MATRICES is a preset pack for Native Instruments FM8 software synthesizer, one of the absolute pinnacles of 6-operator FM-synthesis. The synth is old: next year it hits 20, but the only thing obsolete about it is its unscalable interface. Otherwise it’s still a hell of a synth with a very broad sonic palette, and immense depth. It takes some time to get a firm grip of: FM synthesis is not quite a straightforward thing, after all, and, dare I say, underexplored one. But after some time patch-making for it becomes a very medidative, and addictively rewarding experience.

Here is a medium-sized (72 presets) pack – a result of various experiments, some of them featured in earlier albums by black-sided sun, but the majority are brand new, designed from scratch. The video features a simple walkthrough, although a few have been missing from the list and one had been altered afterwards. No external effects have been used, and only a part of these presets feature any of the FM8 on-board effects.

Happy Holidays, everyone!