Twisted Electrons TWISTfm Demo (no talking)

[@limbicbits]

My 2 Cents: Twisted Electrons TwistFM First, a disclaimer: I’ve been involved in this project for quite a while now, so my opinion is definitely biased. Almost a year ago, Alex from Twisted Electrons first told me about TwistFM, and from the very beginning, I was thrilled by the idea. We've exchanged many ideas, and the current state is nearly the final iteration of what has already become one of my favorite synthesizers. TwistFM is built around vintage YMF262 FM sound chips, originally used in old Soundblaster audio cards (some of you may still remember those). It combines a dual-layer structure with a powerful multimode analog filter (one for each voice, plus an external input), which not only offers up to 15 fantastic-sounding modes but also features its own envelope (loopable, of course). A "heat" circuit gives it an extra boost for more aggressiveness, and you can choose between two different resonance behaviors (MS20 and Liquid). All three LFOs can be synced to BPM, and TwistFM supports MPE and polyphonic aftertouch, allowing for expressive playing. The ribbon controller lets you morph between different presets, play the unit without a keyboard, or act as a CS-80-style controller. TwistFM is perfect for leads, basses, and dub chords of all kinds. Overall, it's a bit tamer than the MEGAfm (so that one certainly does not become redundant, in case you were wondering). It’s also suitable for pads, but despite its analog filter, there’s always that nice gritty chip-vibe due to the stepped envelopes in the operators. The dual mode is quite useful, as it helps to build layered sounds. You can route the internal arp/128-step sequencer to one or both layers simultaneously. TL;DR: I’ve always appreciated synths that aren’t just clones, and this one in particular offers loads of character, a powerful sound, and is fun to work with. Yes, it is a Dub Techno powerhouse, but it’s also so much more. Check it out! ▶ Subscribe: kzbin.info ▶ Purchase Link* Twisted Electrons TwistFM: www.twistedelectrons.com/twistfm/?ref=limbic ▶ Purchase Link Universal Audio UAFX Galaxy Delay* (EU / Thomann): www.thomann.de/intl/universal_audio_uafx_galaxy_74_tape_echo_rev.htm?offid=1&affid=397 ▶ Purchase Link Universal Audio UAFX Galaxy Delay* (USA / Perfect Circuit): t1p.de/uafx-galaxy ▶ Purchase Link Polyend Tracker +* (Thomann / EU): www.thomann.de/intl/polyend_tracker_591912.htm?offid=1&affid=397 ▶ Purchase Link Polyend Tracker + (Sweetwater / USA): ▶ Book "Electronic Music Production": limbicbits.com/book-electronic-music-production/ ▶ Online shop with Patch Banks for Ambient, Techno, IDM and Electronica: limbicbits.com ▶ Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/presetsforsynths/ ▶ Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/limbicbits

[@MadelnMachines]

What is mega fm better suited to or more useful for?

[@limbicbits]

@@MadelnMachines MEGAfm still sounds a bit grittier / dirtier than TwistFM. It lacks analogue filters and extra operator wave forms but offers more flexible envelopes in the operator segments (which are loopable). I like both a lot and don't find these redundant, but can understand if customers would choose between both. If you're not too much into dirt or prefer an additional subtractive element, get the TWISTfm. MEGAfm is pure dirt and hence ideal for old Rhythm and Sound Dub Techno.

[@SonicVibe]

@@limbicbits thanks for the details that was super useful I want the twist over the mega I love the dirt but for my style the twist will fit nicely, and I love the old chips I wish it had the drums from the blast 💥 I want a groovebox version but the twist like you said is unique and poly old school fun to me I 90% I’m going to grab this hopefully 🤞 maybe 🤔 be playing with it around Xmas 🎅 to myself 😝

[@GirlfightClub]

Sounds amazing!

[@MathHammer]

Your comment that the MEGAfm sounds a bit grittier to me is interesting. I have the OG version, and yes it is easy to make it distort and sound gritty if you are not careful with the envelope peaks, but it can also be made to sound pretty clean if you watch your levels carefully. However, every patch in your video sounds to me to be a bit "fizzy." I don't know how to describe it; it sounds like some pitched noise or something bleeds through the sound of every patch. Maybe that is by design and maybe that is just the sound of this unique synthesizer. I am not trying to be critical; that is just what I hear. Is that the general sound of the synth? I was pretty excited when I heard about this originally and have been watching for it, but now I am not so sure. If the "fizziness" (again not sure how to describe it) can not be controlled, then maybe my money is better spent on a different hybrid synth.

