This was your best FM synthesis explanation? Don't brag about your degree then... Here, have a proper tutorial about FM from someone who actually explains the engineering behind it: th-cam.com/video/glvRz-ASpRs/w-d-xo.html
I'm working with the YM2612, a 4 operator chip. Was having difficulties grasping how it fully worked. This helps explain things a LOT. Thank you so much.
As a teacher (now retired) I had to constantly remind myself i was teaching stuff to people who didn't know what i knew. Here in synthi-land (or space) it seems most of the vids like to talk tech fast and complicated to show off their own knowledge. Finely! Somebody who knows how to explain some synth tech so we newbs can understand what the heck it is. The paper squares very nice - and the patch chords brilliant! I understand! A miracle!
Very clear and concise explanation - not droning on and on for 30 minutes without getting to the point. I never realized to what extent FM synthesis "branched out" in all directions - I thought there were never more than one modulator for a carrier.
this stuff is what really sparked my intirest in electronics, its so much fun to wire digital circuits (for square waves) and using a digital to analog converter to make a sine wave. its so interesting and fun to me.
FM synthesis was mainly used in Yamaha synthesizers (such as the DX7) and Yamaha sound chips (such as in '80s arcade games and the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis console).
I have been watching your videos for years now, inspired to create different music and slowly piecing together my sound equipment. Right at the doorway of acquiring Operator for live 11, I wanted to learn about FM and discovered your video. This is probably the most informative Neuro-Div friendly explanation I have ever received. Thank you Andrew, my sound design and musical understanding are forever changed because of your short video.
Ive been watching you for a long time and I have to say that you're skills with video design and production have really developed impressively. Your content is such high quality in every way. Thanks :)
Oh my... Coming from the Berklee channel on the basics of synthesis, and I gotta say you surpassed their pedagogy and power of synthesis (yeeeyyy it's a pun) on this somehow complicated topic! Thank you Andrew! I've started a music career (based on live sound reinforcement) but we're seeing it from many different areas, and FM synthesis is one of the most interesting next to the Physics o sound. Your other video on harmonics (blew my mind) is astonishingly simple and entertaining 🎶❤
Yes, second that Zack. I'm a music theory teacher and I love showing Andrew Huang videos to my class on Fridays. Andrew really is a model musician for the community on so many levels.
I live in the Gta to and I just appreciate how you inspire us. If you can keep teaching us how to learn the less common skills of music!! Love you dude:) (Dave from boy in a band is sick to!)
Dude! that would be great. that is so kind of you. If you are familiar with lmms I have learned my way around that and have a good idea of samples. I need work on my theory and notes but I play the drums. Thanks alot
One point that needs to be made is that while FM synthesis can be done in the analogue realm, it's tough because analogue is so, well, analogue. If you have 4 operators stacked up, the slightest oscillator drift could completely change the resutling sound. Chowning figured this out early on and did his research on computers, but affordable FM synthesis had to wait until that kind of processing power became reasonably affordable. The result was the Yamaha DX7.
Brian T Djdnt Chowning sell his patent for the idea to Yamaha as a result? So they could manufacture it and realise his idea because he didn’t have the means/money
I'm so glad you said this. Right at 1:10, Andrew describes that setting both operators to the same ratio, then raising the amplitude on the modulator, will make a laser shooting type of sound. But every time I try to do this on my Digitone (Digital FM synth), it does not sound like that. Which makes sense, considering the fact that a 1:1 ratio creates even harmonics. When the Frequency Ratio between Modulator and Carrier is 1:1, that is, they have the same value, this will create a Sawtooth Wave (a Sawtooth describes a wave that contains all harmonics). (source yamahasynth.com/yamaha-synth-rss/fm-basic-waveforms) So, on the Digitone, if you set your carrier and modulator to be the same pitch, then brought the volume up on the modulator to a level of 50, you've created a sawtooth waveform. And if you brought the level to 100, you've created more even harmonics in the spectrum. This doesn't, and shouldn't create a laser type of sound. There shouldn't be any movement happening, from everything I have read, and experimented with. However, if he is using analog oscillators, it would make sense, because they might be slightly detuned, resulting the movement that he created. Do you know if he was using analog oscillators to create this video?
