80
Grains per voice
FRMS.
Any sound. Endlessly reshaped.
A granular synthesizer that turns any sample into a playable instrument. Drop a vocal, a field recording, a chord — break it into grains and find textures that didn't exist a minute ago.
[ OVERVIEW ]
The short version.
FRMS slices any sample into clouds of grains — stretched, scattered and re-pitched into living, evolving textures you can play like an instrument.
A granular synthesizer for desktop, iOS and Android. Up to four layers per patch, each with its own engine, filter and envelopes — plus a modulation matrix and effects that take a raw sample to a finished patch without leaving the plugin.
CategoryGranular synthesizer
PlatformsmacOS · Windows · iOS · Android
FormatsAU · AUv3 · VST · VST3
Presets163 factory presets
Best forSound designers & texture builders
01 · What it is
Any sample, made playable.
Drop a vocal, a field recording, a chord. FRMS breaks it into up to 80 grains per voice and spreads it across the keyboard as an instrument.
02 · What it does
Textures that never sit still.
Position, density, spray, pitch and jitter sculpt the grain cloud, while envelopes and the modulation matrix keep it evolving as you play.
03 · Why it's different
Deep engine, fast results.
163 factory presets and eighteen expansion packs get you to a finished sound in minutes — and the engine rewards going deeper.
[ TRAILER ]
FRMS, in motion.
[ ENGINE ]
The pieces that make grains sing.
01 · feature
Up to 80 grains per voice
Fill the air. Stack dozens of grains for shimmering clouds, or thin out to a single tone — density is just a knob away.
02 · feature
Position scrub & freeze
Move freely through any sample. Lock the playhead, spray grains around it, freeze a single moment in time and stretch it forever.
03 · feature
Spray, pitch, jitter
Three knobs that turn any sample into something else. Detune grains, scatter their start points, randomise their length.
04 · feature
Per-grain envelope
Shape each grain with a configurable Hann window. The difference between musical and broken is one curve.
[ WORKFLOW ]
Three steps from sample to instrument.
01
Drop a sample.
Drag any audio file onto FRMS — a vocal, a field recording, a chord stab. The waveform appears, transients marked, ready to play.
02
Break it into grains.
Set position, density and pitch. Spray grains across the sample, freeze a single moment, scatter them in stereo. Listen as it transforms.
03
Play it like an instrument.
Map a controller, route to your DAW, layer with FX. The sample is now a synth — every key a new texture, every note alive.
[ FEATURES ]
The features that stand out.
01Granular engine — up to 80 grains per voiceEngine
02Up to 8 voices of polyphony with dynamic allocationEngine
03Position, density, length, spray, jitter, pitch — per-grainGrain
04Non-linear, self-oscillating multi-mode filter, including a 4-pole ladderFilter
052 ADSR envelopes — amp and filterMod
064 LFOs with tempo sync, free-run and phase-lock modesMod
07Modulation matrix — 24 slotsMod
08FX rack — reverb, delayFX
09MPE — pitch, slide and pressure per voicePerformance
10Drag-and-drop WAV, AIFF, MP3 · automatic transient detectionSample
11163 factory presets · 18 expansion packsSounds
12AU, VST, VST3 · Apple Silicon nativeFormat
[ AUDIO DEMOS ]
Hear the presets.
Pads, drones and granular textures.
A curated set of FRMS preset demos — pads, drones, vocal granulation, field-recorded percussion.
Best on headphones, or anything that reproduces stereo correctly.
[ TUTORIALS ]
From sample to cloud, in three lessons.
Lesson 01 · Sources
From sample to pad in five minutes
Lesson 02 · Density
Grain density and spray — sculpting the cloud
Lesson 03 · Spectral
Spectral freeze and time stretching, deep dive
[ PRESS ]
What the press says.
Magnetic Magazine
On a mission to innovate rather than imitate, Imaginando has built a solid reputation for releasing products that excite musicians and producers, offering new ways to maximize creativity.
