Sandbender is Audio Damage's answer to the oldest complaint about FM synthesis: everyone loves the sound, but almost nobody wants to program it. Released in November 2026, it is a four-operator FM synth that keeps the classic glassy pianos, metallic bells and punchy digital basses within reach while making the patching process feel like exploration rather than homework.
The engine is deep. Each of the four operators has its own wave shaper that morphs from triangle through sine to pulse, and any operator can sound and modulate at once. Ten factory algorithms and a custom algorithm designer handle routing, while a wavefolder, a divider sub oscillator and six noise types add harmonic weight. The signal runs through eleven stereo filter types and ends in a VCA or a modeled low-pass gate. Programming is drag-and-drop, with envelopes, LFOs, function generators, a sixteen-step sequencer and macros all living on a modulation rail, and a GENETICS page that breeds new patches from whatever you are playing.
It also goes where few deep synths do, covering Mac, Windows, Linux and iOS from a single design, with no copy protection. Against the FM benchmark FM8 it trades the larger preset library and DX7 import for a far more playable workflow and cross-platform reach, while the free Dexed remains the classic DX clone. Read the full Sandbender review for the complete breakdown.