The modulation action is actually slightly more complicated than was explained here. The pitch modulation doesn't actually follow the shape of the waveform of the mlodulator like you'd expect, but instead follows the *derivative* of that waveform. Meaning, if you put a sawtooth wave modulating a sine wave, all you'd get is a slightly deeper sine wave. Use a triangle wave to modulate, you'll get the sine wave alternating between two constant pitches really fast. The derivative wave of the sine wave is just another sine wave (just phase shifted by π/2 radians), so this fact doesn't affect it's use as a modulator, but you have to keep this in mind when you want to use other waveforms.
Reydriel Why? Is this some special issue with the way Yamaha FM synths work? I can not imagine how this would apply to a simple custom modular patch of just some oscillators.
I for one welcome its return. I've been playing around with OPL instruments in OpenMPT a lot, and I feel like Andrew really explained the concept well to newcomers.
Nice video. A lot of Arcade boards, PC Sound cards and Video Game Consoles used FM Synthesis. One of my favorite consoles the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis uses a FM Synth chip and a PSG sound chip.
Nice video. This synthesis method was also used in some arcade, console and PC videogames in form of the YM2151, YM2612 or YM3812 yamaha sound chips used during 80s and 90s. They bring me such good memories of my childhood...
'sine wave has a vibrato that is slowing down over time because of this modulation' ... nice and succinct way to get my head sort of around what FM is about. A modulator doing something and you can also control how the modulator does that thing
Watched this video a few months ago, and it was great to help understand. But we started FM synthesis in class today using Arturia DX7 and coming back to this video REALLY helped now that I’m truly diving into it. Thanks Andrew for you invaluable information 🙏🏽
Thanks Andrew, I was actually wondering this all week but didn't have time to dive into it. Your videos seem to always be so well timed according to my life
Great video Andrew! If someone is as curious as me, i need to let you know that what actually is being modulated is the phase of the carrier, and when the phase of the operator moves, creates this up and down pitch bending that we all love
At least modern and software FM synths, yeah. There were synths that actually modulated the frequency, but most now use phase modulation. It doesn't make a huuuuge difference, but the examples using saw waves as modulators in the video would actually result in the carrier holding a steady higher or lower tone, rather than the expected result of high to low or low to high. It also means that higher modulators cause more change in pitch than lower ones.
Operator is actually an oscillator that has its own amplitude envelope and sometimes filter. So in a sense, an operator is sort of a 1 osc mini synth within the synth.
dude, first of all let me just say I love your videos! I think you should do a whole series on stuff like this, about how synths work and that kind of thing. It'd be really helpful to a lot of people who have just picked up a synth and don't know what they're doing or people who are starting to learn some basic music production.
Hi Andrew, I find you videos to the best out there for music production. You remain honest and humble and teach things in a fun and interactive way. Cheers mate, I have subscribed.
That's an awesome explanation! People could just make simple short videos like this to explain things that are Barriers to Entry for different things, and it would help a lot of people start getting into a subject! That's kind of like what is already out there, but I think people need to focus more on this. It's awesome! Thanks Andrew,
Hi Andrew, what you are explaining is modulating with an LFO the pitch of the first sine wave, and then with other LFO the rate of the first LFO. FM instead bring new harmonics to the same tone of the first sine wave.
This were really the most important aspects of FM synthesis in a nutshell. The only thing I would add is that the term "operator" really means the combination of an oscillator and its associated envelope generator (and possibly other pitch and amplitude modulation sources). The ability of FM synths to create a variety of *dynamic* tones stems to a great extend from the fact, that each operator has its own modulation section, the most important component of which is its envelope generator.
What I like about FM (actually, Korg OPSix's implementation of it) is that you can use the carriers, mods and then the external filters to emulate various analogue synthesisers. FM synthesis is also an excellent choice to create some really crystal clear fat bass sounds.