[@twisted-electrons]

Amazing demo, thanks so much for making it!🥰

[@limbicbits]

Thanks for letting me be a part of that project! Wonderful synth!

[@limbicbits]

Background information for the two performances (Intro and Outro): The first performance starts with Dub Techno, and the outro concludes with Ambient IDM. Both performances incorporate some samples I've created, and an internal synth from Polyend's Tracker+. In the first performance, it is quite clear that the Dub Chord is reproduced by TWISTfm. In the final segment, the pad sound at the beginning was created using VAP, an internal synth engine of Tracker+. In that performance, TWISTfm contributes the bright, dubby lead sound, which becomes more prominent later in the outro.

[@TronDawg]

One of the most exciting synth I’ve seen or heard in years. Grateful to everyone who helped make this happen✨

[@deyoungstar]

Superb demo, and beautiful work as always (Alex) Twisted Electrons!

[@Ycke-vc3zc]

Soundscapes and new territories seem larger than ever. Congrats on the release !

[@jasonpaden8641]

This sounds soooo gooood! The TWISTfm is definitely on my wishlist now.

[@chrisjohnson8262]

Dope! Very usable and current sounding synth. On my list fosho

[@Winterdagen]

Amazing sounds!

[@uyscuti5376]

Fm + analog filters is definitely a sound. Seems like stereo effects, especially delay and reverb, are a must with this synth.

[@JoeriAksel]

This sounds amazing. 🔥 Thanks for the great demo!

[@Threlly]

This is the only FM synth I've heard that I like, and I played a DX1 when Yamaha announced it and Dave Chowning was present!!!!

[@m9cao]

nice huge sound from start! and many never seen gears

[@clonn]

Awesome sound. Out of my league in terms of price.

[@Bobo]

Sounds soooo good!! Can’t wait until I get the hands on mine 😄 Btw what delay pedal do your recommend for it? LVX or this one? Edit: just saw you used LVX too 😄

[@royroger1984]

stunning sounds! I am impressed. May I ask what is the white pedal you are using? It sounds delicious.

[@limbicbits]

It’s an intellijel sealegs delay module enclosed in a 4ms eurorack mini case

[@PorchBass]

It's where Yamaha should have gone! Delicious top end complexity and liquid filters. I like the presets very much. Juicy brass.

[@RandomNoise]

Instant like ❤

[@_minus]

Great demo, thank you! Though obviously different, both this and the Modal Carbon8 are scratching a 'can get aggressive and is unapologetically digital' itch I've got

[@marsoblivi0n945]

Would Love a reboot of there sid chip device. With added granular sampler capabilities and mod destinations and FX for total deep destruction and sound design. Think what you created with evolver meets monomachine except with sid chips you would have a legend.

[@millenniummastering]

Instabuy! Awesome that you were involved too. Also I finally got through to him so my MegaFM 1 looks like it will be fixed. How does the MegaFM hold up next to the Twist? Still sounds more dusty from what I can tell.

[@limbicbits]

Your impression is correct! TWISTfm won’t make MEGAfm redundant but might be more appealing to those who find MEGAfm too characterful ;) (I absolutely like it as you might know)

[@MeAlexSenna]

I would like to support this project but that’s a very steep price for an fm synth . In paper I was expecting it to be $600-$700

[@limbicbits]

I guess opening a price discussion is always difficult, as one has to decide for themselves what the real value of a unit is. I just want to put into perspective that TWISTfm is produced and developed by a very small, EU-based company, which simply can’t be compared to companies like Behringer, Roland, or even Moog. Additionally, there’s such a wide price spectrum (e.g. Black Corporation at the high end with prices around 5K, down to Behringer) that it’s hard to make judgments without understanding the specific backgrounds. Here’s my personal take: if we want to keep small manufacturers alive-those who deliver truly creative ideas instead of just making safe, cloned products-we shouldn’t shy away from paying a bit more. That extra expense helps sustain creativity on the manufacturer’s side, allowing them to bring us solutions that big global players would never dare release due to mass-market logic.

[@marcbrasse747]

PS: My former impressions actually come from the Mega. Has the Twist FM‘s sound quality evolved?

[@limbicbits]

Though I love MEGAfm's dirty sound character (if you prefer less, try to keep the Volume dial below 11-12 o'clock), the TWISTfm is much tamer in that regards. You can make it scream with the HEAT parameter in the filter section, but all that nasty digital noise is reserved to the MEGAfm.

[@Dolle_Man]

FINALLY!!

[@KiR_3d]

Sounds great! But is it multitimbral?

