3.5

354MainStage Instruments
3. Click the disclosure triangle at the lower left, then choose an item from the Analysis
menu.
This parameter changes the sensitivity of detection within contiguous audio sections.
Choose the algorithm that works best for the audio material.
4. Choose “Save Wavetable as” from the Waveset pop-up menu, then name your new
waveset in the File browser.
The new wavetable name appears in the Waveset pop-up menu. Choose the name to
load it.
MainStage Retro Synth FM oscillator
The synthesizer oscillators are used to generate the basic tonal color. This signal is then
sent to other parts of the synthesizer engine for shaping, processing, or manipulation. See
filter controls, amp and effect controls, modulation, and global and controller settings.
In FMsynthesis, the basic sound is generated by setting different tuning ratios between
the modulator and carrier oscillators and by altering the FMintensity. The tuning ratio
determines the basic overtone structure, and the FMcontrol sets the level of these
overtones.
At the core of the Retro Synth FM synthesis engine, you’ll find a multiwave modulator
oscillator—the (Wave) Shape slider, and a sine wave carrier oscillator—the FM (Amount)
slider. The basic sine wave of the carrier oscillator is a pure, characterless tone.
To make things more sonically interesting, the modulator oscillator is used to modulate
the frequency of the carrier oscillator. This modulation occurs in the audio range (you
can actually hear it), and results in a number of new harmonics becoming audible, thus
changing the tonal color.
The pure sine wave (of the carrier oscillator) is combined with the newly generated
harmonics, making the sound much more interesting.
You can make fine changes to the tuning ratio of the two oscillators (and therefore the
levels of the harmonics) by adjusting the Harmonic and Inharmonic controls.
FM synthesis is noted for synthetic brass, bell-like, electric piano, and spiky bass sounds.