If you normally use integers to make good sounding ratios, make a track using irrational ratios. Should be an interesting challenge and the end result would be very interesting.
Really interesting explanation. Could you maybe do another showing what kind of operators/algorithms would be required to make the kind of sounds most of us would recognise as 'FM synth' sounds, like say a standard bell sound from a DX7??
![[LIVE] BABYMONSTER(베이비몬스터) - DRIP | 두시탈출 컬투쇼](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UG05pxLGwzc/mqdefault.jpg)
As someone starting to dive into synthing and feeling overwhelmed at times this is extremely valuable
hi Sammy
Keep up my guy, been doing this for almost 7 years now and still can learn something new.
Shut the hell up peasant. NO ONE CARES WHAT THAT YOURE EXPLORING SYNTHEZIZEEE!
samuraisynthesis
So cool to see you here Samurai!
Dude, that was THE BEST explanation of FM synthesis. Ever. And I have a degree in Electronic Music.
Michael Rinehart where u got to school for tht and is it paying off yet
This was your best FM synthesis explanation? Don't brag about your degree then...
Here, have a proper tutorial about FM from someone who actually explains the engineering behind it: th-cam.com/video/glvRz-ASpRs/w-d-xo.html
Larry Tough Love University of Tennessee. Go Vols. I wound up web developing instead of music making.
Cristi Ceausu Wasn't bragging. Just leaving a compliment for Andrew.
+HORNGEN4 you sound like an unnecessarily butt hurt idiot
rly happy you uploaded this separately!
This is easily one of my favorite things you've done.
So glad you made this as a standalone video. This goes straight to my "best videos of February" list
my god, this is so easy to understand. thanks!
heiakim Music why tf are you here japanese translate music guy? lol
Hotto Doggo Hotto Doggo got stuck in my Mindoooo
Boi
Hooh
heiakim has been spotted
I'm working with the YM2612, a 4 operator chip. Was having difficulties grasping how it fully worked. This helps explain things a LOT. Thank you so much.
This is fantastic!
As a teacher (now retired) I had to constantly remind myself i was teaching stuff to people who didn't know what i knew. Here in synthi-land (or space) it seems most of the vids like to talk tech fast and complicated to show off their own knowledge. Finely! Somebody who knows how to explain some synth tech so we newbs can understand what the heck it is. The paper squares very nice - and the patch chords brilliant! I understand! A miracle!
You would make a great instructor. These videos are very helpful. Love learning about sound synthesis. I subscribed to your other channel! 👋✨
...you should replace the words "would make" with the word "are" 👍
MUCH NEEDED
Yes! I was hoping you would do this thank you
same!!
Very clear and concise explanation - not droning on and on for 30 minutes without getting to the point. I never realized to what extent FM synthesis "branched out" in all directions - I thought there were never more than one modulator for a carrier.
this stuff is what really sparked my intirest in electronics, its so much fun to wire digital circuits (for square waves) and using a digital to analog converter to make a sine wave. its so interesting and fun to me.
visual learning is underrated, you're a genius. thank you!
Honestly, THIS CHANNEL IS ACTUALLY THE BEST!!! A GOLD MINE OF MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE!!! Any upcoming musical theory content?
Awesome! I thought this was such a creative and unique way of describing FM synthesis. I'm glad you decided to spin it into it's own video.
This has to be one of the best videos I've seen explaining synthesis. Well constructed!
FM synthesis was mainly used in Yamaha synthesizers (such as the DX7) and Yamaha sound chips (such as in '80s arcade games and the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis console).
this is a wild overstatement, while Yamaha popularized FM with the DX virtually every modern digital synth incorporates FM
I have been watching your videos for years now, inspired to create different music and slowly piecing together my sound equipment. Right at the doorway of acquiring Operator for live 11, I wanted to learn about FM and discovered your video. This is probably the most informative Neuro-Div friendly explanation I have ever received. Thank you Andrew, my sound design and musical understanding are forever changed because of your short video.
