Good news! The formant side of the FS1r is useless without software that Yamaha never released. The synth itself is only slightly programmable from the front panel. To unlock all the parameters you need a software editor. The FS1r was easily the most disappointing synth I ever owned.
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Is there unison on the Essence Fm or a way to stack voices?
Thanks!
I wonder if they’ll ever make the keyboard one…
Not sure. Essence is the only product that shows up on the website these days.
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U guys think EssenceFm would be good for Dune soundtrack type of sounds?
I hope Kodamo sticks around. Still love my EssenceFM and look forward to whatever else they’ll come up with
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Jodorowsky’s Dune?
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Does it have sustain slopes?
Thanks!
As far as I understand sustain slopes, yes the EssenceFM can do sustain slopes and a lot more. Envelope editing on the EssenceFM is pretty complex. You get 5 envelope segments that can rise, fall, loop, sustain. Here is the envelope section of the manual to give you a better idea - Kodamo - Essencefm manual
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No specific unison knob or feature but you can easily get as much unison as you want by duplicating voice presets and detuning them. I do this with most of my sounds.
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There are three modes-
- Voice is the lowest mode where you edit individual sounds
- Patch is where you can stack as many voices/sounds and do some additional Patch specific editing (detune voices, use the internal touchscreen vector module, etc).
- Performance where you can load sixteen separate Patches for multi-timbral madness
It’s all very intuitive once you get your hands on it.
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Agreed! I still can’t program it nearly as well as @Soarer, but that speaks more to his talents and my ineptitude in that department 
I still manage several nice patches here and there
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Thanks Snipecatcher. Don’t put yourself down though - it was some of your patches that inspired me to get the EFM 
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Is it as raw and strong sound as the Twisted Electrons MEGAfm MKII?
Thanks!
It can be. FM is FM, and in that the EFM does everything the MEGAfm does and more.
Some of the secret to the MEGA crunch, though, is the completely broken DAC of the YM2612. Luckily the EFM has two FX sends. Using the bit crusher for one of them and maybe even a touch of distortion in the other gets wild quick.
Also check out: Kodamo EssenceFM - #338 by Kodamo
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I would love to pair the EFM with an OTO Bim and fulfill my 12-bit FM dream
The EFM does not sound like the MEGAfm. There’s a very different sound and “crunch” as jemmons say to the Mfm. The EFM sounds more clean but can be very powerful. Of course it can sound as gritty as you want. No distortion was used in my playdead patch just fm feedback.
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My goodness. That’s an awesome patch!
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How would you rate it compared to Digitone in basic sound quality…rawness and everything?