DX Heaven is ideal for Electronica, Techno, Deep House Electro, Breaks and Drum & Bass. These sounds stay true to the DX sounds of the 80s, using predominantly sinewave modulation with sparing production FX applied.
What kind of patches can I find? Some pretty standard, mostly old-school, bread and butter FM patches. Many sound very dated, but if you explore the lower octaves, you can sometimes find some unintended interesting sounds. We added a folder for some classic and some of our favorites to help get you started.
DX-100 sounds for FM8
What about some modern bass sounds? Nope, sorry. We've listened to just about all them and you're not going to find too many that you'd consider a talking/robot/neuro/vowel bass, etc. Most of the old synths these patches were made on probably couldn't create the more modern bass sounds since they mostly rely on automation and macros.
How long did this take you? Probably too long. However, we did make heavy use of MidiQuest11 which helped greatly in transferring back and forth from our TX81Z, pooling all the patches and eliminating duplicates. There may be some sounds that are very similar or named the same, but according to MQ11 there are 0 exact duplicates. If you already own MidiQuest, we've included the library file with all the patches.
I also have chipsynth MD which is quite nice for coarse FM sounds.Just bought it so still getting to grips with it but the envelopes seems to be in stages rather than any length, curve you would like.
The timbre of an FM sound is very dependant on the relationship of the carrier and modulator operators. When the modulator frequency is under keyboard control, its frequency ratio to the carrier determines the basic harmonic profile of your sound, with integer ratios producing more recognizable waveforms and the fractional ones typically resulting in more clangorous, inharmonic ones. Modulator amplitudes also affect timbre, with higher frequencies generally yielding brighter sounds.
Synthesizers have been present in our favorite songs since the late 1960s. To this day, these lovely instruments helped shape and expand the sonic possibilities behind pop hit tracks and modern rock songs alike, with dozens of different models with customizable controls and varied sounds packed within.
The nice arpeggiator included can provide unique patterns, and allied with the multiple factory sounds, FM8 can be a powerful plugin to get creative new ideas flowing without limitations.
XILS Lab brings a virtual instrument based on multiple synthesis methods, including frequency modulation. Entitled KaoX, this plugin offers multiple features besides the FM synthesis, thanks to the simulation of analog components such as oscillators and filters that provide authentic sounds with power that only an algorithm can provide.
Arturia is renowned for its excellent plugins, virtual instruments, and effects, always crafting and delivering iconic sounds with superb audio quality. Following this recipe, DX7 V brings the tones and controls of the famous Yamaha DX7 synthesizer inside your DAW, with concise emulations of the famous sounds that marked an era.
The awesome sounds contained inside DX7 V are proof that Arturia always takes special care when it comes to recreating any sonority. The DX7 V is not only a synthesizer but also a pattern generator that can create intense, well-crafted tones present in multiple genres and styles.
The number of configurations included is impressive, and each section can tweak your soundscape further. Special attention to the easiness behind configuring the operators and respective algorithms, with colorful and clear instructions on the screen.
The SYSTEM-8 incorporates faithful recreations of vintage Roland oscillators, filters, and effects, drawing on our extensive background in synthesizer development. In addition to the iconic JUPITER and JUNO filter designs, it also features legendary third-party oscillator types for producing sounds that are extremely true to the era in which they were first produced.
German-based company Tone2 offers good synthesizer options in their catalog, with different aspects and sound profiles. Among the most audacious ones, Nemesis2 is a great alternative to get FM synthesis in your productions, counting with a classic digital approach that differs its sounds from other hardware emulations but with just as many controls.
2nd Sense Audio offers WIGGLE as a synthesizer plugin created to assist producers and musicians alike in creating expressive sounds with a distinctive dynamic shaping engine and precise controls distributed along the interface.
This versatile synthesizer contains rich elements that allow for an extreme customization array within your sounds, including basses, pads, bells, drums, piano, and strings settings.
Boasting a futuristic interface and cool sounds within, Exakt Lite is a freeware synthesizer plugin that allegedly can get you plenty of different sonorities, from harsh sounds to more organic ones. Such versatility is explored via the multiple controls and panels available, with easy control and fluidness in all operations you make.
Hence, to summarise the sound design process, you can build up your sounds from basic waveshape (like sine, sawtooth, etc.) and add harmonics to it, after which you can take the subtractive approach to subtract unwanted sonic properties from the sound.
Packing two main oscillators and one sub-oscillator, with waveforms like saw, square, pulse, triangle, and a noise option, the synth features lush soundscapes, dreamy strings, fat and deep bass sounds, huge soothing pads, and many interesting sounds with analog warmth and harmonic content.
Sonically, the software sounds great and is also easy to use. Because of its warm analog nature, some of its presets can be readily used in songs and film scores (the 80s or even futuristic).
Scrolling through its immense sound bank will warm your ears with its fat and harmonically rich vintage and analog sounds. In addition, it has a multi-mode arpeggiator and an effects section including virtual Chorus, Phaser, Delay & Reverb units.
The oscillator is modeled quite sophisticatedly sonically, but you may need to use additional effects and modulations externally on your DAW to fit these sounds into your mixes and production sessions.
It is MPE compatible, has an internal audio recorder, and has some more intense functionalities that we will explore in the upcoming sections. Sonically, it sounds unique, and the granular x subtractive synth x FM synth engine can give your sounds a characteristic texture for them to stand out.
The Harmolator window allows you to edit the harmonic content of the sounds in real-time using the XY pad, which is the main differentiator of the synth. Based on the same idea and technology, Rob Papen launched Blade 2 with fresh updates to make the synth even more solid.
The MATRIX window could be used to create signal flows according to your needs. With six operators, three filters, and a create effects section, one can create some innovative sounds with this synthesizer.
Sytrus has endless possibilities and is a go-to soft-synth for many FL Studio users. You can hear its presets on much common pop and dance music. Its unique and simplified interface and versatility in producing sounds of different genres and moods make it special.
Helm has many effects and features make it great for creating electronic music with robotic movements and artificial sounds. In addition, it offers great inspiration for sound design due to its different pitch and amplitude modulation algorithms.
Developed by Ronan Fed, Essence is known to produce classic 80s, synth pop, and trance sounds, including lush spaced-out pads, upfront and filled synth saw chords, punchy and deep bass sounds, soothing chords, arpeggiations, and impactful saw lead sounds.
The Noise oscillator and the sub-oscillator can add depth and harmony to your sounds and cover the entire frequency spectrum. Further, the filter has different modes; it sounds warm and smooth, and the filter envelope has different curves you could choose from. The LFO and envelopes are easily assignable and can create some interesting sonic motion.
Considered a hybrid between the u-he ACE synth and Juno-106, Tyrell N6 is one of the best free synthesizers, as it features a wide range of analog sounds in an organized and simplified interface. Lastly, the sophisticated analog modeling done in the software is evident when you listen to the sound of it.
If you want a plugin with good quality analog emulation, Arturia Prophet 5-V and Tubsynth by AIR Music Technology are your go-to. Prophet 5-V is CPU-intensive, but sounds authentic, while Tubesynth is also high quality but is not as versatile. 2ff7e9595c
Comments