[@limbicbits]

Not really - you can create dual layer presets, though

[@nichttuntun3364]

Sounds extremely good! Is it MK1?

[@limbicbits]

I guess you're referring to the MEGAfm MKI. This one is a completely new product called TWISTfm.

[@nichttuntun3364]

@@limbicbits You're right. Both sound good.

[@limbicbits]

@@nichttuntun3364 Agreed!

[@Dolle_Man]

Just checked the site, pre-sale is 1000EU, thats a bit steep for me, dang it. * EDIT, with VAT it's 1207,58€, Nevermind

[@6581punk]

Look at the panel, lots of sliders = more expensive. Plus it has analogue filters and is basically hand made in Europe. It's not going to be Behringer price.

[@Dolle_Man]

@@6581punk yes you are correct, its just double the price of the MegaFM, I have to dive deeper to understand the price difference. Ive got the MegaFM and TherapSID, both of them are amazing, so I better start to save money 🤑

[@Dolle_Man]

@@6581punk Yeah I know what you mean, I guess I have to dig a little deeper to understand the price difference. The MegaFM has also a lot of sliders, and that is half it's price. Twist has 16 voices, witch is really neat!. But yeah the Pro-16 is also comming, witch I also want. Sooner or later I will get the Twist. I hope it will also be sold through retailers in the EU

[@PorchBass]

I think it's due to the sheer number of filters in the box? Thinking about it compared to a Waldorf M16 the price seems fair

[@limbicbits]

I guess opening a price discussion is always difficult, as one has to decide for themselves what the real value of a unit is. I just want to put into perspective that TWISTfm is produced and developed by a very small, EU-based company, which simply can't be compared to companies like Behringer, Roland, or even Moog. Additionally, there's such a wide price spectrum (e.g. Black Corporation at the high end with prices around 5K, down to Behringer) that it’s hard to make judgments without understanding the specific backgrounds. Here’s my personal take: if we want to keep small manufacturers alive-those who deliver truly creative ideas instead of just making safe, cloned products-we shouldn’t shy away from paying a bit more. That extra expense helps sustain creativity on the manufacturer's side, allowing them to bring us solutions that big global players would never dare release due to mass-market logic.

[@FM-kl7oc]

Is the Twist as difficult to make soft sounds as the MEGAfm? I wanted to make Boards of Canada style sounds on the MEGAfm, but it was just too wild.

[@limbicbits]

Not at all. But I don’t think that the MEGAfm is hard to program either, given that you have internalized the basics of fm synthesis. My recommendation for the MEGAfm is not to crank up the volume level above 11 o clock to preserve a slightly smoother character if desired . Advantage of the twist fm for those that aren’t super familiar with fm synthesis: you could use it as a 6 DCO like subtractive synth. But would of course miss quite a bit of the fun

[@Decoy303]

Is this like an unofficial mk2 version of their megafm?

[@limbicbits]

It's based on a different FM chip so the TWISTfm technically is even a bit closer to Blast Beats then to the MEGAfm. Plus, it inlcudes eight analogue multimode filters, one for each voice.

[@SonicVibe]

O man I wanted the blast 💥 but I think I just found my new gas ⛽️

[@John_Stone_]

This is the only FM synth I've heard that I like, and I designed the Yamaha DX1 with my dear friend Hiroshi Kawakami.

[@_DrumsArt]

Please make a video of it externally processing instruments.

[@limbicbits]

I shamefully missed that part in the video! Yes, I’ll do that later

[@tsooooooo]

The dub stab stuff sounds nuts! Good job

[@wul01]

How much! I think not.

[@limbicbits]

I guess opening a price discussion is always difficult, as one has to decide for themselves what the real value of a unit is. I just want to put into perspective that TWISTfm is produced and developed by a very small, EU-based company, which simply can’t be compared to companies like Behringer, Roland, or even Moog. Additionally, there’s such a wide price spectrum (e.g. Black Corporation at the high end with prices around 5K, down to Behringer) that it’s hard to make judgments without understanding the specific backgrounds. Here’s my personal take: if we want to keep small manufacturers alive-those who deliver truly creative ideas instead of just making safe, cloned products-we shouldn’t shy away from paying a bit more. That extra expense helps sustain creativity on the manufacturer’s side, allowing them to bring us solutions that big global players would never dare release due to mass-market logic.

[@sashaatree6535]

what keyboard sorry?

[@limbicbits]

Expressive É Osmose

[@marcbrasse747]

I am very underwhelmed by the TwistFM‘s raw sound so my compliments for making it sound this good and expressive.

[@GirlfightClub]

lol your joking right???