Superbooth 2018: FingerSonic SYNSET FM 6 operator 8 voice desktop synthesizer
FingerSonic has announced what they say is the first instrument in a family of SYNSET products. It’s called SYNSET FM and is a 6 operator FM synth and drum machine. It will be released at Superbooth this week. Here’s what we know.
SYNSET FM
It’s a complete 6 operator FM synthesizer capable of generating 8 voices. It has a sequencer, a 3 channel drum machine, 2 arpeggiators and an effects section. The notoriously annoying to program FM engine is tamed by 5 parameter knobs and a pair of knobs dedicated to the effects.
The sequencer offers 16 steps with 16 corresponding keys on the front panel which enables you to play or program on the fly. You can save up to 16 patterns in a memory and chain them together to build songs. Along with the single internal sequencer track there’s also a dedicated track for sequencing externally, either via MIDI, USB or CV/Gate. With the three drum tracks that’s 5 parts that you can bundle together into a pattern. Over the top you can play live, or use the 2 arpeggiator streams.
The effects section contains all the usual suspects of delay, chorus, distortion and a low pass filter with LFO.
The USB and MIDI is expected but the CV/Gate is a definite bonus. A nice large screen pictorially represents the data, the configuration of the operators and various parameters.
There’s a lot of interesting in FM synthesis at the moment and several products are having a go at making it more accessible. The Elektron Digitakt springs to mind as does the MOSTRO. The SYNSET FL looks like a decent attempt at providing a workable FM based groove box. Looking forward to hearing more about it at Superbooth and what their plans are for other products.
More information
- SYNSET FM product page.
Video
https://youtu.be/MTkT1T908m4
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