FM Synthesis on the Mega Drive, One Operator at a Time
The YM2612 builds every sound from four sine-wave operators. Some make sound, others bend the pitch of their neighbours, and the arrangement is called an algorithm.
Building a bass patch
- Start with one carrier and one modulator.
- Raise the modulator level until the tone gets gritty.
- Add a fast decay to the modulator for the classic slap.
FM is subtraction in disguise. You add brightness with modulators and take it away with envelopes.
Priya Sandoval
Understanding which operator does what turns FM from guesswork into something you can design.
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PRIYA SANDOVAL
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Member since 2013
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Chiptune composer who writes for the SID and the YM2612. Priya handles every audio post and most of the late-night tracker sessions.
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We had one of these in the school library. Nobody was allowed to touch it.
My local repair cafe has a whole shelf of these waiting for volunteers.
Manual focus, shutter at 1/30 so it covers a full field.
That colour bar test pattern is a nice touch. Makes the comparison easy to read.
Honestly the composite version has a charm the RGB one lacks. Fight me.
Thanks! The shield photo took about twenty attempts.
Did you check the ripple on the 5V rail before and after? Curious how much it moved.
Same board revision as mine, and the same two caps had leaked. Must be a batch thing.
The tip about the grounding strap should be in bold at the top.
Any chance of a parts list? I would love to follow along with the same kit.