"I just launched altstrument.org, a free directory of custom and third-party firmware and tools for music hardware.
It lists 544 custom firmwares and 88 host-side tools (editors, flashers, SDKs) across 120 devices from 45 manufacturers: Elektron boxes, Akai MPCs, Korg's logue synths, norns and monome, Mutable Instruments and Noise Engineering modules, the M-Vave FM-1, the Music Thing Workshop Computer and more. Each entry records who made it, where the source lives, its license, its version history and whether it's still maintained. The site links to the projects and never hosts firmware files.
"Discover Scale-Pocket ✨
Ditch tedious scale memorization. Pick your root note & mode to unlock 132 lit scale patterns across Major, Minor and Blues — perfect for music students learning theory and guitar/vocal players improvising backing riffs instantly.
Ultra-portable lightweight frame slips into any backpack. Jam loud via built-in speaker, or plug in headphones for quiet dorm/commute practice without disturbing others.
12 authentic instrument tones including piano, guitar, sax and drums deliver full standalone play; sketch full songs anytime with zero laptop or device connection needed.
24 velocity-sensitive dual-octave keys with a ±4 octave octave shifts deliver full dynamic range, so your playing carries genuine musical expression.
Level up your production workflow: MIDI IN/OUT ports connect external synths, full MIDI compatibility works with all mainstream DAWs, plus sustain & fixed velocity modes, universal USB-C plug-and-play for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.
Low learning curve and wallet-friendly, ideal for new musicians who want both learning and production functions."
Synido Scale Pocket Mini Keyboard and Midi Controller Demo and Review
I built a small macOS app to solve something that had been bugging me for a while: capturing my current sound, freely changing it, then returning to where I started.
I’ve come to love that kind of workflow on the Torso S-4 and T-1. It’s useful for sound design and live performance, so I wanted to bring it to my Analog Four and Novation Peak.
This video shows Capture, Undo, Return and Morph in action. Undo Machine currently supports Novation Peak, Analog Four MKII, Bitwig Studio and Ableton Live and can be controlled by any Midi capable device.
Want this for your instrument too? Download Undo Machine and run the guided device test. Your results can help me investigate whether support is possible.
Available for macOS on Apple Silicon, with a 14-day trial."
"What does it do?
Imagine you could freeze the state of your entire hardware or hybrid setup while performing, creating or producing—then explore, mutate, distort and intensify your sound, knowing you can always return to your baseline at the push of a button or smoothly morph back with a fader.
That’s Undo Machine."
"MANNER is a MIDI sequencer that picks its own notes. As on a step sequencer, you set each part's rhythm; instead of placing pitches, you give it a key, a style and, if you like, the chords. It chooses the notes by the rules of harmony, voice leading and form, and plays them with a player's phrasing.
• Human manner. Timing drifts as a player's does; phrases slow down, speed up, and land back on the bar line; loudness follows the phrase.
• Song form. Sections of four phrases: an idea, its answer, a contrast and the return (A A′ B A″). Variation sets how far each section strays, from an 8-bar loop to a new variation every section; each part's Improv sets how often that part changes.
• Chords that go somewhere, toward a cadence and home. Pin the ones you want, or play it your chords: it follows what you hold, bass note included, and plays the rest.
• 4 parts (Bass, Chords, Arpeggio, Melody), each with its own rhythm and one of 27 styles, from Alberti to walking bass.
• A take is the seed for its random choices, not a stored piece: change any setting and the notes change; change nothing and it plays exactly the same notes, so a bounce matches what you heard.
• Drag the last 16 bars into your DAW as a MIDI clip.
MIDI only: use any instrument. VST3, AU and a Logic MIDI FX on macOS; VST3 on Windows; a standalone app on both.
PolyArp + Nord Stage 3 88 | Standalone MIDI Arpeggiator Demo video upload by Iris Orbit
"A live demo of PolyArp in standalone mode with my Nord Stage 3 88, connected via MIDI.
I’m playing chords on the Nord, and PolyArp turns them into two arpeggio parts. The left-hand part uses a three-note chord in Up mode; the right-hand part uses a four-note chord in As Played mode. Both run at 1/16, but the patterns have different lengths, creating a polymetric feel.
