Plugin Boutique is offering the FM8 (£129 value) virtual synthesizer by Native Instruments for just £12; that’s over 90% off its list price.
This offer is a perfect example of why I love and hate Plugin Boutique at the same time. Every time I tell myself I don’t need to buy anything for a while, they launch a promotion that has me thinking, OK, just one more.
Of course, I don’t actually hate them; I appreciate every discount, but damn you and your good value, Plugin Boutique!
FM8 is no spring chicken; it’s been around for well over a decade, and, visually, at least, it’s showing signs of age. Does that make it any less valuable fifteen or so years later? I don’t think it does, and that’s why it continues to hold its original price most of the year round.
Vintage software isn’t nearly as sought-after as vintage hardware, and often with good reason. However, FM8 is an exception, and at £12, it’s an absolute steal.
Yamaha’s DX7 played a leading role in creating the unmistakable sound of the 80s. The iconic synth has some fantastic sounds and even more that were so bad they came full circle back to being good. FM8 delivers all that FM goodness without the scratched-up panels and broken buttons. To be fair, the DX7 is built like a tank; I just wasn’t keen on those buttons.
With over 1,200 presets, built-in effects, a clever arpeggiator, and a powerful FM matrix, FM8 is a powerhouse.
Perhaps the most surprising thing is just how functional the visually-dated GUI is.
Dedicated pages make it easy to focus on specific parameters without getting overwhelmed by an abundance of possibilities. It also features an “Easy Edit Page” that provides simple ways to tweak more advanced parameters, allowing you to focus more on what you hear than what you see.
This offer will be available until September 6th, 2022, but if you buy FM8 during August, you’ll get Nugen Audio’s Focus Elements Bundle absolutely free.
FM8 is available in AU, VST, and AAX formats for macOS (10.14 – 11 – Intel only) and Windows 10.
More info: FM8 (90% OFF @ Plugin Boutique)
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15 Comments
Me
onNot Apple Silicon native yet? What’s taking this huge company so long??
Buddy
on… and not even VST3 … yet
Taras Osipchuk
on“This offer is a perfect example of why I love and hate Plugin Boutique at the same time”… I understand you perfectly! I too have been considering this purchase, although I recently purchased 3 cool synths (you always need more of them), still decided not to buy it, it is, as you said, really many years old… I’m sure it’s a great instrument for certain purposes and the price is great. But, as usual, it takes many hours of study, etc. after purchase. I will wait for the discount on the Izotope Iris 2. Right now this synthesizer is $149 and not so long ago the promotional price was only $10, but I missed that time. Thank you for the information anyway, wish you great music, hello from Ukraine!
Jn
onIt doesn’t take hours of study. For $10 it’s worth it for the presets alone
Numanoid
onFor those not owning Komplete, this is a no brainer. But I am also sad to say that FM8 has only had minor compatibility updates during the last 10 years. The GUI is now painfully small on todays hi-res screens, it actually begins to resemble the key hole surgery of FM programming back in the 80’s. It is annoying that Native Instruments seems to have left FM8 behind, seeing how in vouge FM synthesis has become, why don’t they develop FM9 or FMX (ala Massive X).
MRG
onPro-53 was left behind-er for a while now. :(
Numanoid
onB4 II and Pro-53 were discontinued already with the launch of Komplete 6 in 2009. FM8 was released in 2006 so Native Instruments have stuck with it for quite some time, without really giving it any major updates.
MRG
onWow. 2009. Wouldn’t have thought. Poor little Pro-53. :/
samuel
onsadly i wonder if this one of the last attempts from NI to make money with it, before they discontinue this completely?
i wonder if this will get updated, or at least be m1 compatible?
MRG
onI don’t mind if they discontinue it (well, sorta), but then can we finally agree on a real legal definition of abandonware? Please? :) The “Orphan Works Directive” of the EU is wishy-washy about software.
KucingLiar
on“okay just one more…”
you speak for all of us, man
:D
Numanoid
onWhen Native Instruments released FM8 in October 2006 it retailed for $339! In 2022 corrected for inflation that would be equivalent to $499. So £12 certainly is a nice price :-)
Numanoid
onHornet Multicomp CM is free with Computer Music issue 312, which is published today
Gav
onThere are 60000 free FM8 Presets you can download for free. In the zip file there are actually 30000 FM8 for Windows and FM8 for Mac in the folder. Here is the link: https://zombiefightsshark.gumroad.com/l/60kfm8
Lcaise
onI tried to install this synth bought at pluginboutique at a new computer, but it doesn’t work. Installer doesnt connect with a server, fail at all. Any ideas ?