FM Synthesis Explained: A Musician's Guide To FM 🔥 | feat. Kilohearts Phase Plant

Howdy! Today we're here to talk all about FM Synthesis, some patch basics, and dive in to a handful of sound design tips to get you started creating your own FM Synth patches.
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▼▼▼TIMESTAMPZ:▼▼▼
0:00 Howdy
0:11 A History of FM Synth Stuff
2:35 Overview of FM Synthesis
3:49 What We're Doing Today
4:41 The Basics of FM
7:25 The Most Basic FM Patch
8:45 Your First FM Patch
12:10 Linear vs. Exponential
13:32 FM Sound Design Tip 1
14:51 FM Sound Design Tip 2
16:05 FM Sound Design Tip 3
16:31 FM Sound Design Tip 4
17:46 FM Sound Design Tip 5
18:17 FM Sound Design Tip 6
20:24 FM Sound Design Tip 7
21:38 FM Sound Design Tip 8
22:04 FM Sound Design Tip 9
22:37 Closing Thoughts
Stay classy!
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[@VenusTheory]

Want some big PP energy in your life? Use my affiliate link and support the channel in the process! 💙 Kilohearts ► bit.ly/2S7dZZP

[@jloiben12]

It would be great if you could do a more detailed, in depth video covering how to make different families of sound using fm (piano, brass, woodwinds, organs, etc)

[@russellcameronthomas2116]

1st generation DX7 was my first synth. Mono output only. Being an Electrical Engineer, I picked up the programming fairly quickly. I probably spent most of my time exploring naturalistic instrument sounds such as horns, sax, and piano, and produced some interesting results. I discovered one of the biggest limitations was lack of a noise operator. It took 3 out of the 6 operators to create something like brown noise, but is wasn’t always adequate. Now that FM is integrated into multi-synths like Falcon 2 and Vital, we can use it for what it is best at - complex dynamic harmonics + inharmonics.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

I just got a Behringer 2600 and it's interesting how the early modularity in subtractive synths allowed for FM synthesis, even patching noise in as an operator.

[@Steve_Streza]

One of the best FM explanations I've ever seen. Cheers.

[@VenusTheory]

Glad it was helpful!

[@BrofUJu]

This is fantastic. I feel like a lot of us have a good handle on basic synth stuff, ADSR, filters, oscillators etc, but I'm still trying to figure out some of the more complex things like FM so this rules.

[@VenusTheory]

Glad to hear it was helpful! I've got another video in the works all about Physical Modeling synthesis next!

[@BrofUJu]

@@VenusTheory awesome

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

@@VenusTheory I really should´t - but DAMN , the prices on EBAY for a perfect kept Yamaha VL-1 - it will so DEFF. be my next purchase ... :-O - Do you have any hands-on-knowledge of those resonating fm Physical Modeling marvels ???

[@anantwashere]

Amazing. Phaseplant visually showed what could not be seen in Massive X, which I use regularly. And thank you so much, it is very informational.

[@hapleymusic]

I got PhasePlant because of your videos. I love it so much and my production work has really stepped up since I got it.

[@comalrec3373]

First of all, I am sorry for my poor English skills. This is the best video out of the many FM synths tutorial videos I've ever seen. Phase Plant is the best instrument to visually understand the fundamentals of FM synthesizers. Honorable applause to Venus for choosing Phase Plant for the FM Synthesizer tutorial.

[@mikeexits]

At first I was skeptical to be honest, but it worked out quite well! I'd imagine Arturia Pigments would've been a good choice too.

[@lolilollolilol7773]

The problem with PhasePlant is its business practice of selling the synth in parts like a Lego. You can also learn FM synth with Surge XT or SonicBits EXAKTLite, which are free. EXAKTLite allows to follow this video quite easily.

[@SpeccyMan]

@@lolilollolilol7773 Problem? What problem?

[@lolilollolilol7773]

@@SpeccyMan Exaggerated price problem

[@XVIV1504]

the best FM synthesis video I've ever seen

[@rabornjohnson]

This tutorial is simply stellar. I've been playing with synths for a long time without feeling like I get it. I have just about every major soft synth on the market, but something about Phase Plant just clicks with me. This video did for me what Phase Plant has been doing for me - it simplified synthesis. This is the single best video tutorial I've seen on synthesis period. Thank you!!

