Instead of starting with a harmonically rich waveform, as in subtractive synthesis, FM starts with a pure sine wave, called a carrier, and modulates it with another inaudible sine wave, called the modulator.
This modulation creates harmonics in the audible carrier wave. Combinations of multiple carriers and modulators, called algorithms, create more complex sounds. Later Yamaha units, such as the TX81Z , may feature more than just sine waves. Although Yamaha owns the patent for FM, other companies have released their own versions.
It involves a harmonically rich waveform modulating another. Sample-based synthesis involves recording or sampling a sound into digital memory. Although commonplace now, in the late '70s and early '80s this was a novel and often expensive form of synthesis. Later samplers, particularly Akai's rackmount S series and MPCs , along with Ensoniq's Mirage , brought affordable sampling to the masses.
There are a few different types of machines that cater to sample-based synthesis we'll define below. Samplers can transform a continuous analog sound into the digital domain, allowing it to be processed and played back.
These days, affordable hardware samplers abound: the Elektron Octatrack and Digitakt , Korg Electribe 2 Sampler , and more. Meanwhile, ROMplers , such as drum machines and synthesizers like the Roland JV, offer similar sound design capabilities but only with pre-loaded sampled sounds. For those looking for readymade sounds that can be further tweaked to your liking, such modern-day ROMplers put huge sound libraries at your disposal, without the need for doing any sampling yourself.
Hybrid synthesizers offer some kind of combination of digital sampled waveforms and analog subtractive synthesis, often a digital oscillator containing sampled waveforms alongside analog filters and envelopes. Other new hybrid synths are the Arturia MicroFreak , Novation Peak , and even, on a certain setting, the new Minilogue XD , which adds a digital sound engine to the original's two analog oscillators.
This pairs a very short sampled transient with a subtractive-style digital oscillator to create a unique type of sound. First developed by Wolfgang Palm in the late '70s, wavetable synthesis has become extremely popular as of late, due largely to its flexibility and ability to create evolving sounds.
At its heart are digital oscillators that use wavetables, or groupings of single-cycle waveforms. Playback can move laterally across the waveforms, resulting in unique expressions of movement and sonic change. This movement can be controlled with envelopes, much like volume can be controlled in subtractive synths.
In contrast to wavetable synthesis, which interpolates between waveforms stacked side by side, vector synthesis gives the user control over the volume balance of four sampled waveforms arranged as if occupying four corners of a two-dimensional plane, with a joystick to crossfade between them.
Although vector synthesis was something of an evolutionary dead-end, it does continue to pop-up in modern machines, such as in Korg's Kronos. Where subtractive synthesis involves starting with harmonically rich sounds and paring back, additive synthesis is the opposite, using a number of harmonic partials of sine waves that, when added together hence the name , create harmonically rich sounds. A Hammond organ , with its drawbars, is an example of a kind of additive synthesis.
The harmonic oscillator in Mutable Instruments' Plaits is a far more recent example of additive synthesis, while Razor from Native Instruments is another very powerful example. As anyone who has used Razor can see and hear , additive synthesis can be a powerful way of generating pretty much any waveform and even filter characteristics using only sine waves. Resynthesis is a process associated with additive synthesis whereby a recorded sound is analyzed and recreated using sinusoidal harmonic partials.
Instead of starting with sine waves and attempting to describe a new waveform, resynthesis starts with the waveform and reproduces it. New England Digital's Synclavier was capable of resynthesis.
The Hartmann Neuron synth used a proprietary neural-network resynthesis technique to create sounds. All together, this is admittedly not a very common form of synthesis. With just a few clicks of a mouse, you can create pretty much any sound you like with full polyphony and any effect you can think of.
From simple but sweet-sounding monosynths to fully tricked out poly behemoths, there is a synth out there with your name on it, waiting to be tweaked and played with. Or keep scrolling to get straight to our top choices. Looking for a great Black Friday music deal? Check out our Black Friday keyboard piano deals page for all the latest news and the biggest synthesizer offers.
A special nod also to the Arturia Microfreak ; for pure bonkers creativity and experimentation, the Microfreak is a very special synth indeed. The look of Uno may prove a bit divisive. Despite all of this, Uno is an excellent-sounding, versatile analogue monosynth, and you do get a lot for your money. The presets offer a ton of highly usable sounds, and we could certainly see this becoming a go-to instrument for classic basses and leads. The arp and sequencer are great for inspiring ideas, and a software editor adds to the allure.
If you can cope with a few compromises, Uno is a great source of classic, punchy analogue sounds at a bargain price.
