Liven XFM Sound Design is Really Different!

Liven XFM Sound Design is Really Different!
Today we're looking at sound design on the Liven XFM, and how using the fusion engines make it a pretty different experience. While you can certainly treat the XFM like a normal 4 operator FM synth and design sounds to your hearts content, you can also use the fusion engines to make new sounds from existing presets! X-LAB allows you to straight up combine two preset sounds, X-FORM allows you to morph from one sound to another over time, and X-LFO allows you to morph back and forth between two sounds using an LFO. In the case of X-LAB, you can even save your new sounds as presets. It's a lot of fun, it has a crazy amount of depth to it, but it's still so simple to do! Enjoy the video :)
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Sonicware Liven XFM: amzn.to/3bqp9lP
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[@DetroitMicroSound]

Future legends, Liven's. 😁

[@mynameisaram]

Dude. Thank you SO MUCH for this! I got my Liven XFM about a week ago and found the instruction pdf to be pretty lacking. Watching you demonstrate this wild feature was like a lightbulb over the head moment. I'm going to start playing as soon as I finish typing this sentence.

[@WrightFlyer1903]

Just to say that there's a 12 video series on KZbin by "Chalk Walk" that you really need to see if you want to know about XFM sound design.

[@FreeBeat]

Be sure to check out Chris Lody's videos as well!

[@junkbanks6274]

Thanks for this, I'm glad I got this at $199. I love this device, continue to have fun with it. Tempted to the get the 8-bit warps.

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@SimpleHold]

Interesting possibilities! The X-Lab engine is an attractive feature on its own, even without considering the time-based morphs of the other engines.

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah it's pretty wild how many different sounds you can get out of it!

[@johnsummers7121]

Why hasn't this guys content taken off . They're pro qualify, clean, and informative.

[@FreeBeat]

Wow, thank you so much for the kind words! Just gotta keep on grinding haha.

[@RANDOMLOOPGENERATOR]

I absolutely love the Liven series, the Bass And Beats has got me excited about sound design again too. The LoFi 12 is taking me back to my Atari ST days and as someone who has owned the DX100 and now the DX-21 this has got to be my next addition. Great video 👍

[@FreeBeat]

Glad you're loving the Livens!

[@modulblok-e3168]

And the 8bit? I love it also ,,,the 1 external loper track put in a mic or recordplyer 🐸👍🏼

[@vaspers]

I love all these budget friendly grooveboxes. One can never have enough grooveboxes. I love sound design, but I also love having quick, easy, reliable melodic beats that I can tap into quickly. I own Akai Force, Elektron Model:Cycles, Zoom ARQ AR-96 Aero RhythmTrak, and DSI Evolver. Now, I'm very interested in these Sonicware devices. Great job on the video! I love your demo presentation style, very focused and low on goofiness! Well done, lad!

[@FreeBeat]

Absolutely! Thanks so much for the kind words :)

[@vaspers]

@@FreeBeat I just today discovered you. I'm a synthesizer lover and have about 25 synths right now, but who's counting? Anyway, I love your way of demonstrating a synthesizer. This is the first of your demo/reviews that I've watched. I was literally stunned by how professional and interesting you are in this regard. Very impressive! Keep up the good work, mate. SUBSCRIBED and delighted. Careful! I may suggest electronic instruments for you to obtain and demo for us. Like the Bradley Telcom Jitter and Hit Synthesizer, Lorre-Mill Double Knot, Folktek Mescaline, Ciat Lonbarde Plumbutter, Flame Maander, etc. I'd love to see your video treatment of such bizarre and tempting devices~!

[@todderbert]

I have been using mine for a few weeks now, and I keep running into mix problems. Always adjusting levels when I make a change. I may have to sit down, and read the manual. Making some cool sounds, and then sampling them into my DT may be the way to go with this one.

[@blkrbbt]

I love how happy this device makes you. I'm critical of this, even though I agree that this is a great value. I come from the TR8S, and the FM sounds it generates. Even though you cannot blend, I feel that the FM sounds are more robust and have more body. And you can morph them as well. Even your Volcas sound better to me.

[@FreeBeat]

I do an awful job of actually showing how cool it can sound. I highly recommend checking out some creators videos on it. The XFM can sound absolutely incredible.

[@bahutu802]

With regards to morphing, I suppose it's a matter of which two presets you'll choose. Since the XFM does not differentiate between carriers and modulators (an operator can be both at the same time), I suppose it will produce very strange results when you're morphing from one patch where an operator is used as carrier, to another patch where the same operator is used as a modulator. I also read that the more operators there are, the better the sound will be (maybe that's the robustness and body you're talking about). And the XFM has 4 OPs while most other devices have 6 for instance.

[@inthefade]

@@bahutu802 More operators isn't necessarily better, just more complex. But the engine on the xfm despite being only 4 OPs also has feedback on each operator, and as you said can be both operators and carriers simultaneously. That's a lot of complexity, even if it isn't the same architecture as other conventional 6 OP FM synths.

[@ambientsession]

that sounds very interesting, i'm really considering buying one at that price👌🎼

[@FreeBeat]

It's definitely a great piece of gear!

[@happyvibes2436]

i need to really sit down and make something with my volca fm

[@jantuitman]

I think you might like the Syntakt too (if you didn’t find your current Elekron box too much sound design). It is just picking a machine out of a list, and then you have 8 macro settings that you can tweak and p-lock. The Syntakt improves on existing Elektron boxes because each parameter is also represented by a small picture and when you tweak the parameter you see the picture change as well. Which somehow is super handy to get a memory for where the great sweet spots of the parameters are. Another synth that has great predefined algorithms and that I have been eying for a long long time is the Modal Cobalt. And there is even a budget version of that synth out, so it might fit very well with your channel.