[@Alainyopla]

Once again, thanks for the great content! I would love to see you going through recreating a patch from ear of an old 80s song.

[@tz4601]

Great video! I find FM synthesis to be one of the easiest types of synthesis to understand what it is and how it works (maybe only additive synthesis is simpler since it's literally just adding waves), but simultaneously one of the most difficult to dial in a specific tone. What I mean is, it's really easy to get wild, crazy, and inharmonic results, but if I'm looking to make something similar to some patch I heard on a song, it can be hair-pullingly frustrating. When you combine this with the horrible interface of the DX-7 as you mentioned, I think it's easy to see why so many stuck with the presets. Maybe an interesting aside is that the sound cards of the 90s (like SoundBlaster) were essentially FM synths on a card. FM was used specifically because it was so good at making inharmonic sounds, and if you were making a game, you weren't just making music, you also had to use the card to produce every sound effect in the game -- explosions, bullets, punches, etc. -- since playing back actual audio files was unheard of given how much space they took up on a disk. There were eventually cards that came with some simple wavetable-type synthesis and some rudimentary sampling support, but backwards compatibility concerns meant that devs mostly stuck with the FM stuff. Here's an interesting article/interview on the topic: custompc.raspberrypi.com/articles/the-sound-blaster-story

[@ashleycobbold7816]

Thanks mate, got myself a volca FM which is the baby dx7 apparently but couldn't get my head around the carrier/operator/algorithm situ, makes a lot of sense seeing its shape on your system ✌️

[@philomelodia]

I am completely lost, totally confused and absolutely fascinated. It was so very interesting!

[@akshaydabhadkarofficial5104]

Cameron, I wish you the best for growing your channel. Only if I could like multiple times in KZbin! Discovering your channel is one of the best achievements of my life. Also please add monetisation options on your channel. People would easily contribute for such quality content.

[@johnlawson3014]

I gave up on YT tutorials a while back, maybe I just stopped needing them as much for the most part. I bought Phase Plant recently and there were a few things I couldn't figure out how to do or was wondering if there was a better way of doing them. This was my third video and I really got a lot out of it, just a great job all around.

[@justinking5245]

Fantastic, Cameron, as usual. Thank you!

[@bartleblans6570]

Man, this is such a good channel. Top stuff Venus Theory!

[@rainbow_mess_music]

this is great, thanks so much for this visual guide to fm! makes doing it in phase plant specifically so much more obvious too

[@deanandthebeans857]

Thank you! I’d written off fm as metallic DX7 type sounds I would never use - but this opens up a whole new dimension.

[@aethrya]

i can't believe this content on this channel is all just here for free. thanks man.

[@mwatkins0590]

i am not a fan of videos that start with intros, and overviews, and hey theres, and whatnots, but I am glad I stuck around for the sound design tips parts because they gave me a lot of ideas.

[@antoineguilbeault8025]

Just watched a documentary on the huge and rare DX1. The youtube algorithm wants me to do some FM patches I guess.I already know how FM works but can't stop myself from watching this. Very good video !

[@imagesofstyle]

Finally, I feel like I understand how to _use_ FM synthesis. I got the basic theory ages ago, but there's a big leap from there to here.

[@johnmccartney3819]

This will also be helpful in my understanding of Sines, the new 4-sine-osc synth from cherry audio. I have Dexxed but haven't gotten into patch creation much yet.

[@wesrosner]

Amazing teacher, love your background history as well.

[@scizmeli]

Definitely learned a lot here. Thanks. It would be super useful to follow up with a use these techniques in a concrete musical project

[@joaojimenez2093]

This is amazing... so helpful. Thank you, man

[@Auditium]

Maaan - Cameron yuo're just like my math professor - explaining everything to it's roots so it becomes easey peasy :) Watched it, liked it added to my favs and now I know how FM synths works :D

[@Zetamus]

I'd like all tutorials on KZbin would meet that level of quality. Great work, thank you. 👍🏻

[@mattwoodman3017]

your best advice was at the end when you said DONT OVER COMPLICATE THINGS! I liked that! ALso, an idea for a future video?? how about Modular synth! Eurorack,Complex-1 type of stuff! Im glad i found you Cam !!

[@DaGabbaGangsta]

This is the best vid ive seen on fm, excellent stuff

[@StratsRUs]

I was looking for a great synth channel.Subscribed !

