---
layout: post
title:  "FM Synthesis Ratios"
date:   2018-04-22 09:41:00 -0700
categories: music synthesis fm
---
Just a reference for myself the kinds of sounds I can get from different ratios in fm synthesis (I'm more into analog, but I almost always end up using both analog or virtual analog and fm synthesis in songs)

| carrier:modulator | vague description |
|-------------------|-------------------|
| 2:1               | Darker            |
| 4:1               | Rougher           |
| 3:2 (fifth/7 semitones below) | Metallic/bell-like. Better if modulation level not too high |
| 3:1 (octave & 7 semitones below) | Same as above |
| 4:3 (forth/5 sems below) | Metallic but less reedy |
| 8:3 (forth/octave & 5 sems below) | Same as above |
| 1:1               | Subtle/reedy      |
| 1:2, 1:4, 1:8     | Bright            |
| 4:5, 2:5, 1:5 (4 sems) | Open, not chime-like |
| 3:4 (5 sems)      | Dull, kinda chime-like |
| 3:8, 3:16 (1, 2 oct + 5 sems) | Chime-like |
| 2:3 (7 sems) | Classic/cliché fm sound |
| 1:3 (oct+7sems)   | Clean but piercing |
| 1:6 (2oct+7sems)	| Pinging metalic    |
| 3:5 (9sems)       | Classic bright     |
| 3:10, 3:20 (1,2oct+9sems) | Classic 80s chime tones |