PolyArp is a MIDI arpeggiator with two independent parts, each with its own rhythm, direction and octave range. It works standalone or as a plugin inside a compatible DAW, sending MIDI to hardware synths or software instruments.
wozLOL Launches Foxwizard, the Smallest Complete USB MIDI Adapter Ever Made, Hand-Built in Las Vegas for $25
Pocket-size multitool routes and remaps MIDI with no computer, speaks USB-C, TRS Type A, TRS Type B, TS, and classic 5-pin DIN, and ships in custom colorways.
LAS VEGAS, October 4, 2026: wozLOL today announced the Foxwizard Mini MIDI Multitool, a hand-built boutique MIDI adapter and router it calls the smallest complete USB MIDI adapter you can buy. Starting at $25, the Foxwizard remaps MIDI with no computer connected, connects nearly every flavor of MIDI port in the modern studio, and comes in multiple hip colorways with custom colors available. The first production batch is ready to ship now.
"Polyfold is a multidimensional Max for Live sequencer, built for advanced polymetric MIDI sequencing and creative long-form electronic music production.
With 16 independent sequencer lanes and up to 1024 steps per lane, Polyfold enables large-scale step sequencing, generative pattern development, polyphonic output, and cross-lane interaction beyond the limitations of conventional step grids.
• 16 independent parameter sequencers
• Up to 1024 steps per lane
• Dual rate-stage sequencing (Multiply + Divide)
• 4 polyphonic pitch lanes with per-note probability
• Internal pattern preset libraries with custom recall
• Long-form Transpose sequencer for extended progressions
• Global Chance, Velocity, Length, Hold, and Ratchet sequencing
• Modulation sequencers with OSC and MIDI CC output
• X-Relay routing for flexible MIDI distribution
Polyfold is designed for producers working with polymetric sequencing, generative composition, algorithmic sound design, and long-form musical installations."
"The Behringer BCR32 is much more than a MIDI controller with 32 rotary encoders. Join Bartek as he runs us through its powerful hands on sequencing features and shows how the built in Zaquencer can create melodies chords basslines and drums with multiple synthesizers. We really like how immediate the BCR32 feels and how easily it can become the brain of a MIDI or modular synthesizer setup. Let us know what you think about the BCR32 and share your ideas feature requests or bugs at ideas.behringer.com. Check out our other Behringer demos and synthesizer videos to see more gear in action."
USB/MIDI Controller/Sequencer with 32 Multi-Purpose Encoders and Polyphonic 32-Step / 4-Track Zaquencer
BCR32 — THE ZAQUENCER SEQUENCER, NOW WITH 32 KNOBS UNDER YOUR FINGERTIPS
Hardware controllers either give you knobs OR a sequencer. The BCR32 gives you both, in one of the most powerful USB/MIDI control surfaces ever built at this price. Thirty-two multi-purpose encoders. Twenty programmable buttons. A 32-step, 4-track sequencer powered by the legendary ZAQ Audio Zaquencer — the firmware that turned the original BCR2000 into a cult favourite among electronic music producers worldwide.
Every panel element is freely assignable, manually or through an intuitive learn mode. Eight of the 32 encoders are dual-mode with push function. Buttons can act as note on/off, control change, program change, MMC commands or system-exclusive triggers — meaning you can map this thing to literally anything your studio throws at it. Trigger audio clips, drive MIDI instruments, ride DAW automation, or build the entire performance from scratch.
The Zaquencer takes things into another dimension. Mono or polyphonic drum and note tracks, 192 stored patterns each made of 4 tracks, plus 2 independent MIDI controls per track for program change, aftertouch, pitch bend and CCs. Four CV/Gate and Sync connectors lock the BCR32 to modular rigs, drum machines and the analog world. Two assignable footswitch inputs free your hands. A multi-function OLED display, high-visibility multi-colour LED feedback and 4 virtual groups keep complex setups crystal-clear. One MIDI input, two MIDI outputs and a merge function let it double as a USB-to-MIDI interface and cascade with other control units. USB powered, Apple iPad compatible (via Camera Adapter, sold separately), class-compliant for plug-and-play operation. Pure performance power.
