you need to both increase and/or decrease from the stored value. The ‘stored value’ is where the program will return upon recall.

A Mod Wheel (MW), as a substitute might be problematical because the MW’s default reset is always to a minimum value of 0. This means you will only be able to increase from the stored value and return to that stored value — instead of increase or decrease from the original stored value.

The Aftertouch setting must also be substituted for if reprogramming a MONTAGE Performance for MODX/MODX+. Aftertouch defaults to minimum (0) and you will only be able to increase from the stored value and return to that store value — again, you will not be able to increase and/or decrease from the original stored value.

A Mod Wheel (MW) is a good example of a good substitute for Aftertouch in that both deal in values from min-to-max, from 0-127. The stored condition will always be minimum setting.
A Foot Controller (FC) is another example of a min-to-max, 0-127, but it’s natural default is maximum (127) opposite of the MW. Selecting a Control Number other than cc7 or cc11 will release the FC from its output level duties and allow it to be used as a standard controller for value change.

An Assign Knob is a good example of a good substitute for the Ribbon Control in that both can deal in Center values with both positive and negative value movements possible.
The Pitch Bend Wheel is also an example of a good negative-center-positive control that can substitute for the Ribbon, that is if you release it from its duty as bending pitch (by setting PB Ranges to 0/0) - the spring-loaded/return to center function differentiates it from an Assign Knob.

You have to determine on a per case basis what would be a good substitute controller based on how you intend to perform with the program. Multiple functions can be assigned to a Controller - you don’t need to go purchasing alternate controllers - there is no maximum number of functions that can be assigned to a controller (there is simply a maximum number of assignments). Remember when deciding on a control assignment you must consider whether it is something that needs to be adjusted during your playing duties, in conjunction with some other parameters, or just set and left at a static value, etc., etc. when multiple items are assigned to a single controller you may have options that allow the one movement gesture to be scaled to different value changes within the assignment (for example, a small change in Feedback Level might cause a large change in the opposite direction for another parameter), your programming and your mileage will vary.

[quotePost id=122692]Since the MODX doesn't have the ribbon controller, what do you all recommend that I should use as a suitable replacement for modulating the feedback on the sine wave modulator?[/quotePost]
I see that you are in good hands regarding an answer to your question @john 😉

[quotePost id=122695]

I don't mind your question here

I respectfully disagree.
Hijacking another user's thread isn't appropriate under any circumstances.
And the new question has NOTHING to do with the subject of the original user's thread.
[/quotePost]

Forum etiquette dictates that users should NOT hijack another user's thread to try to get their own questions answered. The only exception would be if the new question is directly related to the thread.
There is no such relation here.

Maybe I am misunderstanding something but the question appears to be directed to a paragraph around the half way mark of the article in this thread:
"In addition, the Ribbon controls the Feedback for the Sine Wave Modulator as well as the Skirt parameter for the other Modulator Waveforms."

Since this thread regarding the FM article was posted under the Montage category, but deals with FM synthesis, which also applies to the MODX, but they aren't going to create this thread in both the Montage and the MODX/MODX+ categories of this forum, I believe that the question was rightfully asked here in this thread despite it being asked for the MODX, that it is directly related to this thread and is an exception to forum etiquette, thus not hijacking in this particular instance IMO.

My main question over all this is: what is possible with FM-X and what is not possible?

A simple question, that should be the first sentence in every article/video.

View from a beginner...with such machines...

Since barely over one year I have the MODX8. This time is needed to somewhat gain control over this extensive machine. And because everywhere it is only explained what to find where, how to press knobs and setup features... a beginner will have to find out the practical use mostly to himself. So I did. With humble success.

Now I have serious problems to find/create/imitate famous sounds for my covers ... supersaws of chart-hits ... "unison" effects made by softsynths ... Jean Michel Jarre Synth-Sounds ... and many many more.
One hope - I once thought - could be FM-X. I hear many big words about that. I can't count the papers and videos I saw about "FM-X".
Big words, no results.
DX7 sounds? Famous? Sorry to say: in my poor memory a better ePiano. Nothing earth shattering ... for my personal (synth)taste. If I can choose between an imitated string-sound and an original sample ... I choose the original 😉 One will have to be a Yamaha Freak to appreciate somewhat there 😉 I am not. I am a sound-freak 😀
Do you know Mike Oldfield? Jean Michel Jarre? Oldfield had a DX. But those famous artists played the real nasty sounds on other instruments.

Videos ... Soundmondo ... soundpacks ... no demonstration of a nice Jean Michel Jarre sound. No supersaw of Alan Walker.

Knobs and sliders here, operators there...mysterious algorithms...
And the most informative Clip for me was not made by Yamaha. None of them don't even mention, that I will have to press the knob "element/operator" to do what they show.
Dear friends...those are the tiny problems of beginners! I spent 30 minutes with silence and research before I got this. For you Pros everything is selfevident.

! That begs the question: What is your audience/readership actually?

I would say: people who 50 years ago plugged 287 cables into 956 sockets. Right!?
Do such people need an explanation??? Don't they know, what an operator is? And that a modulator influences a carrier wave? Those things I even knew without ever plugging cables into sockets 😉

In nearly every of those videos/articles it is mentioned that many people have problems with that. And there are many people who don't get access to this FM-X. I am one of them. The next question imposes itself: if you all are aware of this rejection/fear/whatever infront of this FM-X ... why nobody really reacts to it?

After 100 times description, what an "operator" is, and what OBVIOUSLY the available parameters are ... that still doesn't tell how to create unison-supersaw-sound. The samples of the MODX/Montage? How many are there? In comparison to piano-sounds!

Maybe I am a victim of a big misunderstanding. All I can see are descriptions of "trial & error" sound-design. Is FM-X "trial & error" or is there also a path to purposefully create a sound?
I am fighting with most obvious questions:
- why stacking 5 operators?
- or why and when use 3 carriers with 3 modulators each? Or 3 carrier with one time 4 modulators and 2 times 2 modulators? And so on, and so on...
All I see is: choose one ... make experiments

Where is the plan?
Such things I saw in Syftsynth-Clips. Really nasty sounds; not DX7 epiano. I don't play piano. I play a MODX Synthesizer 😉