FB-02

Name: FB-02
Author: Full Bucket Music

by Full Bucket Music · Synth · Yamaha FB-01 FM emulation

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FB-02 is a free emulation of the Yamaha FB-01, the 1986 four-operator FM sound module, with its factory ROM sounds and eight TX81Z waveforms.

It reads and writes FB-01 SysEx, has a program browser, MIDI Learn and MTS-ESP micro-tuning, and is free.

Best for: Keys & Synths, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Pop, Lo-Fi.

Keywords: FM, 80s, hardware emulation, free, classic, digital classic, basses, electric piano, lo-fi, monophonic, plucks, resizable UI, sound design, vintage.

What it does

FB-02 simulates the sound generation of Yamaha's FB-01, a compact four-operator FM module from 1986, and doubles as a patch editor for the hardware. The developer admits it does not sound exactly like the original, since the FB-01's chip was never documented.

FM engine: four sine operators and the eight FB-01 algorithms; operator 1 is always a carrier, and operator 4 has feedback for self-modulation.
Waveforms: the eight TX81Z waveforms are added on top of the FB-01's sine-only sound.
Operator controls: frequency ratios from 0.5 to 15, detune, inharmonic factors (1.0, 1.41, 1.57, 1.73), keyboard scaling, velocity sensitivity and output level.
Envelopes: per-operator attack, decay 1, decay 2, sustain and release, which can behave like a classic ADSR.
LFO: saw, square, triangle and noise shapes with key sync, feeding amplitude and pitch modulation; there is no filter, as on the original.
Banks and patches: seven banks of 48 programs (336 in all), all editable, with the original ROM sounds plus collections from kraftraum and MAZES; SysEx, FXP and FXB import and export, and a send-to-FB-01 function.
Playing and control: poly and mono modes, portamento, pitch-bend range up to 12 notes, MIDI Learn for every parameter, MTS-ESP micro-tuning and a resizable UI.

The current version is 1.1.1 (16 January 2026). It is a free download; the developer accepts donations.

Source: Full Bucket Music product page

When to use it

FB-02 is the free choice for the bright, slightly harsh tones of a budget 1980s Yamaha FM box, and for editing or loading FB-01 patch dumps. Compared with Phase Plant or Serum 2, it has only four operators, eight fixed algorithms and no filter or effects, but that small, fixed layout makes FM programming much less daunting. Unlike Vital, which can do FM as one option among many, FB-02 gives you a genuine FB-01 patch format and hundreds of period sounds ready to play. If you own the hardware, its send-to-FB-01 function makes it a modern editor too.

Best for: electric pianos, FM basses, bells, plucks and game-style tones with an 80s character; FB-01 owners who want an editor.
Genres: synth-pop, synthwave, electronic, chiptune-leaning and lo-fi music.
Look elsewhere if: you want deep FM with more operators, filters and modern modulation; Phase Plant or Serum 2 suit that better.

What producers say

Early coverage praises how approachable it is; there are no KVR user reviews yet.

Bedroom Producers Blog (Tomislav Zlatic, 2025) liked how "accessible the interface feels", making it quick to tweak operator levels, envelopes, detuning and inharmonic ratios, and called the editor side "pretty awesome" for hardware owners.
Criticisms: the same review found the sound "occasionally harsh", but easier to tame than many feature-heavy FM clones.

Bedroom Producers Blog article

Where to buy

Full Bucket Music: Free

Tutorials and reviews

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