Spectrasonics Omnisphere Tutorial Ep.4 - Frequency Modulation

Summary

In this tutorial from the Spectrosonics series, the focus is on frequency modulation (FM) in Omnisphere, a powerful sound synthesis technique. The video explains how FM uses a modulator oscillator to alter the pitch of the host sound, with adjustable depth and frequency. It demonstrates how to select different waveforms for modulation and the importance of musical ratios in setting the modulation rate. The tutorial also shows how to control the modulator's wave shape and sync settings, and concludes with an example of FM applied to a preset for a dramatic effect, encouraging viewers to explore FM's creative potential.

Takeaways

• 🎛️ The tutorial is about using frequency modulation (FM) in Spectrasonics' Omnisphere, a feature accessible via the FM symbol on the interface.
• 🔊 FM uses a hidden oscillator as a modulator, which is independent of the main oscillators and is used to apply modulation to the host sound's pitch.
• 📈 The default view of FM has controls set to mid and boost by default, but these can be adjusted to introduce pitch modulation.
• 🔁 The pitch of the sound oscillates quickly with FM, even with minimal adjustments to the frequency slider, and can reach speeds into the low-frequency oscillator (LFO) territory.
• 📊 Increasing the depth slider in FM increases the amount of pitch variance, shaping the modulation's intensity.
• 📐 FM offers a variety of waveforms for modulation, including access to all wave tables in the synthesizer, allowing for diverse modulation shapes.
• 🎶 The frequency setting in FM determines the speed of modulation, with certain musical values represented by lines on the interface, such as 0.25 for a perfect fourth.
• ⚙️ Users can manually input values for precise modulation settings, such as typing '0.5' to set the modulation rate to halfway between the minimum and maximum.
• 🔄 The 'boost' button in FM amplifies the modulation effect, making changes more dramatic and pronounced.
• 🎼 The modulator in FM can track with the pitch of the keys pressed, or this tracking can be disabled for a consistent modulation speed across all octaves.
• 🔧 FM's modulator wave shape can be customized using the same functionality available for the primary oscillator, including shape symmetry and sync options.
• 🌐 The tutorial concludes with a demonstration of FM on a preset sound, showing the dramatic effect it can have on the timbre and character of the sound.

Q & A

What is the tutorial series about?

The tutorial series is about Spectrosonic's Omnisphere, focusing on different processing options available to oscillators, starting with frequency modulation.

How do you access the frequency modulation option in Omnisphere?

You access the frequency modulation option by pressing the FM symbol, which takes you to the oscillator zoom page and directly to the frequency modulation subpage.

What is a modulator in the context of frequency modulation in Omnisphere?

A modulator in Omnisphere is an independent oscillator that applies modulation to the host sound's pitch, separate from the main oscillators A, B, C, and D.

What does the depth control do in frequency modulation?

The depth control in frequency modulation determines the amount of pitch variance or modulation being applied to the primary sound.

What is the purpose of the shape control in frequency modulation?

The shape control in frequency modulation dictates the form or waveform of the modulation over time, which can be any waveform available in the synthesizer.

How does the frequency control affect the modulation speed?

The frequency control determines how fast the modulation takes place, with higher values leading to faster oscillation of the pitch.

What is the significance of the lines on the frequency modulation slider?

The lines on the frequency modulation slider represent musical ratios that are sympathetic with the underlying pitch, providing natural and pleasing modulation rates.

How can you precisely set the frequency modulation value?

You can precisely set the frequency modulation value by right-clicking and entering a parameter value manually or by using the control-click method to set it to exact musical ratios.

What does the 'boost' button do in frequency modulation?

The 'boost' button in frequency modulation increases the range of modulation, making the pitch changes more dramatic.

How does the modulator track with the keys pressed?

By default, the modulator tracks with every key pressed, meaning the modulation speed changes with the pitch of the key. This can be disabled for consistent modulation across all octaves.

How can you control the modulator's wave shape?

You can control the modulator's wave shape using the same functionality available in the primary screen, including shape symmetry, hard sync, and shape symmetry sync.