FM Synthesis: How does it work?

Today is the first of hopefully many guides explaining, from the ground up, how a type of synthesis, technique, or effect works. Feel free to play along with me for free using Dexed!
Dexed (open source DX7 clone VST): asb2m10.github...

[@TripleTSingt]

"Lumberjacks are big fans of FM synthesis, because they're so tired of hearing saws" really great joke there, mate

[@michaos1]

I can't understand how both a tech guy and an amazing musician can live inside of a single body. Love your piano album BTW.

[@2pandaemonium2]

there's actually a very thin line between those two

[@laurenpinschannels]

it's hard to be good at the technical details of sound design without a deep understanding of the physics of sound, and that math connects right up with the software and hardware to simulate sound

[@ChurroLightyear]

Look mum no computer also belongs in this boat

[@michaos1]

@@ChurroLightyear he’s imo not a very good musician, more of a electronics geek and an experimentator, but anyway he’s super cool! What’s more, very inspiring.

[@michaos1]

@@2pandaemonium2 yeah, i bet back in the day, all professors/scientists were clavichord/cello players:)

[@firehandszarb]

Very few can combine the two disciplines like that. I've known a lot of software developers who are good musicians but don't necessarily focus on sound design like that. I've also known others who are into csound etc but are not so good as writing the visceral music (stuff with groove and emotion) that people actually want to listen to. I am starting to focus on the border between being a technician and a musician myself, its a great place to be because not many people are doing this. Benn Jordan is both a great musician and sound designer. This video actually makes me want to explore FM synthesis.

[@iwanttocomplain]

Tim Follin and Matt Furniss are two musicians working on 16bit games in the 90’s. Follin only did a bit of FM but a custom driver was used which he assisted with, for the Mega Drive in which he composed the Time Trax soundtrack. Sadly, the game was not released but the compositions are interesting. For me, the Mega Drive library is where you start to learn FM. The games of Konami, Compile, Vic-Tokai and Technosoft are all worth investigating. Then you can go buy a MegaFM by Twisted Electrons.

[@harvestgoon5291]

OK, so I've seen what FM synthesis *is* explained, but at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="640">10:40</a>+ I feel like I learned how to *use* FM synthesis. Thanks for this, Benn!

[@dans.5099]

Jeesh, given the production quality of this channel, it doesn't have nearly the number of views it deserves. Are you going strictly off of organic search engine results? We need to form a marketing gang and get your stuff promoted dude.

[@keres993]

I had that "aha" moment recreating the bell you made where I figured out how FM "works". Very cool tool to have in your arsenal of instruments - the sound is indeed iconic and extremely rich. These videos are unbelievably informative and have been influencing my songwriting and gear purchases with pleasing results. Benn's sense of texture is second to none.

[@PeterJnicol]

Same here...

[@playtf2]

Benn, you are the messiah of contemporary classic-que music production. Your design and sense of music are a huge source of inspiration. And you move industry forward with your opensource initiatives like sharing your knowledge on KZbin or Showseed. You showed me the world of contemporary experimental music and I hope you are going to achieve much more. Can you please make some videos about writing interesting complicated rhythms, i.e. for percussion like in Winter Map or for drum solos like in Kirlian Selections? I am also very interested in technique you used to create such wonderful samples for percussion like crackling and clicking in Winter Map, or in Earthtone Morphine Battery. I can't wrap my head around design of such crisp and clean clicks. Thank you very much!

[@nodflenders3665]

Even your background music when he's talking is incredibly good! Keep up the good work Ben : )

[@Ajcrumbles]

Brilliant video and super helpful! Ordered my Digitone today and haven't found anyone who can explain FM synthesis in a way that really makes sense.

[@audioartisan]

Clicked to hear Benn's explanation of FM synthesis ...ended up getting a Reaktor lesson ...Thank's Benn!

[@Coowallsky]

Best FM explanations I’ve seen are done with actual FM synths.

[@bchspace]

You modulate my heart every time I see your dashing eyebrow.

