I think there was an understandable confusion between DX7 and Genesis. The Yamaha DX7 is a 6 operator Frequency Modulation synth! The YM2612, the Yamaha TX81Z & the Yamaha FB01 are 4 operator Frequency Modulation synths. The Yamaha FS1R is a hybrid that has Formant Synthesis and can do some FM sounds.

Shiru's instrument editor is amazing. True story.

Doing patches for 4-op synths should feel quite natural after a while, just like some of you learned subtractive sound design from wondering what the hell was going on to modeling acoustic instruments. It might take longer, since FM doesn't have as obvious natural metaphors (like filters), and of course it doesn't help that most FM synths are kind of tedious to work with. Video game FM chips have just the right complexity, and Shiru's instrument editor is _really_ good.

And you are crazy to program a TX81z from the front panel! I cry whenever I even need to setup a performance.

I will try to get back to you tonight or maybe tomorrow. A brass example is perfect for a beginner, I think.

running on mac. i tried a whole bunch of different options to try and get the thing working but it didnt pan out. I really just wanted to turn some knobs or press some buttons. I like the physical interaction and with software synths its built so simpal that doesnt even matter. the middle tho..... ewwwww. Dont know enought to learn sysex and not smart enough to care.

but for real. http://www.vintagesynth.com/yamaha/tx81z.php
check it out. it is a super fb01 that you can actually program. has great features and is god damn cheap. also it is capable of even more then just sine fm synthesis.

zen bebe. fuck the fb01. t81z for the win.

runs off of this bad boy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_YM2414
lazerbeat knows what i am talking about.

I wouldn't call it easy.. I use a windows based editor.. piece of cake that!

That's actually part of the appeal for me. I can't quite put it in math terms, in this case my brain's pattern recognition picks up faster than my logical/reason part, but after a while of playing around with different op/mod/fb setups you can somewhat predict what kind of sound you get-- until you pull down the amplitude of a modulator and get something entirely different.

Whenever I make an FM instrument, there's a lot of knob twiddling involved for me. I usually have a vague idea, try to set it up and then just poke around. I've also learned that true FM (ie wire an OSC to the pitch of another OSC) is a lot more unpredictable than phase modulation, and detunes the sounds for high frequencies/amplitudes, making it even more difficult.

It's usually worth it though, because you can get very rich sounds from it.

Sold my fb01. Dx7 for me. Much easier to program with no external control. The tx81 looks sick tho. Best part is u can program on the front panel easy.

I've been getting more and more interested in FM too.  It is one of the most fascinating sounds I think.  (Look for a ravin' FM DJ mix this summer )

that was a great presentation.  but just as i thought i was getting the hang of the basics of FM synthesis, i think i also got more intimidated by the apparent unpredictability of generating FM sounds.

piecing together overtones isn't really how my brain thinks about achieving a particular sound.  can any of you FM guys explain through an example?  for instance, getting a brass or an electric guitar sound?

The logical form would be Geneses, I think.

my point was that the fm chip in those synths is pretty much the same as the one in the genesis... i even have software that converts patch dumps from the tx81z, and lets you put them and midi files into a hacked sonic 3 rom.

Pffft. I think it's more a matter of I have 2 or 3 genesis (genesi?) in my closet not doing anything. Will wear my lack of FM synth virility with pride, thx.

Also, this:

I fall asleep to this video every night.. since it came out.

Yea thats why I got an fs1r.

Yeah I agree, I think people into 6op synths are compensating for their inadequacies in the bedroom.