Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Recommendations for FM
Hi all,
What’s good in the world of FM currently ? Thanks!
Comments
I’ll take a seat just here.
KQ Dixie - classic/standard/cheap/great
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kq-dixie/id1330269027
Aparillo - cinematic/exotic/weird/great
( my fav take on FM synthesis so far )
https://sugar-bytes.de/aparillo-ipad
FRMS - granular+FM - fantastic sound design lab!
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/frms-granular-synthesizer/id1381392223
KQ Dixie is tops! Import DX7 patches and tweak to hearts delight. Turn off operators for lofi magic. Mangle Algorithms with automation. 😍
NFM from Nikolozi is also a very good option as well.
https://nikolozi.com/apps/nfm
+1
KQ Dixie for presets,
NFM for sound design.
Also Ruismaker Phasemaker for another 6 op alternative. Ruismaker FM for drum sounds which pre-dates Elektron Model:Cycles.
Less easy to use alternatives: Dexter and FM-Op modules in miRack.
Thanks all! @Samu @rs2000
@auxmux Perfect! SysEx is what I was looking for.
@waka_x Grabbed Aparillo demo. Having a listen now. Thanks!
Had a Volca FM... gave it to a friend. Missing that digital sheen and gnarliness.
Trying to find a Volca FM in my area. Hard to find at good prices
Everyone mentioned the already awesome recent options... For some vintage flavor, FM4, TF7 and DXi
@senhorlampada Good luck! I had no complaints with the Volca. Fun little box.
KQ Dixie must have 10’s of thousands of presets once you download them from the internet
This DX7 cart generator is great paired with KQ Dixie: https://www.thisdx7cartdoesnotexist.com
For completeness sake: each of NS2's Obsidian oscillators can be setup as 3-op FM.
+1 for Aparillo. In typical Sugar Bytes fashion it offers a unique and exciting take on the familiar, and possesses a much wider sonic palette than we might usually associate with FM. The modulation possibilities are far reaching an unique. Well worth checking out.
Thanks for this! So much fun.
Another +1 for Aparillo. Really fun
I've been using Aparillo a lot for my podcasts: it really is great at its advertised purpose of sounding "cinematic" (if Hans Zimmer is your idea of "cinematic"). That said, I struggle at building patches from scratch: many some of the standard techniques for FM synthesis aren't (directly) applicable. E.g., the standard recipe for a DX bass is a modulator ratio of 0.5; in Aparillo, the minimum ratio is 1.This doesn't mean you can't do a lot: the factory presets show you can. But some of this "lot" is achieved using non-FM techniques
I'm enjoying KQ Dixie, and can run at least two instances simultaneously in AUM on my old iPad Air 1.
FM4 has real character, but there don't seem to be a lot of fine-tuned patches for it.
KQ Dixie is great at being very light on cpu
FM Player ....??....
Oh yea, it sounds really good!
My advice....
DIGITONE
It’s my favorite fm synthesizer period
Apps aren’t touching it...
It isn't an FM Synth. It is a rompler. So if your interest is programming your own sounds or creating dynamic patches that use velocity or aftertouch or CCs (or sysex) to modulate the patches, FM Player won't scratch the FM itch.
Oh yes, I know. Definitely looking to program. Does sound really nice though, no?
It does but so do KQ and the other true synths mentioned here.
@espiegel123 Absolutely. Think I’m gonna go with KQ.
Yeah, NFM is excellent - has that operator/modulation grid that FM8 has, great way to control that sound
I also really like this one:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/opl-auv3-fm-synth/id1516617949
Drambo is also good for FM. I particularly like the feedback know (positive and negative. Modulate that knob and go!)
FRMS is definitely not traditional but it’s an absolute trip
Synclavier Go!
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/synclavier-go-app-and-plugin/id1378108734#?platform=ipad
hijacking this thread real quick. can any of these apps also export DX7 patches that can be imported on the volca? it is my understanding that the volca can import DX7 patches, can it?!
like, it would be cool to have more overview and create patches on an external app instead of going back and forth and back and forth in the volca menu...
I don’t have the app but KQ Dixie can serve as an editor for the DX7 so should also be able to address the Volca. Also there is this:
https://synthmata.com/volca-fm/