[@lundsweden]

40 years later and we're still figuring out how the DX7 works! 😅

[@nichttuntun3364]

Great video. DEXED indeed is great. FM is a fantastic synthesis method. And you are completely right about the ridiculously high amount of subtractive synth out there today. When things like additive and FM would have gotten more attention... Man how far could be synthesis today? Have joy.

[@midnightskate]

This was perfect. I finally understand how everything combines to make fm synthesis

[@stephenward2743]

Dude you crushed that patch in the outro, pretty impressed with dexed

[@DerekRobertsteig]

So glad you covered FM. I'm a huge sucker for EPs as well. Have you played with Keyscape? Is it worth the buy?

[@PHIplaytesting]

Cool video. I'm still confused about some things, but it gave me a good idea of where to look next. Sick jam at the end!

[@dvamateur]

This is good. I believe harmonic series and musical harmony should be inseparable. Hammond organ players seem to understand that.

[@MaghoxFr]

Andrew Piatek Because of the drawbar?

[@noel101082]

Great Job Ben I saw a previous video.. just one... months ago.. soon as i saw your intro... i remembered i loved the last video i watched. to a bright future sir.

[@SamsTheBams]

I think Akemie's Castle is my most used module, I'm so happy i bought it.

[@bm1259]

Regarding the equation shown in the video there's another video by a guy called composing gloves that explanations how that equation works.

[@squackles]

Would love a video covering generative music with modular synths! Maybe just you playing around with your eurorack, explaining what's happening and why you do certain things, bit of tips and tricks etc. Sadly VCV Rack doesn't have a quantizer just yet so a bit hard to make generative music in that atm, but I'm sure someone will make one soon.

[@WinfriedSitte]

Thanks that was a really helpful vid.

[@Nachtdwaler]

Great playing at the end!

[@Phillibos]

Hey Benn, First of all, i love your music very very much and you are one of my top favorite artists. thank you so much for your great music. this may appear a little bit Off-Topic, but i got a question that i'm really curious about: You often use pianos in your music. I'm thinking about getting some of these Kontakt piano libraries - do you think there's a big difference between real piano recordings and those Kontakt library things ? Do you always use your disklavier-thingy for all your piano lines or did you also used libraries? anyway, have a nice day man big love

[@herrpez]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="578">9:38</a> My mind instantly went "Syndicate!"

[@zerla6018]

Man dat playing in the end was even more crazy then the main tutorial! How to learn to play like that?...

[@beat2009]

really love the ending song :)

[@mattlagan8662]

Thanks for the tips!

[@JubileeGiggles]

3 types. Linear, exponential, and through zero, which doesn't alter the carrier's pitch. Pretty sure a lot of the old fm synths used phase modulation instead of true fm for the same reason

[@daniloprates]

and I liked this video before 5 seconds

[@vampires-from-mars]

FM Synthesis is randomly turning a bunch of knobs until it doesn't sound like crap anymore, right?

[@vincentizghra6144]

What does the "A mod sens" knob do? Thanks for the video I learned a ton.

[@neonblack211]

Is doing this stuff in reaktor much different than doing it in something like VCV rack?

[@anthonysg913]

Great vid. What’s your camera, lens, and editing setup? Sorry to be off topic I just dig the presentation.

[@BennJordan]

A Sony A7RII (various lenses) and the Adobe suite!

[@TeddyLeppard]

Replaced Dexed with KQ Dixie and haven't looked back since. No longer get the crashes I was getting with Dexed.

[@hermask815]

FM-Synthesis is for the guys and gals who don't have a problem with the RT part of FM (RTFM that is. 😀)

[@mellowgeekstudio]

Ha! I see what you did there. I use arch, btw. ;)

[@bradschumacher419]

Anyone else hear Melve by Autechre when Benn played around at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="848">14:08</a>? This guy....

[@stevieraypage]

super helpful!

[@robertsyrett1992]

Hey is that a spec of poliosis on your eyebrow? By coincidence I too have two toned eyebrows courtesy of pigment deficiency.

[@ragequitredux]

FM stands for "F****ing Magnets"

[@q11v]

I klicked for the formula on the thumbnail, then I could only follow the first few seconds :D

[@mcblahflooper94]

This video is great! Only qualm is around <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="455">7:35</a> it looks like the camera is focused on the microphone and your face is out of focus

[@HatredPrime]

FM synthesis: How does it work?Whatever the fuck it wants.

