# Fathom Synth



## TrojakEW (Jun 8, 2018)

I din't find any in here about this very nice synth with unbeatable price so I posting it here.
https://www.fathomsynth.com

It is nice modular and of course good sounding synthesizer capable of producing variety of sounds. The best part it have no copyprotection so installing and using is simple and it can be. Now it is even on sale for 12$. I have too bought it before during previous sale for 15$ but it is worth alot of more then this. There is also free mono version to try. Here is simple marching track I made using only Fathom 


For more tracks in order to hear how capable this synth is this check these tracks from One Synth Chalenge.


Developer is very active, responsive and update this synth quite often.


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## sostenuto (Jun 8, 2018)

TrojakEW said:


> I din't find any in here about this very nice synth with unbeatable price so I posting it here.
> https://www.fathomsynth.com
> 
> Developer is very active, responsive and update this synth quite often.



Digging in a bit more and this seems to have intriguing potential. User comments are so positive and capabilities amazing ….. especially in context with this promotional cost !!

Thank-you for heads-up ! Just ordered; would have otherwise missed for sure.


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## sostenuto (Apr 6, 2019)

Close to one-year later and not much activity. Seaweed Audio has done several Updates ( v2.28 latest) and some cool Sound Banks available at very comfortable prices. 

So much current interest in Modular and _FathomSynth_ not getting much discussion. 
Will be instructive to know shortcomings and much stronger alternatives. 

Currently @ $32. for Pro version; $45. for Bundle with Pro + (4) cool SoundBanks .


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## rollasoc (Apr 8, 2019)

I do own this and do like playing with it. It hasn't made it into a tune yet. 

But it is currently a little CPU intensive for my aging machine. The developer is aware of the issue and is working on it, though not convinced moving the processing into the GPU is beneficial for my even older graphics card.

It is free (in a cut down form) on this months Computer Music magazine.


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## TrojakEW (Apr 8, 2019)

Yea the new version get some nice updates and features but as rollasoc said in certain situations synth is CPU hog. 

There was already some improvements regarding performance but still it is really CPU heavy. On my old i7 4790 I was able to reach 100% CPU usage with just one instance while playing 16th note ostinato with 5 note chords progression.

From my tests problem is voice polyphony. Preset I made uses 2 oscillator where one of them have enabled 8 detuned voices. Release time on enevelope is not very long but still previous note is still playing because of fast ostinato and this incrase number of voices. There is audio qualitty setting you can be changed to draft mode in synth settings but it doesn't affect polyphony problem. So lets wait and hope there will be more performance updates.


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## TrojakEW (Jun 20, 2019)

There are som new information regarding performance update that look promising.






I have again played a little with it and made some sounds that will send to developer to include them in official release.

I always trying to do kind of organic sounding presets. I do not trying to create realistic sounding one but instead I'm just borrowing behavior of real instruments and trying to use them on synth sounds. This test is no exception. 

This is not track for normal listening just test of those sounds and also to show that Fathom can sounds nice. I know there is a lot of examples of Fathom sounds but not sure if there is any that use just Fathom and nothing else. So there are no external effects used here. Every sound is just pure Fathom Synth. Only limiter on master to avoid some occasional clipping. Track is divided in 5 parts. I post also screen of project from FL Studio to show those tracks piano roll and automation used.




*1. *0:00 - 0:39 - Two instances of Fathom. 1st Hybrid piano that sound something like blend between piano, guitar, synth pluck and bass, Simulated dynamics on note velocity. Strings that have assigned modwheel to adjust simulated dynamics.

*2.*0:39 - 1:05 - One instance of Fathom. Plucked synth with sustain. Dynamics mod with note velocity.

*3.*1:05 - 2:07 - Four instances of Fathom. Same Strings patch as in first part. Next are 3 instances layered as one multi instrument. Staccato Brass dynamics based on note velocity. Sustain Brass dynamics based on note velocity and also modwheel and same Strings preset as above mod with MW.

*4.*2:07 -2:55 - Five instances of Fathom. CyneToms with dynamics based on note velocity, again same Strings preset (MW) and same multi Brass, Brass, Strings preset.

*5.*2:55 - 3:42 - 12 instances of Fathom. Kick, Snare, Hihat, Crash cymbal, Bass, Solo Cello, Impulse Pluck, Hybrid Piano, CyneToms and again same multi Brass, Brass, Strings all together.



What I miss is option to modulate envelope time to get better results but developer promise to implement it after performance update.


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## Markrs (Mar 11, 2021)

Just discovered this Synth as CM magazine has not a top 40 Synth sounds YouTube videos and they used this for some of them. Love the modular approach that it has.




Not sure if it is one of those synths always on sale or not but it is currently $25 for the Pro version or $55 with 1200 presets.

I am quite tempted with this. I have a Magzter subscription that includes CM magazine so will try out the CM version. However bit surprised I have not seen this synth mention more often as it looks pretty powerful.