FORWARD-THINKING SYNTHS AND TOOLS FOR MUSIC PRODUCTIONRead review →
Integraudio
FRMS is a versatile synth that combines granular synthesis with FM synthesis. Imaginando is a Portuguese plugin developer that creates some cool effects and virtual instruments.
Top 12 FM Synth Plugins For Unique Sound 2022Read review →
MusicTech
By the time we reached the 20th century and the advent of the electronic age, sound creation had been elevated into a science in its own right.
Review: Imaginando FRMSRead review →
Synth AnatomyThe synth has up to 4 simultaneous layers, each one either granular or…
AMAZONA.deHave you ever wondered what happens when you cross granular synthesis with FM,…
[ TESTIMONIALS ]
Producers who use it.
“Andrián Pertout · Composer, PhD
After discovering VS, I tried FRMS and found it ideal for blending live acoustic instruments with electronics. As a contemporary composer, I value its creative potential—granular, FM, and subtractive synthesis—to generate evolving textures. The preset libraries are inspiring, and the ability to granulate any sound source, even live input, is incredibly powerful.
[ Pricing ]
Own it your way.
[ Rent-to-own ]
Pay monthly
€8.90/mothen yours forever
- Flexible monthly payments
- Pause or cancel anytime
- Same licence as buying once
- Yours to keep after the final payment
[ Standalone ]
Pay one-time
€89one-time · macOS · Windows
- One-time payment, no subscription
- 14-day refund guarantee
- 163 factory presets
- AU · VST · VST3
[ Bundle ]
Get the full bundle
€159one-time · desktop
- Best value — save vs buying separately
- Desktop licences only
- FRMS + all expansion packs
[ EDUCATION ]
Students & teachers, 50% off.
Verified students and educators get 50% off FRMS — same features and updates. Verify your status, get the code, install.
[ MOBILE ]
Also on mobile.
FRMS for iOS and Android is sold separately on the App Store and Google Play.
[ REQUIREMENTS ]
Will it run on your rig?
macOS 12 or higher
AU, VST, VST3. Apple Silicon native. ~772 MB download.
Windows 10 or higher
64-bit. VST, VST3. ASIO recommended · ~211 MB download
iOS 17.0 or higher
Universal iPhone & iPad. AUv3 host & plugin · ~268 MB download
Android
Standalone app. ARM64. Low-latency Oboe audio.
[ FAQ / Before you try ]
Quick answers.
The questions we get asked most about FRMS.
What is FRMS?
+
FRMS is a granular synthesizer with frequency modulation. Drop in any sample — a vocal, a field recording, a chord — and it breaks the sound into grains you can reshape into new pads, textures and instruments.
Which platforms and formats does FRMS support?
+
FRMS runs on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. On desktop it works as a VST, VST3 and AU plugin and as a standalone app; on iOS it's an AUv3 plugin and standalone for iPhone and iPad.
Can I use my own samples?
+
Yes. FRMS turns any audio you load into a playable granular instrument, with up to four layers per patch and 80 grains per voice — position-scrub, freeze and stretch any moment of a sample.
Is the mobile version included with the desktop app?
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No. FRMS for iOS and Android is sold separately on the App Store and Google Play. The desktop and mobile versions are independent purchases.
What's included, and can I expand it?
+
FRMS ships with 163 factory presets, and its library can grow with eighteen expansion packs spanning ambient, cinematic, acoustic and experimental sounds.
Can I try FRMS before buying?
+
Yes. A free demo lets you explore the full engine with your own sounds, so you can hear exactly what FRMS does before you buy a licence.
[ HELP ]
Stuck? We got you.
User manual
FRMS full documentation
Every parameter, every routing option, every modulator. Searchable, with diagrams and signal-flow walkthroughs.
Read the manual →Video tutorialsWatch the walkthroughs
Step-by-step videos covering sources, density, modulation, spectral mode and sound-design recipes from our team.
Open YouTube →SupportTalk to Imaginando
Stuck on a licence or a patch? Send us a message — we answer fast, usually the same day, in English or Portuguese.
Open chat →