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# musical sketchbook 20
- URL: https://wootangent.net/musical-sketchbook-20/
- Published: 2009-03-26T12:54:32.000Z
- Updated: 2009-03-26T12:54:32.000Z
- Author: Leigh Dyer
- Tags: Sketchbook, #Migrated-1792830072870, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-10-24 08:21

Download [20.mp3](http://electronaut.linuxgamers.net/~lsd/music/sketchbook/20.mp3?ref=wootangent.net)

I was pressed for time today, so I dived in to the Blofeld and pulled out a synth sound rather than doing anything terribly musical. Today I played with FM synthesis, which uses one audio signal to modulate the pitch of another, and I came up with a [jazzy vibraphone/electric piano sound](http://electronaut.linuxgamers.net/~lsd/music/sketchbook/20.mp3?ref=wootangent.net).

FM is a lot more complex and mathematical than analogue-style synthesis, but it's an interesting tool, and it's definitely well suited to metallic or bell-like sounds like this. The great thing about synthesising these sounds, instead of just using samples, is that you can sculpt the sound in realtime -- this sound gets not just louder the harder you hit the keys, but brighter too, by increasing the amount of FM based on the key velocity.

Sketch 20: 10 seconds