Pivot from Fors: More FM Goodness in Software!
4,9 / 5,0 | 
New takes on FM synthesis seem to be on the rise with Pivot being just one of the latest, and it’s a ding dong delight!
Hot on the heels of GForce Software’s brilliant Halogen FM, Swedish developers Fors have just released Pivot, in their words, a ‘no-nonsense FM synth’. And just a cursory glance at the interface does more than back up that statement.
Pivot
Unlike Halogen FM, with its two operators, Fors has opted for three of them, with no algorithms and adding a morphing filter to pep things up somewhat. With this set-up, Fors believes they have struck the right balance between flexibility and simplicity.
The user interface is pretty self-explanatory and delivers a delightfully simple yet informative graphical interface, which is probably the best way to present FM synthesis. Nobody likes getting bogged down in the mathematics, but visualising the concept does make things so much more relatable.
Filtering
As mentioned, there’s a morphing filter fo the 4-pole variety, for those people who can never seem to get past the fact that FM doesn’t really need one! Of course, I’m being facetious, and sticking a filter in an FM signal chain can reap huge rewards, as demonstrated here.
Modulation duties are handled by a mod matrix with six simultaneous destinations, fed by two LFOs and two ADSR envelopes. And that gorgeous interface? You can even change that to one of the provided alternatives or even create your own using the browser-based Theme Creator!
Effects
A couple of effects are included, one being a distortion, the other a stereo widener. There’s a unison mode and 16-voice polyphony too. As a huge fan of FM, I’m delighted to see another interesting and unique take on the concept, especially one that makes things simple without compromising on the sonic capability.
Pivot Lite
And if you’re not convinced by it all, there is even a free version called Pivot-Lite! It removes one of the operators and the mod matrix, but it still delivers on the promise of its bigger sibling. Why not be extravagant and get both?
More Information
Pivot is available to buy now for just €39/$39, and until July 20th 2025, there’s a 25% summer discount!
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