[@FreeBeat]

I've looked into it, it's just a bit too pricy I think.

[@bikegarrett]

Very cool demonstration I'm not sure if my unit is faulty I seem to be having problems with polyphony, Lotta learning invested now, I'll keep trying, hope you had a blast camping

[@DetroitMicroSound]

Polyphony strategies need to be employed.... but at the same time, voice stealing can be used to great effect, creatively.

[@FreeBeat]

What issues are you having?

[@bikegarrett]

@@FreeBeat tried laying Down chords on tracks 4 and 3 today I see those are the higher priorities and that seemed to work better still trying to figure it out, it also seems like if you have the perimeter lock button on it limits the polyphony too so I turned it off so it was green and then it seemed to layer better smoother

[@inthefade]

@@DetroitMicroSound I actually love note stealing. I've never been one to complain about polyphony! It's just a characteristic of each synth to be incorporated into your production.

[@DetroitMicroSound]

@@inthefade Liven instruments are quirky, but I love mine!

[@rayderrich]

I keep my hopes up for you to one day put that FM overlay on the machine and start fiddling. You can do it!

[@DetroitMicroSound]

It's super easy. Nothing like traditional FM synthesis with pre-configured algo's. Easy, and fun to tweak until you love it, just like with substractive synthesis.

[@FreeBeat]

It's scary!

[@DetroitMicroSound]

@@FreeBeat Just start tweaking. You'll get it. it's the same kind of exploring you are already doing in the XFM, just a different macro, if you will. The root level.

[@bahutu802]

@@FreeBeat You might want to check out loopop's video about the Korg opsix. I'm not suggesting to buy it (GAS... 🤣), I was just blown away seeing how intuitive and 'easy' FM synthesis can be. Which brings me to the point that it's probably not FM itself which is scary and complicated, but rather that it is all about the interface one is working with. Of course you still have the right to say that sound design is just not your cup of tea..I only own the Volca FM where editing patches is a nightmare. The XFM seems to be in the mid-range with regards to usability, and the opsix appears to play on a whole different level...

[@azeriustv4642]

Hello there. I Love using the Po Arcade, but i really cant here the drone Sound anymore. But its esential for my songs. You know any Korg device what can manipulate the sound of it. :)

[@FreeBeat]

What do you mean that you can't hear it anymore?

[@azeriustv4642]

@@FreeBeat Ive heard it so many Times i need a new fresh Vibe u know

[@jaxager]

I've been so tempted to get one. The price is sweet and it seems pretty cool. I can't justify another groovebox though.

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah I can definitely understand not needing another groovebox haha

[@bahutu802]

I thought the same. After having watched a few extensive sound design videos about the XFM though, I now rather look at it as a synth with a built-in sequencer. So for me, the question is no longer whether I could justify another groovebox, but rather if I could justify another synth... Same problem, but a different question :D

[@inthefade]

Thankfully I need an FM synth to round out my rig, so I can justify buying this neat machine, whether it's a groovebox or synth 😂 The FM drums are just a bonus!

[@jaxager]

@@inthefade Of you're looking for FM drums, may I suggest the Erica Synths LXR-02? This drum machine is amazing. There are literally like 30 different parameters to tweak for each instrument. I picked one up used for around 440 to 450 bucks. A little bit more than this groovebox but it really is worth every penny.

[@DetroitMicroSound]

It's a double comment night! ....How about use the XFM and the new vocal processor, to discover what kind of electronic funk those two things will produce together..With words..... The way you can get the filters going in the XFM, some serious funk is possible, especially running all the tracks you are filter-tweaking, through the distortion... and legato......oh legato! 😁

[@blkrbbt2951]

I dont like legato.

[@FreeBeat]

I've actually already done a video with the two of them together!

[@DetroitMicroSound]

@@FreeBeat Wait....... a funk jam?

[@blkrbbt]

I have to maybe concede that it may not be the Liven FM's fault. I may just not be into FM synthesis. I couldn't reply to a reply for some reason.

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah FM isn't for everyone haha

[@kiabaxjax9402]

yo mr. beat if you see this message check this channel the deals primarily with the po 33. type in LP po 33, it's the one with the glitch letters and user image that looks like a glitch demon. dude 😎 only has like 700 subs.

[@FreeBeat]

I'll check it out!

[@EVILJAMARR]

This is one of those things where I would refuse to buy this based on looks, alone. It’s god awful ugly and cheap. I know, that’s shallow but instruments need to be visually appealing and inspiring to look at and interact with. This is neither (just me two cents).

[@DetroitMicroSound]

I couldn't disagree more. I have had the XFM, and the 8bit warps, both, since they first came out. Quirky, and amazing synths, both. Powerful. Highly engaging. Where are the videos of you playing synths? I see none on your YT account.

[@blkrbbt2951]

I agree about the form of this. It seems on the cheap side. And the sound seems tinny.

[@DetroitMicroSound]

@@blkrbbt2951 🤣Tinny? The hate is completely unjustified.

[@electro-soma]

I agree on your thinking as to why you like a particular synth. I'm the same. Which is why I love the XFM! It's an incredibly inspiring machine. That's something you can't judge on looks alone. When you say 'cheap'. Do you mean cheap in price? It's certainly cheap in price but if you actually get your hands on one it doesn't feel cheap. It's a great machine.

[@WrightFlyer1903]

I love the way my XFM looks.