Products — FATHOM SYNTH







www.fathomsynth.com


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## doctoremmet (Mar 11, 2021)

By the looks of it, Cherry Modular may have surpassed this one with their Voltage Modular Nucleus option?


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## Markrs (Mar 11, 2021)

doctoremmet said:


> By the looks of it, Cherry Modular may have surpassed this one with their Voltage Modular Nucleus option?


I did wonder the same, I have Cherry Modular, ignite and core which gives me quite a bit. The price is very competitive and version upgrades are cheap currently just $5 to upgrade from version 2 to 3. There is a mono version of Fathom Pro for free at Plugin Boutique as well.






VST Plugins, Synth Presets, Effects, Virtual Instruments, Music


VST Plugins, Synth Presets, Effects, Virtual Instruments, Music Plugins from Pluginboutique




www.pluginboutique.com


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## doctoremmet (Mar 11, 2021)

I love VM, especially with the PSP and MRB modules in there. There’s a fellow called Jeremy Kansas who has a few sampling modules in the Cherry store now that are absolutely insane. I put some random violin samples in there and let an LFO trigger two instances of samples. Some pitch shifting as well. Rendered the resulting mayhem to audio in my DAW, chopped it a bit, and put that through MTurboReverb and MRythmizer. The result is just noise of course haha, but man that was a fun hour.


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## Markrs (Mar 11, 2021)

doctoremmet said:


> I love VM, especially with the PSP and MRB modules in there. There’s a fellow called Jeremy Kansas who has a few sampling modules in the Cherry store now that are absolutely insane. I put some random violin samples in there and let an LFO trigger two instances of samples. Some pitch shifting as well. Rendered the resulting mayhem to audio in my DAW, chopped it a bit, and put that through MTurboReverb and MRythmizer. The result is just noise of course haha, but man that was a fun hour.



Love it Temme, crazy what all these LFO and modulators can do with samples.


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## Markrs (Mar 11, 2021)

sostenuto said:


> Close to one-year later and not much activity. Seaweed Audio has done several Updates ( v2.28 latest) and some cool Sound Banks available at very comfortable prices.
> 
> So much current interest in Modular and _FathomSynth_ not getting much discussion.
> Will be instructive to know shortcomings and much stronger alternatives.
> ...


@sostenuto how have you got on with this synth? Looks nice for the money, but as like many here I already have too many synths, so it would be good to have your view on it.


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## sostenuto (Mar 11, 2021)

Markrs said:


> @sostenuto how have you got on with this synth? Looks nice for the money, but as like many here I already have too many synths, so it would be good to have your view on it.


Not very well. Just now taking time to re-review; but pushed me a bunch to get decent feel for possibilities. Several positives; versatility, sound, filters, ..... 
Will add comment if/when something useful arises ..... 

(edit) much earlier post mentioned massive User manual ( ? 146 pages ? ) and will check out more thoroughly.


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## Markrs (Mar 11, 2021)

sostenuto said:


> Not very well. Just now taking time to re-review; but pushed me a bunch to get decent feel for possibilities. Several positives; versatility, sound, filters, .....
> Will add comment if/when something useful arises .....
> 
> (edit) much earlier post mentioned massive User manual ( ? 146 pages ? ) and will check out more thoroughly.


Thanks @sostenuto as the synth looks of real interest as there are things I like about it when watching videos on it


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## sostenuto (Mar 11, 2021)

Markrs said:


> Thanks @sostenuto as the synth looks of real interest as there are things I like about it when watching videos on it


Very recent Update but while my Pro version runs fine in Reaper, I have no clue how to retrieve required Code to install the Update. Have messaged Seaweed Audio and will post if able to proceed.


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## sostenuto (Mar 12, 2021)

Markrs said:


> Thanks @sostenuto as the synth looks of real interest as there are things I like about it when watching videos on it


Had to make extra Post, as Seaweed Audio (Everett) was amazing at responding to my request for Fathom Pro Update assistance !! My purchase was back in Feb, 2019 and was unable to find historic info needed. Zips were provided today and all is now latest v 303. Very pleased and must admit definite interest in pursuing learning process, as well as some newer Sound Banks. 
Support like this simply must be acknowledged.


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## Markrs (Mar 12, 2021)

sostenuto said:


> Had to make extra Post, as Seaweed Audio (Everett) was amazing at responding to my request for Fathom Pro Update assistance !! My purchase was back in Feb, 2019 and was unable to find historic info needed. Zips were provided today and all is now latest v 303. Very pleased and must admit definite interest in pursuing learning process, as well as some newer Sound Banks.
> Support like this simply must be acknowledged.


That's fantastic, great to see this type of customer service


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## José Herring (Mar 12, 2021)

Not a phat sounding synth but very unique and beautiful. Would love to give it a try.


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## Markrs (Mar 12, 2021)

José Herring said:


> Not a phat sounding synth but very unique and beautiful. Would love to give it a try.


The Mono version is free at Plugin Boutique, if you want to try it.


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