FM the way it was meant to be heard.

FM synthesis exploded the sonic palette of keyboardists and producers almost overnight.

Going where analog doesn’t, it’s still one of the most versatile approaches to sound-making there is. But musicians found the original DX difficult to program and lacking in real-time control. DX7 V amps up the advantages, loses the limitations, and adds tons of functionality that put it right at home in a modern music making rig.

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Music for the Masses

FM easily produced sounds that eluded analog synths.

When the DX made it affordable, everybody wanted one — and pretty much everybody got one.
Once the exploratory genius of a Stanford University professor met the marketing savvy and production capacity of the world’s largest musical instrument maker, keyboards would never be the same again. After its introduction in 1983, it would go on to sell over 200,000 units and define countless sounds from the ‘80s and beyond.

FM is a simple idea at its core: audio-rate modulation of one waveform by another. But it was Dr. John Chowning of Stanford University who made FM viable as a synthesis method all on its own. His work proved that by carefully tuning the modulating waveforms, you could duplicate the harmonic profiles of all sorts of acoustic instruments.

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A different breed of synthesizer

DX7 V delivers a faithful recreation of the instrument that brought the unique sound of FM digital synthesis to the masses.

At its simplest, FM creates sound by modulating the frequencies of one signal (called the carrier) with those of another signal (called the modulator) at audio rates, resulting in much more complex harmonics. Just as with FM radio, changes to the frequency and amplitude of the modulating waveform can radically alter the sound. Let’s dig a bit deeper.

Operators

The DX7 V’s six signal generators - called operators - can be used as carriers or modulators. Each operator consists of a simple oscillator with its own frequency and level controls, plus a dedicated envelope-controlled amplifier. Generally speaking, the carrier’s envelope affects amplitude while the modulator’s envelope changes the timbre, with optional keyboard tracking adding the final realistic element of timbre changing with pitch, like an acoustic instrument.

Modulation

The timbre of an FM sound is very dependant on the relationship of the carrier and modulator operators. When the modulator frequency is under keyboard control, its frequency ratio to the carrier determines the basic harmonic profile of your sound, with integer ratios producing more recognizable waveforms and the fractional ones typically resulting in more clangorous, inharmonic ones. Modulator amplitudes also affect timbre, with higher frequencies generally yielding brighter sounds.

Algorithms

A selection of 32 algorithms determines the architectural relationship of the DX7 V’s six operators as carriers and modulators. These familiar foundations are perfect ready-made starting points for creating and modifying sounds beyond recognition. On top of the carriers’ direct connections to the output and the modulators’ various results, some algorithms also provide a feedback loop, conjuring anything from raspy effects to full-blown distortion.

FM Made Easy

All the sound of the hardware.

All the real-time control it never had.

DX7 V’s uncluttered interface gathers exactly the controls you need for compelling performances and inspired sound creation.

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DX on Steroids

More waveforms. More envelopes. More modulation. Filters and FX. In hardware, these features would have made for a five-figure synthesizer.

Having just one slider and a bunch of buttons made programming the original somewhat tedious. Electronic music pioneer Brian Eno even built a custom knob controller to get at every parameter of his DX7 at once. With DX7 V, there’s not only more of everything, but our interface also makes it easy and fun to control.

Hear it in action

Like with so many classic synths, we now say the DX “has a sound.”

But it won hearts and minds precisely because of the diversity of sounds it could make. From unashamedly digital to surprisingly analog, these audio demos showcase the creative range of FM synthesis.

Presets

Part of what made the DX so recognizable is that even the pros tended to stick to factory presets rather than learning to program it.

DX7 V presents no such obstacles, so our world-class sound designers went to town creating 540 Presets covering every instrument type and musical style imaginable. After listening to these, download the free demo and play them all!

Artists corner

Included in
V collection

Legendary Keyboards Reinvented

This instrument is also part of the V Collection -your complete dream line-up of the legendary synths, organs, pianos and more that made keyboard history. They’re modeled with the most advanced technologies for authentic realism, and enhanced with new creative options. Whether you use it as DAW plugins in the studio or standalone at gigs, V Collection puts the greatest keys of all time at your fingertips for instant inspiration.

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All manufacturer and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Arturia. The trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers whose features and sound were studied during the development. All names of equipment, inventors, and manufacturers have been included for illustrative and educational purposes only, and do not suggest any affiliation or endorsement by any equipment inventor or manufacturer.