Xen-Arts has released Xen-FMTS 2, a free 4 Operator FM Synthesis VSTi with a specialized set of features for computer musicians interested in exploring the vast expressive possibilities of making music with alternative intonation systems. Xen-FMTS 2 is a freeware 32-bit plugin instrument for Windows that includes 115 patches, 55 microtunings and 56 partials files.
Demo:
Microtuning:
- Internally loads and externally receives both MTS (MIDI Tuning Standard) Bulk Dump and Single Note Microtuning Files.
- Operator ratios can easily be set to values that are coincident with the microtuning being used, thereby producing intonation related sidebands in the timbre of the instrument.
- Microtonal pitch-bend ranges may be configured in cents, harmonics and superparticular ratios.
- Arbitrary microtonal pitch shifting makes it possible to easily pitch transpose the oscillators in both octave and non-octave increments.
FM-RM Oscillator:
- 4 Operator FM Synthesis with Ring-Modulation.
- 57 Operator Algorithms.
- 11 different Operator Waveforms.
- Analog Pitch Drift Emulator.
- Transposition by cents offsets.
- Partials text files may be used to quantize the frequency ratios of the operators to user specified values.
- Velocity-to-Harmonics Modulation enables oscillators to dynamically sound harmonics of the fundamental pitch.
Modulators:
- Seven dedicated hybrid modulators for Operators A, B, C, D, Filters, Amplifier and Pitch.
- Each modulator includes an ADSR style envelope generator, and an LFO which can be switched to run at audio-rate.
- Each ADSR Envelope Generator features Per-Stage Keyboard Tracking.
- LFOs can either be synchronized to the host DAW tempo or set in Hertz. They include 24 Waveforms, a Slewer and can be switched to run at audio-rate.
Filter Section:
- Pre-Filter Saturation Stage with 20 Saturation Types.
- Two Independent Filters with Six Filter Types: LP4, LP2, HPF, BPF, BRF, APF.
- One and Two Stage Filter Cascade.
Performance Control:
- Full controller MIDI Pitch Microtuning with MTS (MIDI Tuning Standard).
- MTS Support for both Single Note and Bulk Dump.
- Loads MTS Microtuning Format Files Internally and Receives MTS Externally.
- Local (Per-Patch) and Global Microtuning (Static Microtuning for All Patches).
- Microtunings can be loaded from any directory on hard drives or storage devices connected to the PC.
- 12 Note Polyphonic.
- Monophonic Legato Mode.
- Monophonic Portamento.
- Microtonal Pitch Bend.
- Vibrato.
- Effects include Chorus, Lowpass Filter Cascade (Warm Filter) with 6 dB to 48 dB per-octave filters and Stereo Ensemble.
Xen-FMTS 2 is a freeware plugin available via Xen-Arts website.
More info: Xen-FMTS 2 – free 4 Operator FM Synthesis VSTi
