October 2024: Fractal Audio's VP4 Virtual Pedalboard has been added to the wiki.
Synth block
Contents
Available on which products
- Axe-Fx III: 2 blocks
- FM9: 1 block
- FM3: 1 block
- Axe-Fx II: 2 blocks
- AX8: 1 block
- FX8: 1 block
Channels or X/Y switching
- Axe-Fx III and FM3: 2 channels
- Axe-Fx II: no
- AX8: no
- FX8: no
About the Synth
"The Synth block is a very simple monophonic synth. It doesn't compare to the polyphonic capabilities of something like the FTP and it can't control outboard MIDI synths." [1]
"The lowest note detectable by the Synth block is 47 Hz. It is not intended for use with bass guitar." [2]
The Synth block requires monophonic input. This means that you have play REALLY clean. Always hit single notes and avoid overlapping notes.
CPU usage
The Synth has 3 voices. Turn off voices that you don't use to save CPU.
Factory presets
The Synth block is showcased in a few factory presets. Search the Factory presets page for "synth".
Parameters
| Parameter (per voice) | Axe-Fx III / FM3 | Axe-Fx II |
|---|---|---|
| Type | yes | |
| Track | yes | |
| Frequency | yes | |
| Shift | yes | |
| Tune | yes | |
| Duty Cycle | yes | |
| Pan | yes | |
| Filter Frequency | yes | |
| Filter Q | yes | |
| Attack | yes |
Tips
Minimize chirps
"The chirping is due to the pick attack being interpreted as a high pitch. One approach I've tried is dynamic filtering (i.e. alpha-beta trackers, etc.) for the pitch but that introduces other problems with the pitch sliding between notes. It's a limitation of the technology. Real-time pitch detection is simply limited in what it can do. The best solution is to alter your technique to minimize pick attack." [3]
Frequencies of musical notes
Simple Sine tone
Set a single voice to Sine and turn off Tracking.
Warm up the Synth sound
To warm up the Synth, add a Drive block before or after it. Try the Rat model.
Fatten the Synth sound
To fatten the Synth, use at least two voices and detune them slightly. [4]
Drone note
- Turn off Voices 2 and 3.
- In voice 1 switch off Tracking and adjust pitch with the Frequency parameter.
Tips:
- Try the Sawtooth waveform.
- Make the sound fatter by using two Synth voices set to the same frequency.
- Make the sound less boring by adding a low-pass Filter with lfo-controlled Frequency.
- Make the sound wider by adding a 100% wet Multi-Delay or Plex Delay set to Detune.
- Change the pitch of the drone note, by switching the Synth between channels or by using Scene controllers, attached to the Pitch or Shift parameter of the voice(s). Or just send the Synth into a Pitch block (changes the pitch of all voices).
- Use the Sequencer controller to have the Synth block play lines.
Pink or white noise
The Synth block can generate white or pink noise.
Siren
Select a Square waveform and attach a LFO to the FREQ parameter of a single voice. Add a lot of reverb.
Calibration tone
"Set the synth block to a 1K sine wave at -12 dB. Turn OUTPUT 1 to the maximum level position." [5]
"There's actually a hidden calibration tone that is used during functional test. The Synth block is reference quality. I use it all the time to generate test tones. The output is spectrally purer than my $2000 Stanford Research Systems Synthesized Function Generator." [6]
"The Synth block is measurably better than our Stanford Research Systems generator (which cost $2000)." [7]
More information
Look for synth presets created by Simeon, Swedish Chef and Admin M@. Search the forum and visit Axe-Change.