[@josephharris4437]

Easily the best FM tutorial I've seen. Thanks so much!

[@VenusTheory]

Glad it was helpful!

[@oldunclemick]

Great video. 👍 I've only touched sine wave FM so interesting to see how much more power is available.

[@CatFish107]

Also, thanks very much for this tutorial. Lots of very insightful and useful info.

[@talksintheclouds]

I jumped on the sound design bandwagon and started using kilohearts phaseplant and ‘ecosystem’. thanks for your help buckaroo

[@OdoSendaidokai]

Very nice overview and demonstration. Thank you !

[@VenusTheory]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@thelanavishnuorchestra]

I had a Yamaha SY77 in the 80s, which had 6 operator FM and oh my it was about the same complex unintuitive UI with (at least) a bigger display than the DX7. The idea of FM synthesis, sends a shiver down my spine. I've spent way too of my life trying to get something that doesn't sound like banging pieces of metal together or crash test sound effects.

[@kimyona9746]

That's what literally any DAW synth is for. It's much less complicated when you can see it

[@thelanavishnuorchestra]

@@kimyona9746 yes, true. My fm trauma was from the 80s

[@jtn191]

Just study patches that work!

[@lessefrost]

Man this really helps me to start to make sense of Sytrus's modulation matrix. I'm excited to get home haha.

[@nctwister_km]

This video is incredibly helpful and informative. Now Surge XT is beginning to make sense. (I've owned Z3TA+2 by Cakewalk for years. Always seemed too hard to program - maybe now I can start using it.)

[@DaddaPsy]

That intro made we wanna have a coffee now. Superb video btw!

[@iamreddiee]

That was really useful, thank you a lot

[@Rubi8Hz]

wicked! great stuff. thank you sharing

[@rjy8960]

I grew up in the 80's and many bands I liked had a DX7 after Ultravox and their analogue synths, so it' always been a shiny thing that I've wanted. So a friend of mine is selling a DX7s so I've bought it and should have it in the next couple of weeks. I am absolutely NOT a musician but I am an electronics engineer and understand a bit about modulation so I'm really looking forward to having a play with it. This video has been really interesting - thank you :)

[@davidvochocjr1005]

The visual explanation is awesome

[@floatinganarchychannel3204]

Whomp! Another great video, love the intro!

[@funkbungus137]

brian eno shoutout! wow, cooll man. yeah he said the dx7 was something he'd get lost in for hours at a time creating atmospheres and stuff.

[@kingdommindset1462]

Hi. I have been struggling to figure out which synth to buy and use. There are so many!!! This tutorial has shown me I am not so interested in sound design, as far as starting sounds from scratch. I think i am more of a rompler type of guy. I hope I don't catch a beating from the smart people who read this. Thank you for this video. It was eye opening for me! You really helped me move forward!

[@bandaid007jl]

nice I just woke up and said I wonder if there are any new videos about production to watch while I drink my coffee, low and behold a topic I enjoy very much by one of my favorite youtubers. cheers ☕ Edit: great video I learned a bit about FM and you reminded me to update my phaseplant to 1.8.15 I've been mainly using Dexed for learning, not realizing the full capabilities phaseplant's framework has for working with fm. I still love Dexed and will always use it but after this video I'm going to have to put dexed down for a few months.

[@photicsonar]

Very very well explained, my favourite bucckaroonie-master❤🎉

[@fneder67]

Thanks man. Very enlighting.

[@sanderblom]

Thanks Cameron, that was awesome

[@djkymaera]

liked the operator gag, perfect for a segment on fm too.

[@VenusTheory]

Spent way too much time trying to work that joke in somewhere. I'm glad my efforts were worth it haha.

[@Flux_One]

Thanks for this. Very useful

[@DavidSmith-ne1zp]

Man, I so need to learn this stuff, and thanks to Venus Theory for presenting it in a way I might actually retain it. That said, I need to come back first thing in the morning, freshly caffeinated, with pen and paper lol!

[@moontan91]

very well done, thank you !!

[@yadinmichaeli12]

Thank you very much for this! :)

[@BramBramsBerg]

Nice tutorial for those interested in fm synthesis!

[@raysubject]

Great job, from now if somebody ask me to explain FM synthesis will save my time and just send him this video :) Excellent !

[@warlanefam]

I think I've said it before but you are an excellent teacher

[@chewlay111]

great work mate thanks!

