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Hi,

I decided I want to get nasty with FM8 so I'm just going to fuck around with it for 2-3hrs everyday until I'm good.

I understand the basics of FM synthesis but don't quite understand how the FM8 operators work.

Any recommendations on books, courses, tutorials, reading material, etc I should check out if I actually want to get good with FM8?

Thanks in advance.

We recommend just getting your hands dirty do, don't think about doing

Fuck around with it. If you want tutorials, check out:
Multiplier fm8 basics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-sOngmfKVM

In the beginning it's best to know how the ratios work....that gives u free rain to experiment all u want w/o pulling your hair out. FM synthesis will give you perfect harmonic tones as long as both the carrier and modulator work in perfect intervals. The "ratio" of each operator equates to the pitch....but not in intervals of 12 like with massive. To go up or down an octave you double or half the value currently shown.
For example the ratios all default at 1.00
Down an octave would be 0.5
down another octave would be 0.25

To go up an octave starting from the default ratio of 1.00 it would be 2.00
Up another octave would be 4.00
Up another would be 8.00
Etc...

I'd recommend only working with these intervals to start....you can start to vary things and find other "sweet spots" the better u become at FM.

Have fun

Yep the equation for the operator ratio is:



Where octave is the octave offset, 1 is one octave higher, 2 is two octaves higher, and -2 is two octaves lower.

Dude, I feel ya. FM8 is not a synth that you walk up to and are flowing through in 10 minutes like Massive is. I had no clue how to make a sound for myself so I forced myself to learn it my making a track entirely out of FM8. It was painful but paid off because FM8 sounds incredible. Waaaaay better than Massive. I would say spend time to learn the envelopes and mod section because that is what frees up your workflow to be able to experiment and cycle through sounds instead of spending 20 minutes to map shit out for one setting.

Banesy wrote:Dude, I feel ya. FM8 is not a synth that you walk up to and are flowing through in 10 minutes like Massive is. I had no clue how to make a sound for myself so I forced myself to learn it my making a track entirely out of FM8. It was painful but paid off because FM8 sounds incredible. Waaaaay better than Massive. I would say spend time to learn the envelopes and mod section because that is what frees up your workflow to be able to experiment and cycle through sounds instead of spending 20 minutes to map shit out for one setting.

I should learn that synth. Also, why havent they added harmonics draw yet?
Operator has it, sytrus has it.

If theres one thing I hope for with komplete 10 it's that they will make an FM9 thats more modern than 8. It sounds cool but there are some things missing.

Personally I wouldn't say either Massive or FM8 is better than the other. With Massive if u mainly know the wavetables and the filters your golden. U know what ur going to get and recreating sounds is easy. FM8 has infinite sonic capabilities but is more about exploration than knowing what's gonna happen. It's great for growls bc you can map the levels of all your operators to your mod wheel and ramp the sonic frequencies up. From subtle to harmonically rich with the use of a single knob. But u have to pair it with some EQ modulation afterward to usually get the growl u want. U know what I'd like to see? Massive FX!! If I could pair FM8 with the modulation and filters (scream) of Massive....dear god the possibilities. I really don't like how the modulations work in FM8...the LFO's suck IMO.

bouncingfish wrote:

Banesy wrote:Dude, I feel ya. FM8 is not a synth that you walk up to and are flowing through in 10 minutes like Massive is. I had no clue how to make a sound for myself so I forced myself to learn it my making a track entirely out of FM8. It was painful but paid off because FM8 sounds incredible. Waaaaay better than Massive. I would say spend time to learn the envelopes and mod section because that is what frees up your workflow to be able to experiment and cycle through sounds instead of spending 20 minutes to map shit out for one setting.

I should learn that synth. Also, why havent they added harmonics draw yet?
Operator has it, sytrus has it.

If theres one thing I hope for with komplete 10 it's that they will make an FM9 thats more modern than 8. It sounds cool but there are some things missing.

Absynth has it