I’ve been wanting something similar for navigating harmony/generating scales using ratios, and it looks like we’re both in luck! 2.2 should bring us a working ratio to voltage conversion operator, as described here.

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Sooooo in order to avoid the GAS inducing “let’s create a new topic for every NAMM annoucement” effect, I’m just bumping this thread with the recent reveal of Elektron’s take on FM synthesis for the FM lovers / curios out here, any thoughts about it?

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You could probably make a new thread… my reasoning being…

It doesn’t actually mention FM synthesis on the front panel, rather it’s called a “Polyphonic Digital Synthesizer”. My expectation is that they would like to add other forms of synthesis into it, they probably don’t want to promise things that don’t exist at launch.

The block diagram on page 13 of the manual makes it even more explicit by referring to the FM block as the ‘audio engine’, I guess one should look to the Monomachine for ideas.

Back to the subject of FM, appendix A in the manual goes into a bit of depth on how they’ve structure their FM implementation. You don’t seem to get full control of each of the 4 operators, which is not to say that the controls have been dumbed down.

I’m a bit scared about the “new thread per gear” logic, for stuff that isn’t even out yet and everything, I don’t know, feels kinda wrong to me and I think that here, the added value clearly seems to be the FM engine so I thought it would interesting to add it to this thread (other option, and that’s the beauty of not creating a thread especially for it : we’ll also be able to discuss it in the “polysynth” thread when people will start having it ^^)

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Elektron explicitly market this as an FM synth. Though of course that doesn’t mean it really is one, but it still feels like this kind of fits in this discussion anyway.

@LLK
namm show anaheim
maybe it could go here, too
fm synthesis

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There’s a book by Dr. John Chowning on Understanding FM Synthesis. There was a PDF floating around but I can’y seem to find that link anymore. Anyone have access to that eBook?

Thanks.

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@zebra linked to it in post #41 of this thread

Thanks, I saw that one. But I was referring to another book. It was an actual book but out of print now. There is a PDF version of that. Its called Understanding FM Synthesis, or something on those lines.

OK, I just found it. I was completely wrong about the title. FM Theory & Applications, By Musicians for Musicians. http://www.loscha.com/scans/FM_Synthesis-Theory_Applications.pdf

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I was a bit meh on the Digitone until I saw this video. Now I am quite interested. Looks really well thought out.

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The Digitone looks like the most intuitive hardware FM synth I’ve seen, which is a pleasant surprise given that “intuitive” isn’t a word I would use to describe my personal experience with Elektron gear thus far.

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If you’re into modular, find “akemie’s castle” on YouTube. That one looks pretty damn intuitive too.

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andrew huang put up what i think is the easiest to understand explanation of FM the other day, thought y’all might enjoy it:

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My favorite FM synth I’ve had was the DX1. Probably followed by the FS1R. I was also a huge fan of the Preen FM module

Is the eurorack version of the preenfm2 still in prototype? That was looking great.

Yes keen to know if it’s still happening too

Oh, I just meant the non-euro box.

@andrewhuang this is a really helpful visual explanation of fm…started planning to watch half now and save the rest but got totally sucked in!

great job on this

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whoop, didn’t realize he was on here, would have tagged!

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