[@griiseknoen]

Great stuff!

[@bosmawub7392]

great tutorial! thank you

[@johnhawranick8097]

Awesome video! Thanks for sending the link. I don't have much access to FM synthesizers yet, so I'll apply what I've learned to my Reface CS and maybe download a soft synth to expand my field of vision. Maybe once I get my HS Deluxe, I won't look too foolish. It's true, I should have embraced FM sooner, but you pointed it out: my first experience was the Yamaha DX7, and that was going to be a hard sell to someone who was still playing with a synthesizer made by Radio Shack. Keep up the great work!

[@evastuiver3705]

love this!

[@Yurkinz]

Thanks for a great video!

[@CookieColt]

Just got Phaseplant, great plugin! Watched your older video on FM and really enjoyed it so I'm watching this one as well. I have question about FM I always wondered if there was a plugin that had that timbre section of FM8 or as they say in the manual the: easy/morph window? I mean I guess you could accomplish the same result with Phaseplant with its incredible amount of freedom when it comes to patching capabilities, like having a macro to control all the LFO or something's. But it would be cool to know how they set up the morph window. I find it so great to be able to just dial everything back when things get out of hand which they tend to do when I sound design with FM :).

[@mattkomlofske8912]

Hi, I'm from the future. This really helped me wrap my head around FM synthesis. Thanks, Cameron!!

[@logancoats]

great video! thank you

[@nebroskitheraut6705]

Excellent!

[@leanderlumen1868]

Great tutorial. Quite practical and really helpful, too. I am getting into this topic within Eurorack realms so it's nice to get help with the first steps. I really can relate with keeping stuff simple an not overcomplicating things. But what I asked myself: Why are there so many options then? Man, even the DX7 had six operators. Who really makes a good use of all these choices (without ever killing cats with all the harsh noise)?

[@mrz80]

That funky pad you developed at 18:00 sounded just like the keyboard intro to Kansas' "Magnum Opus" :D

[@walkernotte3019]

22:25 *alt tabs>one track in ableton with phase plant in it>100% cpu usage when i hit the space bar* 👀

[@mathmanmrt]

by 1986 howard massey had published his incredible tutorial/patch guide to the foundational fm instrument: *the complete dx7*. that book, in combination with dx7 manual itself, allowed me to seem like a "genius" at programming it. had it not been for budget cuts i would have been hired by the film department at my university to do sound design for student and faculty projects. with respect to dexed, while i agree it does make dx7 programming much, much easier, for my money--and i mean that literally unfortunately--the dx7 contained in the arturia v collection is the pinnacle of dx7 programming. numerous wave forms, three types of envelopes, quick and intuitive controls, a mod matrix, built-in effects, plus the ability to apply changes while listening to the sound as you make the changes. it's not free or even cheap but if you like the dx7 it is worth the expense.

[@JasonGillmanJr]

DX-7 V is quite nice

[@VenusTheory]

Huh, I'll have to see if I can find a copy of that book somewhere. That sounds really interesting! And absolutely agree - the Arturia DX7 is hands down the best way to get a feel for what that monster of a synth was capable of without wanting to pull your eyes out haha. They really nailed their interface design (as usual) and brought that thing to life. I briefly owned an actual DX7 (funny enough, bought it AFTER I got the V Collection) and after maybe 10 hours total with it I was like "yep, nope" and sold it. Happily using DX7 V since haha.

[@KroniosPTT]

@@VenusTheory If You're looking... Search for "SY Programming" by Herbert Janssen .. its a free pdf, even if topiced on the most versatile FM-Synth ever - the Yamaha SY99 - there is a lot of tips, hints and theory and a huge list of literature. And that all for free.

[@jtn191]

Is a DX7 (or similar rack unit) worth having if you have DEXED?

[@homayunelyasi5562]

Thanks For This Tutorial

[@pshenk]

Thanks for this! I keep referring back as I mess around with FM. Are there any new relevant features for FM in 2.0? It would be nice if Phaseplant let you view algorithms in a tree structure like how they are usually shown in dedicated FM synths :/

[@lordbachus]

If you want to learn how to be creative with FM, you need the Korg OPsix. The interface with 6 sliders and 6 knobs works miracles to get aa feel for what you are doing.

[@yngvinyl]

thank you great info :)

[@derekholland3328]

great vid..thanks!