Read the full IK Multimedia Uno synth review. The Volca FM is a compact, battery-powerable instrument, housed in a plastic chassis with a design that gives a cheeky stylistic nod to the Yamaha DX7 from which it takes its sonic cues.
It's equipped with a ribbon-style keyboard-come-sequencer, built-in speaker, MIDI input and 3. This is easily the best of the Volca range so far. Where the other models have merely captured the general vibe of the instruments they took their inspiration from - albeit in a very fun and affordable way - the FM manages not only to nail the sound of its spiritual predecessor, but also adds an assortment of new and powerful features.
It's not without its limitations - the lack of polyphony leaves it lagging behind the original DX7, Yamaha's Reface DX, and the various FM plugins out there - but the sound of those dark, percussive basses, icy mallets and '80s-style horns is bang on, and if you start to push the capabilities of this tweakable, hands-on little synth, you'll find it's capable of some truly unique tricks. Read the full Korg Volca FM review. The multiple oscillator modes cover a near-endless range of timbres; the filter is smooth and versatile; the Matrix invites exploratory modulation; and the performance and sequencing tools are the icing on the creative cake.
However, the real magic lies in the combo of all these together, making this odd little beast far more than the sum of its parts. Read the full Arturia MicroFreak review.
Following in the steps of the Deepmind, Neutron is an analogue semi-modular that packs in a lot of flexibility for its very affordable price point. The Neutron has a few flaws, and there are some frustrating design issues, but it does sound good, and in terms of bang-for-your-buck, you can't really beat it. While it does a very good job of creating more sensible sounds, it also excels at the weird and wonderful.
Read the full Behringer Neutron review. It is available as a full-size and much more expensive keyboard version or a desktop unit with touch keys. The keyboard version is obviously larger, sporting a heavy-duty metal enclosure, as well as physical wheels for pitch and mod.
Each of the three oscillators has continuous wave shape variations from saw to pulse width, with modulation. There are two analogue state variable filters, with dedicated cutoff and resonance controls. The potentiometers all feel smooth and firm, with a nice amount of resistance and, while the filter controls are dedicated, the function of most changes is dependent on the active menu. There is also a fantastic modulation matrix, which is a doddle to use; fast and powerful, belying its appearance.
With a great sequencer and some fantastic effects — although not many of them — this is a great synth for the money with a really simple workflow. All in all, it is a fine instrument and one that definitely punches over its weight class, in terms of sound and functionality.
Where the original was a fairly straightforward monosynth with a few unique touches and some CV control, the MiniBrute 2 is semi-modular, boasting a beefed- up synth engine and a comprehensive mini-jack patchbay. Filter-wise, the MiniBrute 2 keeps the Steiner-Parker-style filter of its predecessor, which offers dB low- and high-pass modes, plus -6dB band-pass and notch filtering. On the whole, the MiniBrute 2 is a real success. It takes everything we liked about the original - the analogue grit, interesting oscillator shaping and Brute factor control, which overdrives the signal chain using a controlled feedback loop - and expands on it considerably.
A serious competitor, then, and the same can be said of the MiniBrute 2S , which swaps the keys for a pad-based step sequencer. Read the full Arturia MiniBrute 2 review. This model slots comfortably into the 'Logue' range between the original Minilogue and the Prologue 8.
Along with the new damper pedal jack and dual-CV inputs to interface with modular gear , the XD is a nicely different flavour of Minilogue, and its unique personality is a hugely welcome addition to the range as a whole.
Read the full Korg Minilogue XD review. In the s, wavetable synthesis was the fuel behind the dance and electronic music fire, delivering an intuitive way of accessing a wide variety of sounds within a single patch.
For sound designers and experimental producers, it was unparalleled in its creative potential. As one of the pioneers of this method of synthesis, Korg has now reintroduced it to the world with the Wavestate. Read the full Korg Wavestate review. This is a lot of synth for the money. From its full eight voice polyphony, to variety of effects, to a step sequencer which can carry up to notes, there is an avalanche of stuff to play with here.
Put your analog snobbery to one side; the Cobalt8 is a joy to play. Read the full Modal Electronics Cobalt8 review. Digitone uses good old familiar four-operator FM synthesis where waves modulate each other but with some very welcome new twists and turns. Read the full Elektron Digitone review. That said, this is an impressive first entry into the synth arena for Behringer. Throw in the free cross-platform editing software, 1, onboard presets and a three-year warranty, and you have an alluring package.
Read the full Behringer DeepMind 12 review. The original Waldorf-powered Sledge launched in and, despite being pretty reasonably priced and offering a very solid synth engine, largely fell under the radar.
