That white bar is showing the detected pressure of the key changing and then using that to drive aftertouch on the CS-1 a Yamaha CS-80 style synth https://twochannels.github.io/CS-1/

Credit to Charles Vestal (Velo project (fm1-velocity) found the technique and wrote the sensing code CS-1 uses. The idea is to read the resistance of the carbon pill under each key through the chip's ADC, with the row driven high. Velo also measured the settings. His MONK-1 firmware (fm1-monk) contributed the fix that counts pressure from where the key rests rather than where it landed, and the test CS-1 runs.

Hey all, it is your "Most underrated" firmware developer! (Not my words.)

So uh this took a while but promise you it is worth it. I'll make a stream again going through the changes later, baby has my attention and I only have 1 available hand at this point. Here's the changelog!

• Redesigned interface: larger text throughout, a choice of Rubik or Melodee Pixel fonts, clearer menus and dialogs, coloured track rows, new palettes, and dots showing the whole pattern. Things to try: Press HOME at HOME.

• FX rack views: easier navigation between track inserts and shared effects, with chain/split routing accessible from the rack. ECHO, ROOM and REVERB gain a TONE control running from DARK through FULL to THIN (Hi pass - low pass), with less bass buildup in repeats and tails.

• C64 SID modes and drum kits: SID now has C64 6581/8580 modes, including fast arpeggios from held chords. SID KIT and SID DIGI add chip-style drums, with synthesized kick and snare played through the emulated four-bit volume register in DIGI mode. Retriggers and voice stealing are improved too. Things to try: Set SID engine to one of the C64 modes and play a chord. Suddenly 80's vibes.

• Better recording and pattern performance: explicit REC keeps recording across loops, while pattern shortcuts offer a single pass. Whole-take undo/redo restores notes, motion and timing together. Destructive pattern operations wait for the loop end, and SEQ’s black keys select tracks. Things to try: Hold SEQ, press an empty pattern in the notes. Empty patterns arm for recording for the duration of the pattern.

• One to four tracks per song: start small and add tracks as needed. Tap HOME for the chord wheel, showing sounding notes, chords and the waveform. Assign SELECT on Stage, or GLO+SELECT across pages, to your preferred performance control. If you put 1 track you can use it as a synth only!

• One shared preset bank: U001–U384 can hold any mix of Prophet, FM6, CZ-1, SID and Drum sounds. Native voice data stays with each preset, and supported older banks migrate automatically.

• Simpler USB audio: one duplex device named Melodee replaces the separate playback and recording devices. Computer volume and mute affect playback without changing recordings. Stereo master and four isolated mono track stems remain available.

• Online manual: an illustrated guide covering the instruments, effects, recording, editor, installation and recovery. Thanks to relyt29 for writing it!

Smaller improvements include remembered pages in the EDIT map, more reliable knob navigation, clearer modulation destination names, corrected SysEx import routing, audio optimizations, more RAM available for audio, and a saved shared voice budget.

Current builds use both CPU cores. Stability issues are for the most part a thing of the past. Back up projects and presets before upgrading, and keep power connected during migration. Older firmware cannot read the new shared preset bank.

Install · Manual · Release downloads

This time, it’s orange!

First time playing around with the mutated part of the sequencer with the JIANT firmware. The drum beat has a 50% mutation on the pattern every 8 bars, and the acid base has a 50% mutation on the sound every 4 bars. You could make some constantly evolving, generative music with these.

I wish there was a way to lock a musical pattern mutation to a set chord or progression.

i have this question, i´m waiting for my FM1 to get home and I saw a lot of great firmwares but I don´t know which one is the best groove box one, I got experience using iPadOS apps like korg gadget or Ableton note, so I would like something similar

Hi, I am making a custom bootloader for fm-1 and smk-37. This bootloader will let you recover if you accidentally brick your device without the need of any additional hardware (just your computer). In addition I made a flasher which lets you easily backup and restore the full 1MB of memory on your device (windows/mac/linux). This WILL NOT work if you have already bricked your device. I have smk-37 myself and did testing on the device, but I am looking for somebody who has fm-1 and already has the hardware to unbrick the device just in case. If you are that person please DM me.

Because it was released under GPL-3.0, anyone who forked or cloned it while it was public is allowed to keep and redistribute their copy (subject to the license).

Edit: I forgot about the potential Bluetooth license issue...which is most likely why they pulled it.

Hello everyone, a new version of PIGEON, the Felucca based old school sampler style firmware is now out! We've added a lot of necessary features and upgrades, thanks to your feedback on V0.1. New features include:

• Sample storage expanded from 408 to 496 KiB. (More than a 20% increase!)
• Eight shared song voices + four dedicated drum voices.
• Redesigned, unified sampler interface.
• Page buttons respond immediately; HOME returns to the waveform and opens Settings.
• Hold EDIT + trigger a chop to audition its ending.
• Copy complete chops between keys; swap and move assignments.
• More sequencer controls: step pitch, probability, repeats, nudge and conditions.
• Sample Loader 2.0: select/delete audio, split, rearrange, copy/paste and undo.
• Append multiple files to either song, with clip trimming, gain and fades.
• Merged songs keep whole sections on the first keys, followed by automatic chops.
• Import/export emulator banks and sessions, including patterns.
• Open banks directly between the loader and emulator.
• Removed unused synth screens, assets and the empty-slot synth fallback.
• Fixed startup selection and sequencer state restoration.
• Updated tutorials, controls and installation guides.

