King of FM is the latest free app from AudioKit and is an AUv3 FM Synthesizer that gives you iOS and macOS devices a DX7 infusion.
AudioKit is a development environment in which even inexperienced developers can publish iOS apps in a very short time. Since its release, many AudioKit-based apps have been released showing how powerful the tools are. Matthew Fetcher, one of the core developers behind this exciting project, also has created many own apps with it in the past.
One of its older apps, the FM Player, got a complete makeover today. It’s now called King of FM and is a free FM app that you shouldn’t miss.
King of FM
Audiokit’s new app King of FM is a new free synth app that features multi-sampled FM sounds from original retro 80s synthesizers, including the DX7, DX7II, TX81z, and SY77. For example, you get the exclusive Holy Grail” DX7 samples used by Herbie Hancock in the studio. There are also sounds included used by producers for Sting, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, John Legend, and more.
According to Matthew Fetcher, King of FM is a reboot of its previous app FM Player. For the first time, these award-winning sounds are available for iPhone & Silicon Mac. It’s no longer the sound of the past
The app includes over 200 presets and over 10,000 individual samples. You get over 2GB+ sounds compressed to under 400MB. Like in the other AudioKit apps, you can layer two different sources for achieving new sounds. Then, you can also shape these timbres with a built-in multi-effects processor giving you a phaser, chorus, reverb, ping-pong delay, crush, stereo fatten, and more.
King of FM also hosts an internal audio recorder allowing you to record your sounds and then export wav files. Alternatively, you can use the AUv3 plugin version of the app in your favorite iOS DAW. The latter is also available on macOS.
First Impression
Matthew Fetcher’s new app is not a 100% DX7 emulation. Yes, but it takes away the fear of programming FM synths. The app gives you tons of powerful retro FM sounds for free. And without diving deep into messy FM synths from the past. Great release.
King of FM by AudioKit is available now as a free download from the Apple AppStore. It runs as a standalone app and AUv3 plugin on iPhones, iPads, and macOS (Apple Silicon systems only).
So to be clear then, this is a player of samples of FM synth sounds, not a true FM synth…. MEH
if you need DX-7 style FM synthesis than check out Dexed, it’s free on macOS/win.
This is good news and a very generous offering! FM Player was lovely but so buggy it was virtually unusable.