This video breaks it down so clearly, simply and concisely. Great work.
I love how concise and on point this video is! No bullshit, just content. LOVE IT!
Ive been watching you for a long time and I have to say that you're skills with video design and production have really developed impressively. Your content is such high quality in every way. Thanks :)
Oh my...
Coming from the Berklee channel on the basics of synthesis, and I gotta say you surpassed their pedagogy and power of synthesis (yeeeyyy it's a pun) on this somehow complicated topic!
Thank you Andrew! I've started a music career (based on live sound reinforcement) but we're seeing it from many different areas, and FM synthesis is one of the most interesting next to the Physics o sound.
Your other video on harmonics (blew my mind) is astonishingly simple and entertaining 🎶❤
You are so talented. I strive to make music like you do. You are a model for the music community!
Yes, second that Zack. I'm a music theory teacher and I love showing Andrew Huang videos to my class on Fridays. Andrew really is a model musician for the community on so many levels.
I live in the Gta to and I just appreciate how you inspire us. If you can keep teaching us how to learn the less common skills of music!! Love you dude:) (Dave from boy in a band is sick to!)
Hey! You need any help starting music producting? We could talk sometime and i can help you with what you need to get started! :)
Dude! that would be great. that is so kind of you. If you are familiar with lmms I have learned my way around that and have a good idea of samples. I need work on my theory and notes but I play the drums. Thanks alot
Bow bow 🐶
One point that needs to be made is that while FM synthesis can be done in the analogue realm, it's tough because analogue is so, well, analogue. If you have 4 operators stacked up, the slightest oscillator drift could completely change the resutling sound. Chowning figured this out early on and did his research on computers, but affordable FM synthesis had to wait until that kind of processing power became reasonably affordable. The result was the Yamaha DX7.
Brian T Djdnt Chowning sell his patent for the idea to Yamaha as a result? So they could manufacture it and realise his idea because he didn’t have the means/money
I'm so glad you said this. Right at 1:10, Andrew describes that setting both operators to the same ratio, then raising the amplitude on the modulator, will make a laser shooting type of sound. But every time I try to do this on my Digitone (Digital FM synth), it does not sound like that. Which makes sense, considering the fact that a 1:1 ratio creates even harmonics. When the Frequency Ratio between Modulator and Carrier is 1:1, that is, they have the same value, this will create a Sawtooth Wave (a Sawtooth describes a wave that contains all harmonics). (source yamahasynth.com/yamaha-synth-rss/fm-basic-waveforms)
So, on the Digitone, if you set your carrier and modulator to be the same pitch, then brought the volume up on the modulator to a level of 50, you've created a sawtooth waveform. And if you brought the level to 100, you've created more even harmonics in the spectrum. This doesn't, and shouldn't create a laser type of sound. There shouldn't be any movement happening, from everything I have read, and experimented with.
However, if he is using analog oscillators, it would make sense, because they might be slightly detuned, resulting the movement that he created.
Do you know if he was using analog oscillators to create this video?
The modulation action is actually slightly more complicated than was explained here.
The pitch modulation doesn't actually follow the shape of the waveform of the mlodulator like you'd expect, but instead follows the *derivative* of that waveform. Meaning, if you put a sawtooth wave modulating a sine wave, all you'd get is a slightly deeper sine wave. Use a triangle wave to modulate, you'll get the sine wave alternating between two constant pitches really fast.
The derivative wave of the sine wave is just another sine wave (just phase shifted by π/2 radians), so this fact doesn't affect it's use as a modulator, but you have to keep this in mind when you want to use other waveforms.
Reydriel Why? Is this some special issue with the way Yamaha FM synths work? I can not imagine how this would apply to a simple custom modular patch of just some oscillators.
you did a really good job explaining this. I feel like FM synthesis is making a huge comeback, thanks to the digitone im sure
I for one welcome its return. I've been playing around with OPL instruments in OpenMPT a lot, and I feel like Andrew really explained the concept well to newcomers.