[@JacobSkriver]

Love your videos and explanations but this video also made me once again realise how boring I find soft synths. All that mouse work just takes out all the joy of synthesis

[@mellowgeekstudio]

That's what midi controllers are for! :)

[@valley_robot]

FM synths are the most important musical instrument along with the sampler since the electric guitar, FM was not popular because of the lack of hands-on controls, it is way more powerful than subtractive synthesis, just have a play with the free DxD software, or buy a volca FM

[@uhoh007]

I just love watching sombody fight their Daw to explain something. Editing is like additive synthesis. You get alot more from alot less.

[@BsYtHandle]

You should explain this in more detail on your channel.

[@movax20h]

There is a lot of misconceptions here. Let me clarify. 1) FM and Subtractive synthesis are not exclusive, and can be easily combined, and usually are. 2) FM is just an extension of subtractive, and not some miracle design. 3) Operators are nothing new and were in modular synthesisers forever, it is just a marketing speak (yes, sure they are operators in a mathematical sense to some extent, which makes them pretty good name, but we all call them modules usually in synth world). Similarly algorithms are patches, in the sense of patch cable arrangements. 4) You can do FM in analog, and often do. 5) FM was choosen by the Yamaha for DX7, because DX was a digital synthesisers and it is (was) real hard to design good sounding digital filter back in the day, and analog ones with digital control and big polyphony would cost a lot, drift, etc. In fact is is also pretty hard (or not cheap) to design pure sine wave oscillator in analog world, but pretty easy in the digital domain, however, nobody wants to really listen to sine waves itselfs because they are boring and have very limited harmonics and timber. FM resolves that by adding extra variability, that changes the shape of the waveforms dramatically. You could change sine into almost any other wave form by properly modulating its frequency. Similarly further extension of FM synthesis is phase modulation, which has added advantage of making waveforms be even shaped in more ways, and be cheaply implemented in hardware. On the analog synthetizer on the other hand you also don't want to hear sines as it is boring and doesn't give many options to explore. So instead most analog synths use triangle, sawtooth and/or pulse (square), which not only have more harmonics and other frequencies present, but have parameters that you can change to affect these harmonics (i.e. pulse width, slope of triangle, etc). These are easy to implement in hardware cheaply, and make them modulated by other oscillators, lfos or envelopes. Once you have plenty of harmonics using filter is a great way to make it sound and evolve to your taste. However, in analog synth, if you use more complex initial waveforms, or have bigger control of it (i.e. via oscillators, which you might need a lot to do, which means paying more), you can recreate all the same things you can do on "FM" digital synth, even without filter. There is nothing inherently special about FM, PM or pure substractive, as they are all usually used together, even on purely subtractive synths.

[@chinossynthesizer705]

Wavetable synthesis is the more powerful version of subtractive synthesis.

[@kamalmanzukie]

goo bah

[@UBERLADEN69]

Dexed is the Martin Luther of synths!

[@woulg]

Hahaha this is a deep cut joke.

[@hagbardceline331]

you're working on fl studio : same fight against our shame

[@sylvainhaenen5444]

"Musical instead of Atonal" ? or Tonal instead of atonal, no ? : )

[@madsvadsholt5324]

Cover FM for Axoloti!

[@freimutspitzkopf2258]

This is exactly what im talking about when a woman comes over to my place. But sometimes I feel like they don't really care about it.

[@unfa00]

Hey! I'm a first-time viewer. The color grading made me feel a bit uncomfortable at the start. Anyway - watching along!

[@rubengherrera]

Search: "Opzilla" Google: "Maybe you meant Mozilla" Tired of this

[@theycallmejpj]

so much trial and error...

[@Dragaurang]

Sorry, but this hardly explained anything to me.

[@ChurroLightyear]

Nice try I already own a dx7

[@unfa00]

BTW, your voice could use some de-essing in the parts where you work in the DAW :)

[@miloradowicz]

Nice clickbait. I thought there actually would be some math 😡

[@R0BBY96]

you're explaining fm synthesis with digital synths????