Feedback? You can reply here, create an issue on our GitHub, or email us at [Pigeon@theshrimpblimp.com](mailto:Pigeon@theshrimpblimp.com) !
Thank you!

EDIT: Forgot to mention that we now also have a web emulator!

I got a m vave FM-1 to play along with and sample into my PO-33.

As soon as the community firmwares started coming out for the FM-1 I wondered (and hoped) someone would create a pocket operator style workflow for it. Different firmwares have now done different bits of this. But someone has gone one step further and made the FM-1 display and function feel just like a PO :) You can even have a play on the emulator linked: https://devrvega.github.io/LCD-4/

Not my work, just sharing as it's fresh out (spotted by the awesome charlesv) and as my thanks to the dev who has done a great job with this (it's working perfectly on my device).

The AMB-1 firmware is a meditative experience, really something special.

Just ordering another FM1 this afternoon, on aliexpress prices slightly increased over the last days, and most sellers will start delivery only in November. I should of ordered more week or so ago. We are witnessing change of synth economics by custom firmware driven demand! :-)
So that you know if you plan to buy!
Cheers!

My 8 and 10 year old have a surprise arriving today (I'm giving them one each) but I'm having trouble figuring out which firmware will work best for them!

They both play piano, regularly partake in an after school "build-a-band" program and have taken a "beat making" class in the past and enjoyed it (they used Band Lab).

They're not exactly beginners obviously, but I'm also not looking for the most complex/feature full firmware out there, simpler in this case would be better. Just something to make simple beats/songs on bus rides/road trips/etc.

So yeah, help a 'choice paralyzed' dad out!?

Here's what's changed since yesterday - https://fm1-editor.com/firmware/

New:

• Araminta (Wulgaren): a Felucca 1.5.1 fork with JIANT’s DRUM-X drum kit and punch-ins, Sloop-style free-take recording, a mixer solo, and an effects list you chain or send. Browser installer, v2.2.
• HYP-1 (RustyPawz): a generative techno machine built on AMB-1, with MIDI out per voice. Browser installer, experimental, 1.0.16.

Updated

• X0X 1.0.6 → 1.0.9
• Melodee 1.3.5 → 1.3.6
• Polly 0.4.1 → 0.4.2
• Felucca 1.6 → 1.6.1
• DUELL 0.2.4 → 0.2.13 (beta)
• FM-106 beta3 → beta4
• Bubba Machine 0.5.0 → 0.6.1 (beta)

Watch list

• MC-1 isn’t offered for installing yet - an earlier experimental install booted on an FM1, but audio glitches were reported

Hey boys and girls Ive made a very deep editor for our little darling. It’s called Relay FM1 Editor, Firmware database and emulator
features full control of sequencer with a piano roll and automation. Normal ADSR editor for FM. Read Write edit and reorganize samples on your device. Preset librarian with drag and drop. Full project overview and song builder. Retrospective recording. Constantly updating firmware database - explore and download.
And a lot more stuff.

Www.stanleygurvich.com and will be on GitHub

Btw I also added MPE to felucca and it works! Will post my fork in a few days.

Coming October 2026 prob the 17th.

In case anyone's had plans to design any stands or 3D accessories for the fm-1, i found this. I did not model this. Might want to check dimensions.

I normally model these myself to make stands and whatnot, but if this one's accurate, i'll be using it to design my own accessories/stands/covers

https://grabcad.com/library/m-vave-fm-1-1

boombap on sloop2.6

LFO - 8 LFO's (7 waveform choices, can sync to Arpeggiator or external MIDI clock)

Filter - Resonant LP & BP 4 pole filters. Non-Resonant 2LP+2HP, 3LP+1HP, 2LP+2LP, 3LP+1HP filters.

Effects - 41 digital VLSI 24-bit effects (8 Global Reverbs, Chorus, Flanger, DDL, Distortion, Tunable Speaker, Chatter Box, Vocal Morph, Auto-Wah, Vocoder); Processes incoming audio

Introduced Ensoniq’s original Transwave synthesis, which uses sample-based wavetables that can morph across harmonic structures. It has a distinct, slightly gritty, compressed 1980s digital character (often compared in tone to early Ensoniq gear like the Mirage or EPS).

I will try when i find the time,. . unless someone beats me to it.

I've been loving sloop and hope it grows even more! This is a game changer for me, to be able to take a DAW in my pocket and make music everywhere is fantastic.

Much love to all of this community, sloop and M-Vave!

I've got two fm1s, both with baudgirl current version.

One set as "device" with clock set always.

The other set as host,Bluetooth connected to the​ master device, and sync is on.

The devices still do not play together when i play the sequence ¯_(ツ)_/¯

What am i missing here? Any suggestions on what im doing wrong ?

Thanks 😊

Hi all. Noob synth owner here - any recommendations of instructional videos for the FM1 from that perspective please? (I am an experienced musician (guitar) and pretty adept Reaper user)