One month of IMFMSynth: from v1.0 to v1.1.3, and what buyers asked for

Kaito Sato — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 08:05:08 +0000

About a month ago I released IMFMSynth, an 8-operator FM and wavetable synth where routing is a patch instead of an algorithm number. Here is what happened since.

Thank you

From the release on September 1 to the end of the month, IMFMSynth sold about ¥180,000, roughly $1,150. A single developer in Japan reached people across languages and distances, and they trusted the project enough to buy it. Thank you, all of you. Every sale told me the work was worth continuing.

What changed since v1.0

Most of the changes came from requests on KVR Audio and VI-Control, and from email.

v1.0.x - settling into real hosts

Activation now works in hosts that run plug-ins in isolation, such as Logic.
VST3 in Cubase: edits made in the editor no longer revert, and MPE now arrives.
Support for Bitwig's micro-pitch bend, and linear/log time scales for envelopes.
Up to 47% faster DSP, and 30 presets.

v1.1 - the big one, built on your requests

The 32 six-operator algorithms, numbered like the DX7 (KVR Audio)
Fixed frequency mode, FM AMOUNT, an output knob, UNDO / REDO, effect reordering (KVR Audio)
Modulation from CLAP hosts such as Bitwig, with the modulated position shown on the knob (KVR Audio)
Microtuning with MTS-ESP (VI-Control)
Hard sync, ring modulation, noise SEED, and per-connection phase or wavetable-position modulation (email)
WAV import as wavetables, and WAV export
A language selector

v1.1.1 to v1.1.2 - speed and polish

12% less total processing time on a MacBook Neo and 25% on a Ryzen 7 5700X across 40 test cases.
A UI size setting from 75 to 150%, from a buyer survey.

v1.1.3 - update notices

The plugin now tells you in the editor when a new version is out. Two people on KVR Audio asked for exactly this. The check is a plain request that sends no account, license, or version information, and you can turn it off in Settings.
AUTO FIT widens the routing graph so crowded wiring stays readable.

Full notes: https://imfm-synth.com/en/changelog

New videos

An English walkthrough: https://youtu.be/ivDJ82AVB8s
A 40-second look at the interface: https://youtube.com/shorts/xLbKzcqqSqY

Try it

You can play the synth in your browser, with no account: https://imfm-synth.com/en

If something is missing for your workflow, tell me. Several of the features above exist because someone said so in a thread.

I built IMFMSynth - 8-op FM x Wavetable Synthesizer

Kaito Sato — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 23:51:40 +0000

Hi everyone!
This is Kaito Sato, an independent developer of IMFMSynth from Japan.

I love FM synthesis. I grew up listening to everything from video game music to Ryuichi Sakamoto, and I have always been drawn to those sounds.

Since this is my first post, I should probably share a few of my other interests too. I like cats, tea, fountain pens, cats, and cats!

Now, back to the main subject. First, here is a short demo:

Why I built this synth

FM synthesis can sound incredible, but creating your own presets with it is notoriously difficult. The purpose behind this synth is to make FM easier to understand through modern web interface design, while also bringing wavetables into the system as operators.

The aim is to help music producers, composers, and arrangers create their own sounds without losing sight of what the modulation is doing.

My hope is that someone can begin by creating a sound they like with a wavetable and using FM only to emphasize the attack. From there, they can gradually explore more modulation. Eventually, FM should stop feeling abstract, and creating sounds without relying entirely on factory presets should start to feel natural.

The patch-based FM routing follows the same idea. I think it offers a new interface that combines the tradition of patching with a more direct and intuitive view of what modulates what.

There are many smaller features as well, but they are already described on the official site, and I plan to write about them in more detail in future posts.

Try it in your browser

Right now, I especially want to hear from the people who might use it. For that reason, you can access an almost complete version of the synth directly in your browser without creating an account. Access to some presets and file import and export are left out, but the real DSP is there for you to explore.

Try IMFMSynth in your browser

Please try it, get a feel for it, and tell me what you think. I would particularly like to hear whether the routing is easy to follow and whether the interface helps you understand what the FM is doing.

Sonicstate interview

Soon after the release, Sonicstate contacted me by email and interviewed me about IMFMSynth. The article also covers my background and the path that led me to develop it.

Read the Sonicstate interview about IMFMSynth

I am a little nervous about making my first post here, but please feel free to leave a comment or ask me anything. I look forward to hearing from you!

DEV Community: Kaito Sato