Sega Genesis brought me here
You're a great teacher.
Wow, the only person on the internet that uses grammar lol.
Next time: Do a video on Linear Arithmetic Synthesis *WITH HISTORY!!!*
Ive been looking for this explanation for a while and couldn't find anything. great video, really appreciate it.
One of the best videos explaining FM I found so far, thank you
you are technically my hero dude. love the video
Rhythm then is just a super slow oscilation and polyrhythms are combinations of oscilation with a certain ratio relationship
You should check out Adam Neely's "Harmonic Polyrhythms" video...
The moog subharmonicon is a synth that works with this idea
1:28 it's like golddusssssttttt
Nice video. A lot of Arcade boards, PC Sound cards and Video Game Consoles used FM Synthesis. One of my favorite consoles the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis uses a FM Synth chip and a PSG sound chip.
Nice video. This synthesis method was also used in some arcade, console and PC videogames in form of the YM2151, YM2612 or YM3812 yamaha sound chips used during 80s and 90s. They bring me such good memories of my childhood...
FINALLY, someone who knew Yamaha was the FM Synthesis master!
Best video I have ever seen about sound design.
Thank you, this was the clearest and most concise explanation of this concept I was able to find anywhere!
Simple and clear. Fantastic
oh man you've helped me understand this so much better than a 3 hour workshop I just did on fm synthesis could.
Thank you! I've been trying to find out exactly what an FM Operator is and you finally explained it!
Thanks man. Your easy to understand introduction explanation, got me on the right track as a beginner learning about F.M. synthesis
'sine wave has a vibrato that is slowing down over time because of this modulation' ... nice and succinct way to get my head sort of around what FM is about. A modulator doing something and you can also control how the modulator does that thing
What I've struggled to find info about online is what the actual mathematical function ruling the modulation is.
very creative...visuals help anchor what is to some a very difficult concept to understand..thanks for thinking it through and offering it up!
Watched this video a few months ago, and it was great to help understand. But we started FM synthesis in class today using Arturia DX7 and coming back to this video REALLY helped now that I’m truly diving into it. Thanks Andrew for you invaluable information 🙏🏽
This was a nice simplification this will help me understand going forward. Thank you so much!
this is so great. the best video to watch if you have no idea what fm synthesis is
I would watch a full series of Andrew just explaining different musical things in this style
Helpful! Yes! Thanks for this!
Thanks Andrew, I was actually wondering this all week but didn't have time to dive into it. Your videos seem to always be so well timed according to my life
This is so clear! Incredible delivery of great info!!
This is so good. It is usually such a confusing subject, but that is such a good introduction. I'm off to Ableton Operator right now. Thanks Andrew.
Great video Andrew!
If someone is as curious as me, i need to let you know that what actually is being modulated is the phase of the carrier, and when the phase of the operator moves, creates this up and down pitch bending that we all love
At least modern and software FM synths, yeah. There were synths that actually modulated the frequency, but most now use phase modulation.
It doesn't make a huuuuge difference, but the examples using saw waves as modulators in the video would actually result in the carrier holding a steady higher or lower tone, rather than the expected result of high to low or low to high. It also means that higher modulators cause more change in pitch than lower ones.
Perfect! I'll have to link to this in any videos I make about FM - fantastic explanation, very easy to follow.
I'm learning about the history of video games and this explanation is super helpful! Thanks so much
I love these kinds of videos
Operator is actually an oscillator that has its own amplitude envelope and sometimes filter. So in a sense, an operator is sort of a 1 osc mini synth within the synth.
The best and most concise explanation on FM synthesis. Thanks man!
This is really one of the best educational videos I've ever seen on any topic.
THANK YOU!! I needed this for a school project, and no one could explain it better!
Really good video Andrew! I'm writing an assignment on FM for my production class and this explains things in a nice straightforward way.
more of these types of videos, love them! Keep it up Andrew!