However, v2. There's no doubt that the Sledge's front panel has been largely influenced by the Minimoog with its classic three-oscillator plus filter plus dual envelope layout.
It's a great choice of design as it's very familiar to most people and flows very nicely. A black version with several new features is now available, too. Read the full Studiologic Sledge 2. It has a chic multi-coloured retro design that suits its authentic vintage sound.
The old-school approach is rounded off nicely with the inclusion of a spring reverb module — a rare inclusion in modern synths. Grandmother is a versatile performer, capable of a vast range of sounds even before patching a cable.
Is it worth the asking price? Absolutely, if for no other reason than providing users with a taste of those old Moog modular circuits without having to take out a second mortgage. Read the full Moog Grandmother review. Add in five looping envelopes per-voice, an amp module, two filter modules, five LFOs, reverb and delay modules, plus pre and post effects, and you have everything you need in terms of sound design, and all directly accessible and mostly modulatable! The general sound quality is truly excellent.
There is something of a learning curve but remember we are dealing with a lot of complexity — Hydrasynth is a deep synth and hugely impressive. In terms of build quality, looks, features, sound — not to mention affordability — Hydrasynth has it all. Read the full ASM Hydrasynth review. Kudos to Novation on an impressive machine! Read the full Novation Peak review. Read the full Roland System-8 review. Due to its flexible and open sample-based architecture and tried and tested synth engine, it can cover practically any sonic ground.
Build quality is solid; all the switchgear and knobs feel tank-like and very roadworthy. Alongside two analogue VCOs, each with variable saw, triangle and square waves, plus shape mod, the Pro 3 has noise, an external audio input and a fantastic wavetable oscillator that houses some truly wonderful waveshapes.
Filter wise you get a Prophet 6 style 4-pole low pass, a Moog ish ladder with self-oscillating resonance, then an Oberheim style SEM 2-pole, with variable low and high pass. There is a very comprehensive mod matrix, which is intuitive, and the OLED screen helps keep everything in check with its immediate feedback and simple navigation. There's also a fantastic sequencer that could easily be a product in its own right.
Four tracks at 16 steps alone would be good but here there is so much more, from swing to programme change mode.
The Pro 3 might be seen as a monosynth but it is a three-voice paraphonic synth, making it a versatile beast. The way it cycles through the voices makes it easy to get complex and creative with arpeggios and sequences, in tandem with different octave settings per voice.
Pro 3 does 'pretty' and 'subtle' well but where it shines most is when you add a little grit, which is easy to do by way of the filter and Tuned Feedback sections. The abilities of each section combine to make Pro 3 a true powerhouse of sound design. The drive sections are outstanding and the mod matrix, in tandem with the fabulous sequencer, make this one of the most versatile synths out there. Read the full Sequential Pro 3 SE review. Happily, it delivers.
The JD-XA is hugely versatile. This is a great keyboard to have at the centre of any setup - either live or in the studio. Hats-off to Roland for making one of the most inspiring and unique-sounding synths of recent times. PolyBrute is a digitally-controlled analogue synth combining multiple VCOs and VCFs with a powerful modulation matrix, sequencer and arpeggiator. It features the same button matrix as found on the MatrixBrute which can act as a handy preset browser, a controller for the multi-lane sequencer and, most usefully, a digital patchbay for assigning and editing modulation routings.
It is multitimbral though, with the ability to set up two distinct sounds at once. In standard Morph mode you can use a rotary to gradually morph between these sounds and all their associated parameters. Overall, this is an excellently designed, characterful synthesizer deserving of a place among the top tier of polysynths. Some subtractive synths add an additional ADSR section to the end of the chain for even more control over the shape of the sound.
Subtractive synths get their name from the way the combination of oscillators and filters work to create sounds. Subtractive synths are much more flexible than additive synths, and are especially well equipped to replicate real instruments.
FM synths short for frequency modulation have become popular in electronic music communities for their less natural, digital sounds. FM synths share a lot of common traits with subtractive synths, with the exception of their oscillators. The main oscillator s of an FM synth have a varying frequency, amplitude, or tone that makes them sound unnatural and complex when compared to simple subtractive synths. Sample-based synths are common in hip hop and other genres, where pitch-shifted samples play well with others.
These samples can be anything from a vocal recording to a guitar riff to a sample of a synth stab how meta is that!?! You take samples, pitch them up and down, and trigger them as needed. Do you have questions about a specific type of synthesis?
Come ask our community about it over in the Joey Sturgis Tones Forum. In the modern world of digital recording, it might come as a bit of a shock to some producers and engineers that anyt Close menu.
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