diff --git a/packages/core/controls.mjs b/packages/core/controls.mjs
index d83e271f..b8edd51c 100644
--- a/packages/core/controls.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/controls.mjs
@@ -109,6 +109,32 @@ const generic_params = [
    */
   ['attack', 'att'],
 
+  /**
+   * Sets the Frequency Modulation Harmonicity Ratio.
+   * Controls the timbre of the sound.
+   * Whole numbers and simple ratios sound more natural,
+   * while decimal numbers and complex ratios sound metallic.
+   *
+   * @name fmh
+   * @param {number | Pattern} harmonicity
+   * @example
+   * note("c e g b").fm(4).fmh("<1 2 1.5 1.61>")
+   *
+   */
+  [['fmh', 'fmi'], 'fmh'],
+  /**
+   * Sets the Frequency Modulation of the synth.
+   * Controls the modulation index, which defines the brightness of the sound.
+   *
+   * @name fm
+   * @param {number | Pattern} brightness modulation index
+   * @synonyms fmi
+   * @example
+   * note("c e g b").fm("<0 1 2 8 32>")
+   *
+   */
+  [['fmi', 'fmh'], 'fm'],
+
   /**
    * Select the sound bank to use. To be used together with `s`. The bank name (+ "_") will be prepended to the value of `s`.
    *
diff --git a/packages/midi/midi.mjs b/packages/midi/midi.mjs
index 29abf21b..fa86f629 100644
--- a/packages/midi/midi.mjs
+++ b/packages/midi/midi.mjs
@@ -6,9 +6,8 @@ This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under th
 
 import * as _WebMidi from 'webmidi';
 import { Pattern, isPattern, logger } from '@strudel.cycles/core';
-import { getAudioContext } from '@strudel.cycles/webaudio';
 import { noteToMidi } from '@strudel.cycles/core';
-
+import { Note } from 'webmidi';
 // if you use WebMidi from outside of this package, make sure to import that instance:
 export const { WebMidi } = _WebMidi;
 
@@ -16,12 +15,28 @@ function supportsMidi() {
   return typeof navigator.requestMIDIAccess === 'function';
 }
 
-export function enableWebMidi(options = {}) {
-  const { onReady, onConnected, onDisconnected } = options;
+function getMidiDeviceNamesString(outputs) {
+  return outputs.map((o) => `'${o.name}'`).join(' | ');
+}
 
+export function enableWebMidi(options = {}) {
+  const { onReady, onConnected, onDisconnected, onEnabled } = options;
+  if (WebMidi.enabled) {
+    return;
+  }
   if (!supportsMidi()) {
     throw new Error('Your Browser does not support WebMIDI.');
   }
+  WebMidi.addListener('connected', () => {
+    onConnected?.(WebMidi);
+  });
+  WebMidi.addListener('enabled', () => {
+    onEnabled?.(WebMidi);
+  });
+  // Reacting when a device becomes unavailable
+  WebMidi.addListener('disconnected', (e) => {
+    onDisconnected?.(WebMidi, e);
+  });
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     if (WebMidi.enabled) {
       // if already enabled, just resolve WebMidi
@@ -32,13 +47,6 @@ export function enableWebMidi(options = {}) {
       if (err) {
         reject(err);
       }
-      WebMidi.addListener('connected', (e) => {
-        onConnected?.(WebMidi);
-      });
-      // Reacting when a device becomes unavailable
-      WebMidi.addListener('disconnected', (e) => {
-        onDisconnected?.(WebMidi, e);
-      });
       onReady?.(WebMidi);
       resolve(WebMidi);
     });
@@ -47,8 +55,6 @@ export function enableWebMidi(options = {}) {
 // const outputByName = (name: string) => WebMidi.getOutputByName(name);
 const outputByName = (name) => WebMidi.getOutputByName(name);
 