See parameter names, values, and button states instantly on the dual 256×64 OLED high-contrast displays.
The 8 push-encoders always stay in sync with your DAW, so your controls are always correctly positioned with no pickup issues. Press to toggle buttons, turn to adjust values.
conduit.dsp - Robin Control Lite - Randomized Sampler Audio Plugin Prototype Features
video upload by conduit dsp
via the maker:
"I made a free VST3/AU plugin called Robin Control Lite. It's a simple monophonic round robin style-sampler that features controlled randomization for all parameters. It's a simple concept, but I created it primarily to facilitate the sample randomization for sound design projects.
Dead Simple UX/UI: Every MIDI key triggers the current sample pool at its natural pitch, with controls designed for quick, intuitive adjustments.
True Monophonic Round Robin Playback: Samples cycle intelligently in series or random order so no two hits ever sound identical — essential for natural-sounding SFX and percussion
"Since the previous video introducing the MX (below), the most asked question has been about if the looper can be used to mix a single device. MX supports up to 24 seconds of stereo looping, so hopefully this answers it.
For this demonstration, we're using only a GBA running @ForsFM FMS."
"A drum pattern should not lose its musical identity simply because the receiving instrument uses a different MIDI note layout. A kick should remain a kick, a snare should remain a snare, and a closed hi hat should remain a closed hi hat. https://akihikomatsumoto.sellfy.store...
MIDINoteMapper 2.0 is a Max for Live MIDI Effect that translates drum notes by musical role instead of applying a simple pitch shift. Select the source map and destination map, then move the same rhythm between different drum machines and Drum Racks without rewriting the MIDI clip note by note."
"Outbox 8 adds eight outputs for configurable audio and CV, meaning you can turn your compatible Elektron machine into an octopus of connectivity. Add external effects. Separate your tracks out to a mixer or wherever. Control and sequence your modular gear or any other CV-equipped devices. And though Outbox 8 is predominantly made with your Elektron units in mind, it can do the same with a bunch more class-compliant gear too. Break out your sound and control, whatever the moment calls for."
Outbox 8 is a versatile eight-channel audio/CV breakout box and USB host/device designed to expand your connectivity, with creative possibilities to boot. It adds eight fully configurable physical outputs to a compatible connected device, letting you send audio and CV in any combination its capabilities allow. Route your sound and control wherever the moment calls for.
Send audio
Outbox 8 enables you to route individual tracks for external processing, mixing, or performance – creating a flexible bridge between your Elektron workflow and the wider world of sound and control.
"A very useful modular synthesizer utility for VCO transposition and octave switching, as well as audio and CV signal switching.
The Transposition & Patch Select module features two six-octave switch banks, a one-octave keyboard, and four independent analogue signal switches. External volt/octave CV signals can be summed with the transposition controls, making it easy to change octaves or keys while playing or sequencing without repatching. The built-in keyboard also provides a gate output and can be used on its own as a simple control keyboard.
The four analogue switches can be used to quickly change audio or CV signal routing at the push of a button, making the module particularly handy for live performance and experimentation.
Constructed using discrete logic and analogue ICs with no microprocessor or programming required.
Complete construction details, photographs, circuit description, and the full schematic are available at The Electronic Peasant: www.epeasant.com/transwitch/transwitch.html"
"Changing keys, octaves, and patches at the push of a button!
A handy utility module for volt/octave transposition and audio/CV signal switching.
Many modular synthesizer VCOs don't have built-in octave switching capabilities, which are useful for extending the range of a keyboard. Dynamically changing keys and octaves while using a sequencer is often not an easy or ergonomic process. Unplugging and plugging cables to modify a patch while playing can be cumbersome and inconvenient as well. This project provides the capability to easily and automatically do all of those things in one handy box.
The module includes a pair of six-octave latching switch banks, a one-octave switch keyboard, and four SPDT analogue switches. There is a combined output that mixes one of the octave switch banks with the keyboard output so that they can be used together, and the keyboard has a gate output included as well, so that it can be used as a freestanding keyboard. The keyboard circuit itself is adapted from Ken Stone's CGS10 Pedal board/Mini Keyboard project. Both of the octave switches and the keyboard include a CV input for precision summing of external volt/octave signals with each switch output."
