Designing a Better FM8 Lead Synth with Multiplier

Multiplier has exploded on the dance music scene over the past few years and deserves all the props he’s getting, especially since he is so upfront and transparent in sharing his methods and approach to sound designa and audio production. This video tutorial on how to create FM8 lead synth is just one more example of why we expect him to be around the scene for many more years to come. He gets it. And he’s willing to help others figure this stuff out too, so they can realize their dreams. So if FM8 has you stumped, check out this almost hour long look at sound design in this powerhouse synth!

The greatest thing about his approach with this lesson is that is is all happening as you watch it unfold. It is unrehearsed and is being made literally as you watch it. (It also means that it can drag a bit for those of you hoping to just see the highlights.) It starts out with a few small tweaks on the Master window before setting up the operators in the FM Matrix. It should be noted here that although there is a fair amount of experimentation throughout the process, he is able to effectively communicate what he is wanting when he first sets out to design this FM8 lead synth. After about 15 more minutes of tweaking, he ends up with a core sound that he is happy with, using only three operators.

The next step in designing this FM8 lead synth is to set up the envelopes. A small change to the FM Matrix and then it’s off to the Master window again to try introducing some Detuning and Panning to really widen the sound and add a lot more interest and character. This is also a great point to add some Analog and Digital Quality to help bring out some of the smaller details hidden in the frequencies.

Now it’s time to process out FM8 lead synth. Beginning with the Effects window, some Reverb is introduced to give the sound more room to move around in. Some Phasing is added to give the sound some movement and complexity. And a Flanger is used to provide a bit more modulation to the development of this synth. Of course, you will probably want to due the bulk of your processing in your DAW where you have much greater control over tool selection and overall quality, not to mention easier automation.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers,
OhmLab