-let midiReady;
-
 // output?: string | number, outputs: typeof WebMidi.outputs
 function getDevice(output, outputs) {
   if (!outputs.length) {
@@ -60,29 +66,20 @@ function getDevice(output, outputs) {
   if (typeof output === 'string') {
     return outputByName(output);
   }
-  return outputs[0];
+  // attempt to default to first IAC device if none is specified
+  const IACOutput = outputs.find((output) => output.name.includes('IAC'));
+  const device = IACOutput ?? outputs[0];
+  if (!device) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `🔌 MIDI device '${output ? output : ''}' not found. Use one of ${getMidiDeviceNamesString(WebMidi.outputs)}`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  return IACOutput ?? outputs[0];
 }
 
 // Pattern.prototype.midi = function (output: string | number, channel = 1) {
 Pattern.prototype.midi = function (output) {
-  if (!supportsMidi()) {
-    throw new Error(`🎹 WebMidi is not enabled. Supported Browsers: https://caniuse.com/?search=webmidi`);
-  }
-  /* await */ enableWebMidi({
-    onConnected: ({ outputs }) =>
-      logger(`Midi device connected! Available: ${outputs.map((o) => `'${o.name}'`).join(', ')}`),
-    onDisconnected: ({ outputs }) =>
-      logger(`Midi device disconnected! Available: ${outputs.map((o) => `'${o.name}'`).join(', ')}`),
-    onReady: ({ outputs }) => {
-      const device = getDevice(output, outputs);
-      const otherOutputs = outputs
-        .filter((o) => o.name !== device.name)
-        .map((o) => `'${o.name}'`)
-        .join(' | ');
-      midiReady = true;
-      logger(`Midi connected! Using "${device.name}". ${otherOutputs ? `Also available: ${otherOutputs}` : ''}`);
-    },
-  });
   if (isPattern(output)) {
     throw new Error(
       `.midi does not accept Pattern input. Make sure to pass device name with single quotes. Example: .midi('${
@@ -90,35 +87,43 @@ Pattern.prototype.midi = function (output) {
       }')`,
     );
   }
-  return this.onTrigger((time, hap) => {
-    if (!midiReady) {
+
+  enableWebMidi({
+    onEnabled: ({ outputs }) => {
+      const device = getDevice(output, outputs);
+      const otherOutputs = outputs.filter((o) => o.name !== device.name);
+      logger(
+        `Midi enabled! Using "${device.name}". ${
+          otherOutputs?.length ? `Also available: ${getMidiDeviceNamesString(otherOutputs)}` : ''
+        }`,
+      );
+    },
+    onDisconnected: ({ outputs }) =>
+      logger(`Midi device disconnected! Available: ${getMidiDeviceNamesString(outputs)}`),
+  });
+
+  return this.onTrigger((time, hap, currentTime, cps) => {
+    if (!WebMidi.enabled) {
       return;
     }
     const device = getDevice(output, WebMidi.outputs);
-    if (!device) {
-      throw new Error(
-        `🔌 MIDI device '${output ? output : ''}' not found. Use one of ${WebMidi.outputs
-          .map((o) => `'${o.name}'`)
-          .join(' | ')}`,
-      );
-    }
     hap.ensureObjectValue();
 
-    // calculate time
-    const timingOffset = WebMidi.time - getAudioContext().getOutputTimestamp().contextTime * 1000;
-    time = time * 1000 + timingOffset;
+    const offset = (time - currentTime) * 1000;
+    // passing a string with a +num into the webmidi api adds an offset to the current time https://webmidijs.org/api/classes/Output
+    const timeOffsetString = `+${offset}`;
 
     // destructure value
     const { note, nrpnn, nrpv, ccn, ccv, midichan = 1 } = hap.value;
     const velocity = hap.context?.velocity ?? 0.9; // TODO: refactor velocity
-    const duration = hap.duration.valueOf() * 1000 - 5;
 
