FM Synthesizer

Exploring Frequency Modulation Synthesis in Pure Data

Intro

This Pure Data project features 4 FM instruments: Brass, Clarinet, Plastic Drum and Ghost. By manipulating and maintaining carrier and modulation frequency relationships, controlling an index of modulation for modulation amplitude, as well as different overall ASR envelopes for each note, we can control the presence of harmonic overtones, thus making different timbres and effects to create unique FM synthesized instruments.

Brass

• Fundamental Frequency: f₀
• Carrier Frequency: f₀
• Modulation Frequency: f₀
• Modulation Index: 5
• ASR: 100 800 100 (ms)

Clarinet

• Fundamental Frequency: f₀
• Carrier Frequency: 3f₀
• Modulation Frequency: 2f₀
• Modulation Index: 3
• ASR: 100 800 100 (ms)

Plastic Drum

• Fundamental Frequency: f₀
• Carrier Frequency: f₀
• Modulation Frequency: 5
• Modulation Index: 2
• ASR: 1 1 100 (ms)

Ghost (Exponential Decay Envelope)

• Fundamental Frequency: f₀
• Carrier Frequency: f₀
• Modulation Frequency: 5
• Modulation Index: 2
• ASR: 200 700 500* (ms)

* - Exponential Decay Envelope with respect to T60

Setup

1. Download and install Pure Data

2. Open ./A5

3. Add all the folders to the PD path

– terry feng