# Granular synthesis? **URL:** \ **Category:** FMOD Studio\ **Created:** [December 15, 2020, 9:56am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/granular-synthesis/16551 "2020-12-15T09:56:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ArtyIF](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/artyif/32/1777_2.png) [@ArtyIF](https://qa.fmod.com/u/ArtyIF)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 9:56am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/granular-synthesis/16551/1 "2020-12-15T09:56:58Z")
Hello, Is there any way to do granular synthesis/sampling in FMOD Studio? Apparently it was possible in FMOD Designer, but I can’t find any way of doing it. If it’s not a thing in FMOD Studio anymore, is there any free instrument plugins that can do granular sampling? ---
**Author:** ![joseph](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/joseph/32/264_2.png) [@joseph](https://qa.fmod.com/u/joseph)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 3:14am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/granular-synthesis/16551/2 "2020-12-17T03:14:59Z")
A limited form of granular synthesis was possible in FMOD Designer by using spawning behavior. In FMOD Studio, this behavior is a feature of [scatterer instruments](https://www.fmod.com/resources/documentation-studio?version=2.1&page=working-with-instruments.html#scatterer-instruments). ---
**Author:** ![Skaven252](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/skaven252/32/63_2.png) [@Skaven252](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Skaven252)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 10:53am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/granular-synthesis/16551/3 "2020-12-17T10:53:08Z")
A simple granulator can be built with a loop in the timeline. Put a Multi-Sound to play a sample (or a random set of samples) in Async mode. Automate the Master Pitch (from event macros) with a parameter, then automate the Pitch of the Multi-Sound with an opposite curve. This way you can get a sound that repeats at an interval that can be sped up and down, but the pitch remains the same. Then automate the Seek Offset of the Multi-Sound with another parameter (plus a bit of random modulation if you so desire), and there you have it, a granulator that plays short bits of a sample from a selected offset position at a variable rate. Set a polyphony limit to the Multi-Sound to keep the polyphony under control at high rates. I had to do this arrangement instead of using a Scatterer in an earlier version of Studio because I couldn’t get the nested event’s parameters get automation passed to them from the Scatterer parent. But with later versions of Studio it should work easier with a Scatterer too. You just need to nest an event in the playlist to make the sample start offset automatable and randomizable. ---
**Author:** ![Skaven252](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/skaven252/32/63_2.png) [@Skaven252](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Skaven252)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 10:56am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/granular-synthesis/16551/4 "2020-12-17T10:56:30Z")
A very simple (and computationally cheap) way to use granular sampling for infinite variety, is to take a loop that has a fairly transient, dry sound (like a campfire / torch crackling), and slice it into very short bits (about 50 ms or so) at the transients. Reaper can do this kind of auto-slicing quite easily. Then add these samples to a multi-sound and make the playlist loop and randomized. You will then get an endless daisy chain of random short samples one after another, a continuous sound that doesn’t repeat nearly as much as a single loop of equivalent total length would. It uses only 1 polyphony while it’s playing, as the sounds are appended one after another without overlap. I use this approach for rattling and rustling sounds, like handling rattle of weapons, or a campfire crackling. It needs to be quite transient in nature. Chopping up a tonal sound with long soft reverb tails doesn’t work well with slicing like this.