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Table Of Contents
260 Chapter 20 ES2
Distorted FM in Monophonic Unison
The FM Megafat setting is well-suited for distorted basses and guitar-like sounds. This
sound gets rather “rude” in the upper key range. This cannot be compensated for with
key scaling, but not every sound has to be nice” across the entire keyboard range!
 Check out extreme detunings by adjusting the Analog parameter.
 Check out the Flanger with this sound.
 Engage the filter envelope by lowering the Cutoff Frequency of Filter 2 down to 0.
 Add some Glide to lead sounds.
 As always, when it comes to FM: You can dramatically alter the sound by varying the
frequencies of the oscillators. Make sure you check out the odd intervals, as well.
FM With Unusual Spectra
If you’re unconcerned with the pitch of your sound, you can get the weirdest spectra
out of odd frequency ratios (oscillator intervals).
The FM Out of Tune setting offers a bell-like sound, reminiscent of a ring modulator. It
was achieved through a setting of 30 s 0 c, with the modulator set to a value of 0 s 0 c.
Sounds like this were very commonly used in the electronic music of the eighties, and
have undergone a resurgence in popularity in modern ambient and trance music
styles.
You can further develop the sound by applying filtering, envelope modulations, and
effects. There is, however, one small problem—the sound is out of tune.
 Use Oscillator 3 as a reference for the tuning of the FM sound, by moving the cursor
in the Triangle.
 You’ll notice that the sound is 5 semitones too high (or 7 semitones too low,
respectively).
 Transpose both oscillators 1 and 2 five semitones (500 ct) lower. Transposing them
upwards is not practical, as you’d need to select 37 s 0 c for Oscillator 1, which maxes
out at 36 s 0 c.
 Its important to maintain the frequency ratio (interval) between Oscillators 1 and 2.
This means that Oscillator 1 will sound at 25 s O c and Oscillator 2 at –5 s 0 c.