+    // note off messages will often a few ms arrive late, try to prevent glitching by subtracting from the duration length
+    const duration = Math.floor(hap.duration.valueOf() * 1000 - 10);
     if (note != null) {
       const midiNumber = typeof note === 'number' ? note : noteToMidi(note);
-      device.playNote(midiNumber, midichan, {
-        time,
-        duration,
-        attack: velocity,
+      const midiNote = new Note(midiNumber, { attack: velocity, duration });
+      device.playNote(midiNote, midichan, {
+        time: timeOffsetString,
       });
     }
     if (ccv && ccn) {
@@ -129,7 +134,7 @@ Pattern.prototype.midi = function (output) {
         throw new Error('expected ccn to be a number or a string');
       }
       const scaled = Math.round(ccv * 127);
-      device.sendControlChange(ccn, scaled, midichan, { time });
+      device.sendControlChange(ccn, scaled, midichan, { time: timeOffsetString });
     }
   });
 };
diff --git a/packages/superdough/package.json b/packages/superdough/package.json
index e0ab452a..d82448d6 100644
--- a/packages/superdough/package.json
+++ b/packages/superdough/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "superdough",
-  "version": "0.9.4",
+  "version": "0.9.5",
   "description": "simple web audio synth and sampler intended for live coding. inspired by superdirt and webdirt.",
   "main": "index.mjs",
   "type": "module",
diff --git a/packages/superdough/synth.mjs b/packages/superdough/synth.mjs
index 73174f65..57317133 100644
--- a/packages/superdough/synth.mjs
+++ b/packages/superdough/synth.mjs
@@ -1,14 +1,39 @@
 import { midiToFreq, noteToMidi } from './util.mjs';
-import { registerSound } from './superdough.mjs';
+import { registerSound, getAudioContext } from './superdough.mjs';
 import { getOscillator, gainNode, getEnvelope } from './helpers.mjs';
 
