Yamaha • FB-01
The FB-01 is simply an inexpensive, 8 part multitimbral digital FM synth module. It's only a 4-operator synth which is less than, say a DX-7. This simply means its sounds are not quite as good. You will need an external MIDI system exclusive editor to edit the patches. This can be accomplished by a dedicated editor program like Unisyn, or by creating SysEx control messages within your sequencing program. The FB-01 has a lot of organ, piano, brass, bass, guitar, percussion, and lead sounds. Basically this is a good source of typical FM-sounds at a low price. It is used by Hardfloor and Moog Cookbook.
Most users pan this device because of its "thin" sound, but the simplified features and low-res DAC are not really drawbacks, in my opinion--just characteristics of the device. The biggest flaw with the FB-01 is its inability to ignore program change messages from other devices. ARGH!
I use the fb01 with a hardware sequencer (mpc500) and a master keyboard. I know the fb01 is multitimbral but I don't know how to save the different midi chanels to the sounds I'd like to use. If anyone knows about midi ...
I didn'y bother checking out the patches... I went straight to SoundDiver and made the sounds I expected from it: earth rattling dubby basses with very nice harmonic content, thick and grimey (think Maurizio Von Oswald...) and very full of presence.
I make mostly electronic music... minimal techno.
The box delivers, period.