User-defined Waveforms

As stated in the docs, XFM2’s waveforms were handpicked for usability.

“Usability” though, is a highly subjective term. A probably more precise definition would be “usability as to construct classic, standard FM sounds”. Those sounds don’t really take any advantage of waveforms with a high number of partials. The FM process itself is nonlinear, and consecutive modulations make the cumulative distortion quickly become noise or too-harsh sounds.

However, and as several users have pointed out, these noises can be useful. Most FM bass sounds are defined exactly by this characteristic.

So with this beta build, XFM2 will allow loading user wavetables, to fill the eight waveform slots.

Not only that. Each unit can now have its own set of eight waveforms. I packed the build with 256 waveforms, taken from the ‘Numeric’ set in the Wavetable Creation Utility package.

Those are just a quick collection, and few are just too bright as to be useful. After the build is solid, I’ll prepare a more specific set.

• Load the .bit file using Adept to peek at the beta, or the .bin file to have it persistently flashed.
• Run the the bundled XLoad as follows:
  • XLoad COM[x] -wave Numeric.pcm
• The bundled spreadsheet has a new WAVE SET parameter, ranging from 0 to 255.
• Once WAVE SET is defined, the WAVE 1 and WAVE 2 for each operator will select between the selected waveform in WAVE SET and the subsequent eight waveforms.
• WAVE SET is stored with the program.

The waveforms file is composed by 256 1024-samples, 24-bit, little-endian single-cycle waveforms, bundled together in a single file.

Again, XFM2 is a very good FM synth (this is my 101% unbiased opinion… not!).

This feature makes it also a very basic, 80’s-ish sounding wavetable synth. It’s not a fully featured wavetable synth, but it expands the sound palette substantially.

Enjoy!