[@R0BBY96]

why would you need 72 oscillators to do linear fm?

[@MaghoxFr]

Robert R. why is that surprising in any way?

[@wesleyleigh4063]

This guy should seriously consider using Serum before he gets so beat up about a form of synthesis he clearly has no current appreciation for, nor has any knowledge about. indeed, Subtractive synthesis can do FM in ways that actually surpass hardware modular. it just doesnt 'look cool man and feel like real dude'. Or cost as much as a boat.

[@colinandrews4841]

You should seriously consider seeing your doctor about making you a special serum... ;)

[@MaghoxFr]

Wesley Leigh You should seriously consider putting down your crackpipe.

[@trevor4835]

What an ironic comment.

[@SgtZaqq]

Wait what, you are THE Flashbulb? I like you music and have found your channel completely accidentally xD Helpful video, by the way, I have Dexed, but never really used it.

[@denonblade]

Excellent video, just a small point though, Linear FM is more to do with the variation from the central frequency rather than the frequencies being harmonically locked, though harmonic locking is useful for more pleasant sounding Exp FM. For example in Exp FM if you have a central frequency of 440Hz, modulation depth of 2 will create side bands at 880Hz and 220Hz so the relative distance of each harmonic from the central frequency is not even in terms of a linear frequency, resulting in a perceived change of fundamental pitch. In Linear FM this is the case, if there was a central frequency of 440Hz, the modulation sidebands would be even on both sides i.e. 440Hz +/- 220Hz, this means the average frequency is still 440Hz so it sounds more musical. With Exp FM you can see that the average frequency of harmonic content starts to increase. Of course, with Linear FM you might see a problem of increasing modulation depth. This is why through zero linear FM was developed.

[@macronencer]

I was hoping someone would have pointed this out! Also, I believe the equation listed at the start of the video describes *phase* modulation. I think most FM synths are really using phase modulation in any case, though. It's not surprising there's a lot of confusion around this topic! :)

[@matthiasklein9608]

@@macronencer Yep, it’s the equation for phase modulation. And indeed, all Yamaha FM synths employed phase modulation, because it was cheaper to implement and equivalent to FM as long as you only use sine and cosine waves.

[@unfa00]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="766">12:46</a> - "It's very easy to get the Sonic The Hedgehog sound"

[@sammadden5540]

Isn't that why we all buy FM synths?

[@Loscha]

Superb video. I've been a serious lover of FM since the 90s. I bought a Dx7IIFD after reading about synthesizers. The Volca FM is Dx7 patch compatible (6 operator), but only 3 voices. Fruit had a Dx10 basic FM Synth which does a lot. Many Virtual Analogue synths support at least basic FM, Korg MS2000 does 2 operator FM, sorta poorly. The Blofeld has comprehensive FM . Yamaha wrote a book about FM Synthesis Theory (and applications) I have a scan of it here - paper copies are pure unobtanium. loscha.com/scans/FM_Synthesis-Theory_Applications.pdf Please keep up the great synthesizer videos, Benn. I really enjoyed the last album (and all of em). The wooden case is just beautiful. Cheers from Australia.

[@prtysh]

that site is down. Any other link?

[@lepercolony8214]

I don't suppose you'd consider re-uploading this?

[@Loscha]

@@lepercolony8214 It is available online in many places. It came up as first second and third hits when I googled for it with PDF in the search.

[@paulbrocklehurst5873]

You mentioned that you think the Volca FM has 4 operators but actually it has 6 - it's the same form of synthesis as Dexed / the DX7.

[@cesmcmyth]

LOL... each time he says oscilatior..... I can't help hear "now let's go from the asshole ator ! hahaha

[@culhamusic]

I am producing for 4 years, watching tutorials everywhere, this is the most useful channel i have ever seen. Thank you!

