FM
The Mono’s FM machines could be said to be “limited” when compared to proper FM synths, but that makes them pretty unique. They do sound warmer, and you can still get some pretty wacky stuff out of them.
FM-synths like DX-series, have multiple operators, where MnM FM-machines have either 2 or 3 of them (which all are sine modulators). If some sort of ‘atomistic viewpoint’ is taken, it seems that MnM FM-machines cannot offer as wide range of different combinations as DX-series. So, yes from this viewpoint MnM FM is more simple.
What MnM FM-machines lacks with ‘complexity’, they cover up with ease of use, sequencer and - of course - parameter-locks. I think I get better results from MnM FM-synthesis than what I would get with DX-series. Elektron has definitely succeeded making them simple to use but still giving good results.
From my experience about FM, and my personal taste of course, the best sounds are made with sine operators only...things become extremely complex and anti-intuitive in a bad way with other than that.
Maybe I have to give it another opportunity since my years of in-depht FM experimentation but I´m almost convinced that sine waves is the way to go.
Anecdotic: when john chowning came to my city I asked him about this exact topic and he told me the same: he uses just sine operators because is too impredictable the other way
About the whole FM synthesis in the mono it oviously could sound like classic FM but as some forists said it has it´s own sonic character, different in flavor to the DX line and other FM implementations like the VPM on the korg prophecy and other korg models.
To understand more about FM synthesis in general try this article. http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may00/articles/synth.htm FM
— tIB 2009/01/12 01:12
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