FM synth based on Tone2 'Nemesis' "Neo FM" concepts.

[k brown]

Nemesis' "Neo FM" engine is actually quite similar to the Synclavier's: a pair of 2-op FM oscillators with Carrier capable of complex waveforms, not just sine. "Neo FM" takes it further with the Modulators also capable of complex waves, and much, much more.

In place of "Neo"'s 'Filters' (which are non-resonant) I used Martin's WaveShape oscillators which morph seamlessly sine-to-saw, so it's like filtering a saw (or square) osc.

This just a very simplified take on the basic "Neo FM" structure, done up in a GUI that suggests a piece of vintage vacuum tube gear (complete with the noise and hum, that Spogg cooked up for Mindy-S). I wanted to do something that is the polar opposite of Nemesis's high key bleached-out, eye-straining GUI that looks to me like a Casio toy (seems to be a current vogue for really pale GUI's - Native really ruined FM7 with FM8's washed out GUI).

I also put the Modulator controls above the Carrier's, like Yamaha's FM algo charts, and most FM instruments/plugins, why Tone2 did the opposite is a mystery to me.

I consider this finished and has some presets.

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NeuOld FM.fsm

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[Spogg]

I loved this GUI style you did ages ago so it’s great to see it in action again.

The synth sounds brill as exemplified by your presets. As per your GS-1 synth, it would be nice to have an INIT preset, but it’s a very minor point.

As always, many thanks for sharing your excellent work.

[k brown]

Actually, there's an INIT at #128.

One of the things I dig about the WaveShape osc is, when swept from sine to square with an EG, it sounds quite like the Buchla Low Pass Gate, when used with the original 200-series VCO; before even applying any FM to it. Won't go full "Buchla Bongos" but has a similar character that's quite different from sweeping a stock sawtooth with a filter.

By the way, the scope isn't there just for fun-sies - it's quite helpful in setting classic 'perfect' saw or square waves. On it's own, the WaveShape osc puts out a quite scooped sawtooth, and the fundamental gets weaker as the shape control is turned higher. If a little sine is mixed in, a touch of FM at 1:1 added, and polished off with a bit of feedback, it can get closer to the 'classic' shape.

[k brown]

OK, I promise this won't turn into feature creep (Vektor, anyone?), but added a switch above the wave shape knobs that rectifies the sine into very close to a triangle; another subtle range of added colors.

Got the idea after reading that the Synclavier had three 'presets' for the additive Carriers: Saw, Square and Triangle.

NeuOld FM_v1.01.fsm

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[Spogg]

Actually, there's an INIT at #128.

Oops! Didn't see that.

[k brown]

Version with Martin's phase-modulatable Spread Partials oscs. Same presets (plus a couple more); sound a bit different, of course.

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EmmVee FM_v1.01.fsm

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Each of the 4 oscs (2 Modulators and two Carriers) can have their Timbres swept by any of four EGs (plus, of course anything selected in the mod matrix).
Since the SP osc sounds like 2-Op FM by itself, these are like 4-Op stacks!

May the man fairly drown in our praise of him . . .

[k brown]

One of the more in-depth articles on how Chowning came to develop FM synthesis.

https://blog.zzounds.com/2020/10/30/the ... synthesis/

[k brown]

Updated in previous post.

- Some GUI refinements.
- A gupple more presets.
- Added buttons in the Carriers to allow 'PW/PWM' of any Carrier wavveshape (via the mod matrix).
- Added 'Pno' buttons to all EGs, which switch them to preset piano-like shapes.
- Bigger, clearer buttons for selecting LFO 'Freq' or 'Sync'.