+const mod = (freq, range = 1, type = 'sine') => {
+  const ctx = getAudioContext();
+  const osc = ctx.createOscillator();
+  osc.type = type;
+  osc.frequency.value = freq;
+  osc.start();
+  const g = new GainNode(ctx, { gain: range });
+  osc.connect(g); // -range, range
+  return { node: g, stop: (t) => osc.stop(t) };
+};
+
+const fm = (osc, harmonicityRatio, modulationIndex, wave = 'sine') => {
+  const carrfreq = osc.frequency.value;
+  const modfreq = carrfreq * harmonicityRatio;
+  const modgain = modfreq * modulationIndex;
+  return mod(modfreq, modgain, wave);
+};
+
 export function registerSynthSounds() {
   ['sine', 'square', 'triangle', 'sawtooth'].forEach((wave) => {
     registerSound(
       wave,
       (t, value, onended) => {
         // destructure adsr here, because the default should be different for synths and samples
-        const { attack = 0.001, decay = 0.05, sustain = 0.6, release = 0.01 } = value;
+        const {
+          attack = 0.001,
+          decay = 0.05,
+          sustain = 0.6,
+          release = 0.01,
+          fmh: fmHarmonicity = 1,
+          fmi: fmModulationIndex,
+        } = value;
         let { n, note, freq } = value;
         // with synths, n and note are the same thing
         n = note || n || 36;
@@ -22,6 +47,13 @@ export function registerSynthSounds() {
         // maybe pull out the above frequency resolution?? (there is also getFrequency but it has no default)
         // make oscillator
         const { node: o, stop } = getOscillator({ t, s: wave, freq });
+
+        let stopFm;
+        if (fmModulationIndex) {
+          const { node: modulator, stop } = fm(o, fmHarmonicity, fmModulationIndex);
+          modulator.connect(o.frequency);
+          stopFm = stop;
+        }
         const g = gainNode(0.3);
         // envelope
         const { node: envelope, stop: releaseEnvelope } = getEnvelope(attack, decay, sustain, release, 1, t);
@@ -34,7 +66,9 @@ export function registerSynthSounds() {
           node: o.connect(g).connect(envelope),
           stop: (releaseTime) => {
             releaseEnvelope(releaseTime);
-            stop(releaseTime + release);
+            let end = releaseTime + release;
+            stop(end);
+            stopFm?.(end);
           },
         };
       },
diff --git a/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap b/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
index 967d6b5d..ee937e2b 100644
--- a/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
+++ b/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
@@ -1804,6 +1804,48 @@ exports[`runs examples > example "floor" example index 0 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
+exports[`runs examples > example "fm" example index 0 1`] = `
+[
+  "[ 0/1 → 1/4 | note:c fmi:0 ]",
+  "[ 1/4 → 1/2 | note:e fmi:0 ]",
+  "[ 1/2 → 3/4 | note:g fmi:0 ]",
+  "[ 3/4 → 1/1 | note:b fmi:0 ]",
+  "[ 1/1 → 5/4 | note:c fmi:1 ]",
+  "[ 5/4 → 3/2 | note:e fmi:1 ]",
+  "[ 3/2 → 7/4 | note:g fmi:1 ]",
+  "[ 7/4 → 2/1 | note:b fmi:1 ]",
+  "[ 2/1 → 9/4 | note:c fmi:2 ]",
+  "[ 9/4 → 5/2 | note:e fmi:2 ]",
+  "[ 5/2 → 11/4 | note:g fmi:2 ]",
+  "[ 11/4 → 3/1 | note:b fmi:2 ]",
+  "[ 3/1 → 13/4 | note:c fmi:8 ]",
+  "[ 13/4 → 7/2 | note:e fmi:8 ]",
+  "[ 7/2 → 15/4 | note:g fmi:8 ]",
+  "[ 15/4 → 4/1 | note:b fmi:8 ]",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`runs examples > example "fmh" example index 0 1`] = `
+[
+  "[ 0/1 → 1/4 | note:c fmi:4 fmh:1 ]",
+  "[ 1/4 → 1/2 | note:e fmi:4 fmh:1 ]",
+  "[ 1/2 → 3/4 | note:g fmi:4 fmh:1 ]",
+  "[ 3/4 → 1/1 | note:b fmi:4 fmh:1 ]",
+  "[ 1/1 → 5/4 | note:c fmi:4 fmh:2 ]",
+  "[ 5/4 → 3/2 | note:e fmi:4 fmh:2 ]",
+  "[ 3/2 → 7/4 | note:g fmi:4 fmh:2 ]",
+  "[ 7/4 → 2/1 | note:b fmi:4 fmh:2 ]",
+  "[ 2/1 → 9/4 | note:c fmi:4 fmh:1.5 ]",
+  "[ 9/4 → 5/2 | note:e fmi:4 fmh:1.5 ]",
+  "[ 5/2 → 11/4 | note:g fmi:4 fmh:1.5 ]",
+  "[ 11/4 → 3/1 | note:b fmi:4 fmh:1.5 ]",
+  "[ 3/1 → 13/4 | note:c fmi:4 fmh:1.61 ]",
+  "[ 13/4 → 7/2 | note:e fmi:4 fmh:1.61 ]",
+  "[ 7/2 → 15/4 | note:g fmi:4 fmh:1.61 ]",
+  "[ 15/4 → 4/1 | note:b fmi:4 fmh:1.61 ]",
+]
+`;
+
 exports[`runs examples > example "focus" example index 0 1`] = `
 [
   "[ 0/1 → 1/8 | s:sd ]",
diff --git a/website/src/pages/learn/synths.mdx b/website/src/pages/learn/synths.mdx
index 3f808e66..6ebf2613 100644
--- a/website/src/pages/learn/synths.mdx
+++ b/website/src/pages/learn/synths.mdx
@@ -28,4 +28,14 @@ The power of patterns allows us to sequence any _param_ independently:
 Now we not only pattern the notes, but the sound as well!
 `sawtooth` `square` and `triangle` are the basic waveforms available in `s`.
 
+## FM Synthesis
+
+### fm
+
+<JsDoc client:idle name="fm" h={0} />
+
+### fmh
+
+<JsDoc client:idle name="fmh" h={0} />
+
 Next up: [Audio Effects](/learn/effects)...