1. The BOTANICA Sequencer: First Look at My New Project
0:00 Intro
2:35 What is BOTANICA
4:00 Sequencer features
12:17 Jam demo
17:29 Outro
2. Botanica: Live Demo of My Custom MIDI Sequencer
3. BOTANICA - Sequencer Prototype | Try It Now
"I've been designing and building my own midi sequencer called BOTANICA. This hardware midi sequencer creates expressive sequences from simple patterns.
In this video I tell you about how I started this project (learning electronics and pcb design), a demo of the sequencer and the project status. You can get involved by playtesting, discussing in my discord channel and stay up to date.
A first look at the Botanica midi sequencer prototype. See how this custom hardware controls generative sound design.
I have been refining the design and interface of this new project for quite a while now. This device features a custom pcb and a tactile front panel, allowing for hands-on control over complex musical patterns. It is built for anyone interested in diy electronics and the process of creating custom musical tools from scratch.
Watching the digital display react to each knob turn is satisfying. Botanica is designed to push my generative music performances further, giving me more control over the output. It is a work in progress, but seeing it come to life on the workbench is a major milestone for this modular synth project."
"BOTANICA is in prototype phase with a small group of testers. After that, the first 5–10 units get built for sale."
"A natural sequencer that grows simple patterns into whole compositions."
FEATURES Sculpt intricate sequences from 1 to 64 steps. Add, trim away, create space to add fills and variations.
TIMED PHRASES Add timed phrases and variations to from 1/2/4/8 bars to continuous chance-based evolution.
GENERATIVE MELODIES Seed melodies and dial in Root, Semitones and Range to taste. Color them with a preset scale (Seasons)
EXPLORE WITHOUT RISK Turn knobs, modulate, experiment. Dial everything back to return to your original sequence and tones.
EXPRESSIVE REPEATS Blossom adds timed MIDI repeats at varying intervals and velocity curves
TONAL OPTIONS Pattern, Arpeggiator and Chord modes
"Storm Summoner ( https://http://stormsummoner.com/ ) grants full access to effects pedals, enabling real-time control and tweaking with its multitude of sensors and inputs. Thanks to a huge database of pedals, setting it up is quick and easy. There's also an event handling system here that can be exploited musically in several ways.
00:00 demo
00:15 hi, what's this? / disclaimers
01:00 the general idea
01:52 hardware overview
02:42 scenes, settings and user experience
03:39 demo: controlling reverb mix with the circular touch pad
04:22 managing, changing, storing and sending settings per scene
05:15 proximity sensor
06:00 tilt sensor (and examplary setup process on device)
07:53 shake sensor
08:11 ambient light sensor
08:53 actions and streams
10:22 important considerations
10:49 expression pedal input
11:36 event handling (flagging system)
14:20 conclusion
Typhon Unofficial Assistant - Demo video upload by Voidcontrol MIDI
"Voidcontrol MIDI has released the Typhon Unofficial Assistant, a software controller and patch librarian for the Dreadbox Typhon.
It brings the Typhon's sound onto the screen, adds full DAW automation, and keeps a library of your patches on your computer. Because the Typhon shares its sound parameters over MIDI but not its patch storage or internal routing, this is an Assistant rather than a full editor: it focuses on live sound control and patch management.
Features:
Live control of every parameter the Typhon exposes over MIDI, laid out by section
One-click read of the current sound from the hardware
Full DAW automation with real automation lanes, not just MIDI learn
A 32-step sequencer that locks to DAW tempo or MIDI clock and plays the Typhon, with per-step gate, tie, velocity and gate length, plus global division, swing and probability
A lossless patch library with naming, categories, favorites, search, and single-file or full-bank import and export
Preset export to .typhonpr for use with Dreadbox's own Preset Manager
A standalone version for use without a DAW
Init and randomize
Resizable UI, 50 to 300 percent
Windows 10 and 11, as a VST3 plugin and a standalone app. Requires a MIDI connection to a Dreadbox Typhon on firmware 4.2 or later. Tested in Ableton, Bitwig, Cubase, Reaper, Studio One, and Waveform. A Mac version is under consideration.