Videos like this are amazing! Thanks, I've been wondering about this recently.
dude, first of all let me just say I love your videos! I think you should do a whole series on stuff like this, about how synths work and that kind of thing. It'd be really helpful to a lot of people who have just picked up a synth and don't know what they're doing or people who are starting to learn some basic music production.
3:18 every Sega Genesis explosion sound ever
Hi Andrew, I find you videos to the best out there for music production. You remain honest and humble and teach things in a fun and interactive way. Cheers mate, I have subscribed.
Clear and instructive. Wonderful. Thank you!
That's an awesome explanation!
People could just make simple short videos like this to explain things that are Barriers to Entry for different things, and it would help a lot of people start getting into a subject!
That's kind of like what is already out there, but I think people need to focus more on this. It's awesome!
Thanks Andrew,
Hi Andrew, what you are explaining is modulating with an LFO the pitch of the first sine wave, and then with other LFO the rate of the first LFO. FM instead bring new harmonics to the same tone of the first sine wave.
Couldn't explain it better. So clear. Good job
YOU ARE INCREDIBLE! ITS SO EASY TO UNDERSTAND! Now all i need to do is work out how to use that knowledge in soundation!
Thank you for making this video, I’ve been looking for a video explaining FM synthesis :)
Simply brilliant presentation, Mr. Huang! Never could I have wrapped my mind around this content without such visual detail. Thank you!
This is simply a perfect explanation. Thanks a lot!!!!
Really unique presentation. Which is a quality I admire about your videos, but you really knocked it outta the park on this one.
Hey man just wanted to say your videos are kickass. Educational, fun and truly inspiring. Keep it up!
This were really the most important aspects of FM synthesis in a nutshell.
The only thing I would add is that the term "operator" really means the combination of an oscillator and its associated envelope generator (and possibly other pitch and amplitude modulation sources). The ability of FM synths to create a variety of *dynamic* tones stems to a great extend from the fact, that each operator has its own modulation section, the most important component of which is its envelope generator.
You explained it in a ridiculously simple manner, it's amazing!
What I like about FM (actually, Korg OPSix's implementation of it) is that you can use the carriers, mods and then the external filters to emulate various analogue synthesisers. FM synthesis is also an excellent choice to create some really crystal clear fat bass sounds.
I loved this! It made understanding this so much easier. Im a visual learner so this was very helpful. Thanks!
Favourited! That was such a great crash course - you've explained everything so clearly and succinctly. Keep doing more videos like these! :D
Really creative way to explain and super cool video and sound editing. Not complicated and effective.
a very nice description, thank you very much. Totally explains the D10 & DX7 :)
As someone brand new to digital music making, you're the only person I've found who can explain such basic ideas so simply!
If you normally use integers to make good sounding ratios, make a track using irrational ratios. Should be an interesting challenge and the end result would be very interesting.
maybe interesting but probably not euphonious, tuning exists for reasons
Brilliant as always. I really appreciate your CREATIVE clarity. (Or clear creativity?) I have my students watch your videos all the time.
Just to thank you for the very useful information. Very well explained!
I never seen a clearer explanation of FM Synth. THnx
Thank you so much for this! I’ve always wondered how to use modulators. You’re amazing!
Thank You Andrew, Have a Great Days
Thank you so much for posting this. It finally makes sense.
I love you so much. Thank you for explaining this. I just bought a fairly expensive synth, and I have no idea how to use it. I just like the sound 😊
Thank you for this video! I'm on year 2 of my sound and music technology degree and were currently getting into Fm synthesis
Really interesting explanation. Could you maybe do another showing what kind of operators/algorithms would be required to make the kind of sounds most of us would recognise as 'FM synth' sounds, like say a standard bell sound from a DX7??
What an original way to explain this topic! Great video, as always.
PERFECT!!!! This explanation was very helpful!!! Thanks
OMG FM makes so much sense now thanks for doing this!
I love the use of the pieces of paper! Very creative Mr. Huang!