[@hrrrmit9187]

Beautiful video, definitely got some good frequencies modulating your voice too (Y)

[@culturedslob]

This is a great demonstration. Unfortunately i was hoping to find the same deep dive but limited to the sines featured in a DX or Volca FM.

[@jefft4303]

Two foundations that can't be over emphasized. One... one operator is one organ pipe, or flute, or ... very simple tone. Ten, lone ranger, single operator tones, composing one patch is Ten Simple Tones. To get the full power, when simple isn't enough, you need groups of At Least two operators, modulator and carrier. More than two gets Extremely Complex, (and often ugly) quick, as you pointed out admirably. Therefore, one and two need to be what they need to be, and 3/4... 5/6...7 alone, 8 alone... probably need to be very short or very quiet, or both. When it gets weird, save it, then turn stuff off. Foundation part 2.... There are a few... super critical... building blocks, that you need to have memorized so solid they become perfectly broken in tools, in well worn holsters, 24/7/365/78.6. You covered the s8ne wave fine. Your other three Standard All Day Everyday Tools are the Square Wave, Sawtooth, and Triangle Wave. These are built using two operators, with standard frequency and volume ratios. Those ratios are readily available online. Bonus tip. Throw an instance of Voxengo SPAN on your master buss, last. Every project. FM or not. Put it in your standard template.

[@eight-nine]

Awesome. As all time

[@scottk3292]

I really appreciate the strategies you shared, but do you know of any good resources or cookbooks for going deeper into FM algorithms? thanks

[@davidpetersonharvey]

I think one of the best tools you can have handy for taking an FM synth is a low pass filter.

[@treesforzoe4655]

Thank you!

[@camillehannoun19]

Powerful video

[@Taschenschieber]

One note on the "the DX7 is hard to program" thing... there have been editors that allow you to program the DX7 from the comfort of a computer since at least the mid-80es. They didn't have Dexed back then but for most of the DX7's lifespan, there were alternatives to its horrendous native user interface.

[@ShallRemainUnknown]

Exactly! DX7 editor/librarians allowed full-screen editing of patches in Apple II, Commodore 64, and eventually IBM PC, Mac, Atari ST, Amiga, way back in the mid '80s.

[@kmdaykin]

Just got the trial bundle. Many noise. Such yes.

[@siphelele3549]

Great Video, would love to know if the example from phaseplant used in the beginning of the vieo 4:54 is available as a preset?

[@Todesnuss]

On the point of phase plant being good way to learn fm synthesis. I think it's probably a great teaching tool for way more general mixing and ear training principles since it gives you such a clear picture of how you are manipulating the wave form. Even when mixing and mastering we are rarely doing more than making two wave forms sound a certain way. I think teaching audio starting with just a sine wave in phase plant has a lot of potential to get someone up to speed on a lot of basic audio terminology like phase, harmonic versus equal tuning and all kinds of other things that come to mind.

[@VenusTheory]

Totally agree - their UI/UX people did an absolutely incredible job with PhasePlant!

[@yeremifeliz1137]

Finally!!

[@gerasimos-dimitriostheotok7071]

Awesome tutorial. I have finally understood why the pitch is changing when i'm applying fm to an oscillator on my analog synth. -exponential. Love you man!

[@VenusTheory]

So glad to hear it was helpful! Cheers!

[@MattDoesSound]

Thanks for this video! A couple of questions though... 1) What's the difference between modulating pitch (in your first example) and modulating phase (at 8.55)? I don't quite understand what's happening to the waveform in the latter. 2) Do you think this plug-in is easier for a beginner than FM8? I have FM8 but finding it hard to get my head around!

[@YASIR.K]

Thank you

[@witheredmedia]

you sir are a smooth operator

[@rashid5271]

could you please start a series explaining confusing audio concepts like phase issues, gain staging and more that i am aware of idk , and thanks for FM synthesis video

[@steveochs2227]

Thx man!

[@jurgenschuler8389]

That you had to use that small tiny LCD is, if I remember correctly, not totally correct. I had a piece of software for my C64 over which I could program my Yamaha via MIDI. However, a fantastic video!

[@sebbosebbo9794]

great ...what a great tut....thx.. p.s. for a Sampler that would be great... saw people they creat even heavy fat sounds like fm but with 1 sample ..they use modulator lfo and knowing what parameter must modulate, tackled to creat awesome sounds with a sample ...