Look Mum No Computer just made an FM synth out of a Sega Mega Drive and it’s amazing

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Find out how he added hands-on control to the YM612 sound chip

We’ve been impressed by many of Look Mum No Computer’s DIY projects in the past, but the Sega Mega Drive synth has got to be one of his coolest yet.

This takes the YM2612 FM sound chip from the classic 16-bit console and turns it into a standalone hardware instrument. Each of the four operators gets 11 adjustable parameters, creating a superbly tweakable synth that torches FM’s reputation for being fiddly and inaccessible.

You can find out how the Sega Mega Drive synth was created and what it can do in the video above, and there’s more information on the Look Mum No Computer website.  

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Ben Rogerson
Ben Rogerson
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.