Part 13
More on Frequency Modulation
The C:M ratio shapes the harmonic recipe: 1:1 sounds like a sawtooth, 1:2 like a square wave. Integer ratios give harmonic tones; irrational ratios (like 1:√2) give metallic, bell-like inharmonic spectra. Operator feedback turns a sine into a full harmonic series, and algorithms (serial vs. parallel operators) open up vast timbral territory.
Read the original article on Sound On Sound →
Preset
Algorithm
Simple: Mod → Car. Parallel: two modulators into one carrier. Stack: Mod2 → Mod1 → Car.
C:M Ratio
A/B Compare
Parameters
Feedback loops a modulator into itself, turning a sine into a rich harmonic spectrum.