Yamaha PLG150-DX Quick Start Manual - Page 3

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controlled by velocity and other controllers you

have a degree of timbral control over harmonic

content that samples can't even dream about. So

while samples offer a very accurate wave shape to

start, your ability to manipulate on an organic

level is nil. FM wave shapes are not as emulative

of instruments to start but the behavior and

degree of

control over harmonic content is

unprecedented.

In the algorithm above operators 1, 3, 4 and 5 are

Carriers (meaning you can hear their output)

while operators 2 and 6 are Modulators (means

their output is only heard by its affect on the

Carriers to which they are connected. Without the

Modulators each Carrier would sound only a 'sine

wave'.

Operator

operator.

When you have a simple 2-operator FM stack,

Modulator/Carrier, and the coarse tuning ratio of

each is 1.00 and the output of the modulator is

about at ¾ output (about 75), you will generate a

fairly perfect sawtooth waveform. If you increase

the ratio of the modulator so that it is 2:1 tuning

ratio to the carrier you will generate a square

wave. Any whole integer ratio 3:1, 4:1, 5:1 or

greater will generate an ever-narrowing pulse

wave.

the

ratio

relationship, you will generate what would be

described

'bell

fundamentals of FM – of course, it can get very

much more complex (FM is a real form a

synthesis that can be studied at the college level),

with

nested

feedback

between operators. Filters were unnecessary in

the

original

synthesizer

constructing the harmonic content more directly.

To really get into FM you need to understand side-

band frequencies and Bessel functions but most

FM synthesis can be carried out on an intuitive

basis once you understand the fundamentals.

If none of this interests you, it is okay. You can

just

enjoy

the

sounds.

exaggeration I can say that most of what is

possible with DX-style FM has yet to be explored.

above,

the

feedback

non-whole

integer

tone'.

That

loops

and

interaction

since

you

But

without

And there are sounds that nothing but DX-style

FM can do. Notice I didn't say it could do

everything – but there are sounds that nothing

else on the planet can do. It is estimated that

there are some 10,000 useable FM sounds out

there floating around. Some people insist they can

"sample" it – you can't. Well, of course, you can,

but what you miss is the interaction of the

modulator and carrier within the sound. Each

operator has its own envelope, its own response

to velocity, etc. – this makes what happens within

the FM voice a 'living' thing – it is more organic

than can be captured in a simple sample of a

waveform. Envelopes and output indexes can be

influenced on a continuous basis, which in turn

changes the timbre of the sound as you increase

playing intensity

sampled. The tremendous success of the DX7

'back-in-the-day' was not based on anything more

than musicians thought that the sound was 'cool'.

Most DX7 owners never programmed an FM Voice

– the least pressed button in the world was the

EDIT button on a DX7. It was way too complicated

–

but

complexity comes in a paltry second to SOUND

when musician's make up their mind they like

something. (Well, duh, most sax players don't

have a clue about how a saxophone makes sound

and would be hard pressed to discuss Bernoulli's

principle and the Graham Non-linear curve, and

just what is hysteresis and the fricative value and

what does it have to do with saxophone tone?)

However, if you want to get involved with

programming and tweaking FM – you will find

your results their own reward. There is an

excellent tutorial on-line at the Yamaha Digital

Music World site – with a number of lessons

taking you through the world of sine waves and

operators – and the first 'synthesizers'.

Visit the FM Tone Generator Seminar at:

http://www.digitalmusicworld.com/html/hardw

the

are/SynthsTutorial.asp

The VOICES

Many of the sounds here are the full 16-note poly

and some of the sounds are reduced to just 4-

were

notes of polyphony. Depending on how you want

to use the timbre you can change this. Listed

below are the names of the Voices and the 4-note

poly voices are identified. These take advantage

of the UNISON POLY function (this parameter

double-folds the sound for a thicker timbre). The

UNISON POLY parameter was added to the FM

structure when the DX7IIFD and the TX802 hit the

much

market in late 1986. These parameters were not

available on the original 1983 first generation of

programmable 6-operator FM synths: DX7, DX5,

–

this

good

lesson

was

what cannot

learned

here

–