[@electropocalypse5877]

I get it now. Dexed has these things called EGs (envelop generators) and these shape the envelope that goes around each sine wave. The algorithm section arranges which operator affects the next one in a chain (leading to output). This from what I gather changes the timbre/tone and thus you get other sounds, like a square or saw wave. One thing I don't get is why are the 6 oscillators called operators? All in all I have a lot more to learn yet. 😕

[@michaos1]

It'd be nice to mention an oscilloscope when using Dexed, e.g. Signalizer by Lightbridge to see the wave.

[@garytelfer8608]

can you please do more dexed?

[@dariosusu1529]

dude i am so happy that you are doing this. i love your music for like 10-12 years - so weird and awesome seeing you talk synthesis/music production/stuff :D i hope your channel blows up, you more than deserve it

[@YomYestreen]

You are an excellent piano player.

[@M.éloDie]

I am starting to think the synthesizer i bought in 8th grade in the 80s was an fm synth. My female brain actually understood what you were talking about. Now I am going to watch 3 years of your videos.

[@greggregory2554]

Awesome. This is the first video to make sense to me. Thanks.

[@marcuskruse1]

Can you cover fm ratios?

[@dg9576]

Cool man, you think a sound behaviour and model it. You got the knowledge., BTW I know this is old but Volca FM also has 6 operators. Be lucky

[@sucim]

I did not really understand what you are doing, but its impressive! I will be watching more theoretical videos about this and then return and see if I am able to understand this dark magic :D

[@Maxat_Ospanov]

In my city, there was an advertisement for the sale of the Yamaha DX7-2FD at a price of $429. I really like the unique sound of dx7, but I'm not sure if the 2FD version sounds like the first dx7 version, since 2fd used a stripped-down version of fm-synthesis. Tell me if they sound the same and if the 2fd justifies the $420 price tag? Thanks. (Sorry, I don't know English well, so I used google translator)

[@LouisSerieusement]

you are so better than aphex twin ! I know I shouldn't compare people, it makes no sens but still

[@djd829]

Nice little joke in the beginning. However, that actually was all I really needed to understand, thanks! 😂 I’ll still watch and like

[@chrismillett]

That outro 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻

[@AnnedakDragon]

FM is best synthesis, change my mind. #YamahaDX7

[@DavidGossettMusic]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="482">8:02</a> stopped to download the plugin and spent the next 15 minutes making some sweet lofi jams. Thanks for introducing me to Dexed.

[@CharlesFerraro]

The more fm synths I see the more I appreciate the one I use. That synth being MOD-7 which is an engine in the Kronos.

[@KozmykJ]

Nice work on the Dexed. A powerful recreation of the DX-7 but not the friendliest of programmers. A darn sight easier than the little LCD window of the original though. I had (still have ) a Yamaha CX-5M MSX Music Computer, got it as soon as it came out. in '84. There are sounds in there that I can't find anywhere else, I've tried recreating them from my memory in various virtual FM synths but the sound I'm most eager to hear again must be relying on an aspect of zipper noise/quantization aliasing artefacts and just won't appear for me in the 64-bit world.. I'll just have to get the CX-5M going again if I can. A tipped lightbulb melted the mini music keyboard but I should be able to trigger it via MIDI ... Hopefully

[@brandonhabera]

I appreciate confident and verbose Ben of 2023, but can relate humble and up-and-coming-KZbinr Ben of 2018 much more personally.

[@Conforce]

awesome tutorial

[@Flix-f6q]

Looking at the quality of your content, I just had to subscribe and comment to push your algorithm rating. Great job!

[@lateralshiftmusic]

This is awesome and I thought that EP sounded really good, loved the tremolo effect! Thanks for the tutorial :)

[@cuttingedge1987]

nice work but what is the music at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="401">6:41</a> please..

[@nickcrider4309]

Operator 5 was turned off on the bell sound. Thats why it wasn't audible. Oops! Fantastic video thought!

[@BrookmanGuitar]

Cheers, and thanks for the demonstration. Very nice playing at the end too!

[@PeterJnicol]

I leaned everything I needed to know but could find out elsewhere.

[@omnivorace]

Nice place here to seat, listen and learn. You are very good, Sir.

[@krystianseibert6610]

This is a great explanation of FM synthesis.

[@whitenoisefromelectronicto1728]

Pure genius