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FM81S FM TONE GENERATOR

Sine shaper based, DX-like 'FM' Synth. New approach to FM synthesis...

(248 Votes)
0.2 (Updated 18 years ago)
106.0kB
February 02, 2004
Reaktor 5 or lower

DESCRIPTION

...new at least in Reaktor.

The basic idea was to realise the equation
e = A*sin(a*t + I * sin(b*t))
as it was given by John M. Chowning ,the 'inventor' of FM synthesis, for a frequency-modulated wave 'e'.

The sound differs from usual Reaktor-FM-synths ( the only exeption I know of is 'sy-fm') for the synthesis method is rather 'phase modulation' than 'frequency modulation'. The difference should be audible when more than two operators are stacked or when feedback is applied.

Features ;-):
4 Operator FM synthesis
8 Waveforms
Keyboard level scaling
Keyboard time scaling
Ratio coarse control with special non-integer ratios + ratio fine control
Oscillator linear detune
8 algorithms
Pitch Envelope Generator

This synth does not offer ultimate flexibility, but is - hopefully - easy to program.
It does not offer the rich sound of an 6-OP-FM-Synth, but some interesting sounds are possible.



The snapshots are not meant as a set of fully featured presets, there are some repetitions,
some sounds are not finished, and some are most probably useless. I leave it to you to alter or to delete those ;-).

Unfortunately quite CPU hungry.

Well, you guess it, this .ins was inspired by a certain piece of hardware. ;-)

COMMENTS  (31)

Brian Berg
11 years ago
Very good! While I do miss an operator matrix (a la Linplug's "Octopus"), the algorithm section is plenty robust. I also like the fact that it has LFO options and is already friendly with the mod-wheel. I have been trying to learn FM synthesis lately, and this Reaktor ensemble is an amazing tool for the job. Since this shockingly isn't hardware, one could easily duplicate it and cause this beast to offer some uber-thick pads (FM pads are sexy, but rare).
Molec
13 years ago
very clean but as you say yourself, quite cpu hungry
Volker Effinger
14 years ago
Very well done, sounds close to the real thing ! Thanks a lot!
Bill Ambrose
14 years ago
a great fm synth in anyone's book. Superb addition to my library. thanks,
ZooTooK
14 years ago
Somehow I've overlooked this truly excellent upload... set to 6 bits depth it replaces my trusty old DX9 that I'm about to give away...
Bartek Nowacki
14 years ago
Apart from the PingPong Delay, can we say this ensemble is nearly identical to the actual DX11 structure? This would make learning how to program the synth much easier. Great ensemble - thanks for the upload!
arachnaut
16 years ago
One of the cleanest sounding FM synths I have ever heard!
michael huckaby
17 years ago
Like Phil Durrant said. this is a very significant and important upload. i love this S Y N T H to death. when it comes to fm synthesis in reaktor, this ensemble is it ! Its killer for detroit techno and chicago house. It has it written all over it. The fm routing / algorithm section is a very elaborate reaktor structure. This S Y N T H is very practical, and very useful. It sounds dam close to an actual yamaha dx 100. 10 / 10 !
jace cavacini
18 years ago
i too tend to be impressed by good snaps. this has many. i have a Yamaha TX802, so i like FM synth sounds. especially harsh-yet-musical sounds. this ensemble is great. it has a lot of flexibility. more importantly, it's easy to adjust the parameters and get an idea of what you're doing by listening as you adjust. the routing algorithm images are helpful, too. i would like to see more dynamics used in the snaps, but that's my only critical comment. great work!
Jopy
19 years ago
Like everyone else says, the real standout for this ensemble is the sound. Great!
shmish
19 years ago
Very nice sounding. Like you say, it's quite cpu hungry.
Oliver Greschke
19 years ago
I have a DX 100 and had a DX 7 and tx 81z. This is the first software emulation that comes near to the sounds of these old harsh monsters. Thank you
patrick keller
19 years ago
Flawless interface. . . just the right balance between slickness, efficiency, and usability. You've given the rest of the world a chance to see how a TX81Z through an FM-lover's eyes. Oh, and it happens to sound fantastic too.
Kay Wächter
19 years ago
Really nice FM sounds. It could have a little bit more dynamics.
Michael O'Shea
19 years ago
An FM buffet, all the sounds you can eat up.
m m
19 years ago
I am sorry I sold my TX81Z. Not anymore. This thing is a dream machine. Thanks.
Hugo Litmanowitsch
19 years ago
well, if u wanna analyse the structure, you'll have problems to find the structure windows, they're spread overall. But the synth is great, one of the best FM synths ever seen!
Rob Klippel
20 years ago
Fantastic.... plain and simple.... I have now gotten a chance to really work with this and I must say it's quite extraordinary.... you have my respect and thanx
Robert Croft
20 years ago
Exceptional sound! Really great sounding snapshots. I have NI FM7, a DX7, a TX802, and a FS1R, this thing really holds it's own against all these. This is truly an outstanding FM beast ! ! THANK YOU !
豊明 美島
20 years ago
tymes2
20 years ago
I have to chime in - this is way cool! Loads of good presets, punchy sounds... unique! Respect, and thanxalot Thomas for sharing this beast!!
Artur Nowak
20 years ago
Greate piece of work, excellent, rich sound, many presets to choose from...
Christoph Hofer
20 years ago
wow... excellent work! thank you very much for this great synthie ... this is definitely upper league.
Phil Durrant
20 years ago
this is a very significant and important upload. this is the reaktor synth that i will use for FM. have a look at how the different waves have been made. yes, quite different to any other synth that i have seen in reaktor. the pre-sets are classic tx 81Z. if that puts you off (kev hopper) this has plenty of scope to programme your own. thank you so much for this, it is what i hoped someone would do some day.
Peter Tomaselli
20 years ago
quite cool! two things: the envelopes are way too easy to understand, what happened to the classic, mysterious 1 to 37 reverse angle way that the real thing measures them with? also, it's not heavy enough.
Shaw Cunningham
20 years ago
I must admit, I'm lazy... so I tend to judge a book by its cover (i.e. a .ens by its snaps)... this one is excellent.... a lot of really good patches here. Now if I could just find the time to "look under the hood".... great work -- a 10 here.
raphael esterson
20 years ago
Very nice, if you are into FM, or nasty if you are not (I'm into everything). Either way this is a really excellent implementation of the 'dx' concept. Good programming of the snaps as well. I can only hope that you have plans to add the remaining ops ;)
Stefan Knauthe
20 years ago
a straight 10 for this one! nice pads,nice percussives and good basses,interesting sounds without beeing fx-overloaded...a really usefull ensemble,thanxx...s.
Al Watson
20 years ago
i like the algorithm section. clever display there!
Christoph Bielen
20 years ago
Ups , my Email is:gcg_rafael@hotmail.com
Christoph Bielen
20 years ago
Its not bad.If you are interessed to better your preformace , i have a good idea.You can find my Email in my first Ensemble.Christoph Bielen.
now