Modulation Ideas?

[cruttox]

In fact, when using say filter cut off or something other than LFO to modulate something, there seems to be a set clock rate for the modulation speed. This is very high and I'd like to know what is controlling this speed and whether it could be slowed down or not.

Yes, I'd wonder what the rate is. You'd think that the rate would be changing over the same range and time that the filter envelope is applied if the filter cutoff were the true modulation source in this example. It's perfectly possible that the software publishers have just got a default workaround for any strange routing, and that they don't truly support the infinitely modular system implied by their GUI representation.

Certainly, your idea of modulating the modulator with an LFO may yield interesting results, I'll give that a go when I get chance.

This is where all the fun of FM lies. You haven't even scratched the surface with FM until you start applying envelopes or LFO to the modulator gain and/or frequency.

Try an FM sound with a non-integer ratio and a high modulator gain. This will give a white-noise like effect. Apply a short ADSR envelope to it so you've got a percussion hit type sound. Then try modulating the modulator gain with an LFO with random waveform and sample/hold triggering for its value. The LFO needs a small range so that the variation is not too great. This will give a lot of movement to the output sound, adding a bit of organinc-humanity to it, whether it's a snare type or hat type hit you are going for.