A $60 Elektron Machinedrum?! (M-Vave FM1 Hortator)

video upload by AutoHot

You can find the M-VAVE FM-1 on Amazon.

"M-VAVE FM-1 running the Hortator custom firmware! Can a $60 groovebox sound like the legendary Elektron Machinedrum? Here is a raw techno sound demo.

With the Hortator firmware, the M-Vave FM1 turns into a powerful 8-track drum machine featuring 45 drum engines — including 21 models inspired by the Elektron Machinedrum.

In this first live jam session, I explore punchy kicks, FM textures, and industrial electronic grooves built entirely on this compact synth.

🔗 Get the Hortator Firmware:
https://deadactive.github.io/hortator/

🎛 Gear & Details:
• Synth: M-VAVE FM-1 (FM1)
• Firmware: Hortator Custom OS
• Style: Hardware Techno / Industrial Jam"

M-Vave FM-1: Turning the synth into an Elektron Machinedrum! Hortator firmware review
video upload by AutoHot

"An Elektron Machinedrum for pennies? New Hortator firmware for the M-Vave FM-1. Eight tracks of drums, inside the M-Vave FM-1. A stunning Elektron Machinedrum-style drum machine from the M-Vave FM-1: Exploring the Hortator firmware. 45 drum engines in three banks: 21 measured from the Machinedrum (13 TRX, 8 EFM), 10 modern, 14 classic. 151 factory presets, 128 user slots. The Elektron spirit is definitely present in this firmware.

Transforming the budget M-Vave FM-1 synthesizer into a full-fledged drum machine in the style of the legendary Elektron Machinedrum!

In this video, we explore the alternative Hortator firmware from DEADACTIVE. It completely transforms the functionality of this small synthesizer, turning it into a powerful 8-track drum machine similar to the renowned Elektron Machinedrum, with authentic electronic sound and flexible control.

Hortator Architecture and Sound Engines:
8 drum tracks inside the compact M-Vave FM-1.
45 Drum Engines in 3 banks:
21 engines lifted from the Elektron Machinedrum (13 TRX models and 8 EFM models);
10 modern engines (Modern);
14 classic engines (Classic).

CLICK FOR MORE »

Music for falling asleep: The seventh planet

video upload by MIDI IN

"This is the music-only version for the falling asleep playlist. I'll be making a 'behind the scenes' video for Patrons.

patreon.com/midi_in"

Woovebox 3.0 - DNA synthesis, BIG reverb, mastering functions, live audio - it only does everything

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Woovebox https://www.woovebox.com/ Firmware 3.0 is here, and the list of features it adds to this mini groovebox is longer than a flight from Brisbane to Leipzig. So I've cherry picked some new and old(er) features I had not shown in this channel yet.

00:00 Hi, what's this?
00:18 DNA
03:25 Adding tracks via MIDI
05:30 Sidechaining
06:31 Wavetables!
08:35 Mastering effects: Stereo enhancements
09:09 Using Woovebox as an FX processor
10:21 Conclusion

HÄLP ZIS CHANNEL
https://www.patreon.com/floyd_steinberg
https://floydsteinberg.gumroad.com/
https://floydsteinberg.bandcamp.com/"

Knucon: Retrograde Future - Beijing Modular 26

video upload by sonicstate

This is the fist post to feature Knucon on the site.

"Couldn't resist finding out more about these 'knuckleduster' style motion controllers from Retrograde Future - knucon is a prototype multi-sensor MIDI controller built around hand movement, proximity and pressure control. Seyesnuts explained that the unit is still in development, with manufacturing decisions unresolved because some internal components are difficult to source.

Knucon sends MIDI over USB MIDI and works with a receiver system. One receiver handles USB MIDI, while another outputs USB MIDI plus four CV outputs and two gates for modular systems. The controller includes a gyrometer position sensor, a 3D magneto sensor, a distance sensor, three buttons and a linear pressure sensor. It also includes sound-related RMS and PG functions, with a button to disable the more power-hungry mode.

He demonstrated the position sensor controlling computer visuals, and used the display to show magneto sensor response. Configuration happens from an onboard menu, where MIDI channels and CC numbers are assigned. The distance sensor range maps from short movements up to around two or three metres.

The hardware is currently 3D printed, with nylon and UV-printed test housings. Availability and pricing are not confirmed."

Sample Boy: Donner - Beijing Modular 26

video upload by sonicstate

This is the first post to feature Sample Boy.

"Logan from Donner gave us a look at *Sample Boy*, an in-development handheld sample workstation. He described it as a brand-new prototype, with the hardware close to completion while the software was still being developed.

Sample Boy has a 2.8-inch colour IPS LCD, four clickable colour-coded encoders, six touch points, 16 backlit buttons, a jog wheel, crossfader, D-pads and function keys. It includes a built-in speaker and microphone, MIDI, sync in and out, USB for charging, data transfer and USB audio in/out, plus a microSD card slot.

The current specification supports up to 32 voices, with a seven-track sequencer. Sampling runs at 48kHz/24-bit, with 480 seconds available in stereo and double that in mono. Sources include the microphone, USB audio and master sampling. Input effects include filter, EQ, compressor and distortion, and processing is recorded into the audio file. After recording, start and end points can be set, quick slicing can chop material automatically, and slices can be adjusted, zoomed and saved.

Availability is aimed for next year, with a detailed release date still to be confirmed."

Essential B1: Donner Music - Beijing Modular 26

video upload by sonicstate

"Logan from Donner Music showed us the Essential B1 firmware update for the 303-style synth voice and sequencer. He explained that the update is scheduled for release on October 28 and includes pattern randomisation, expanded song mode memory, onboard sync settings, minor improvements and bug fixes.

The randomisation page is accessible with play and record. It lets pitch, rests, gate length, accents, switches and slides be edited independently. Pitch randomisation includes scale and key selection, with options including chromatic, modes, whole tone, pentatonic, melodic minor, harmonic minor and phrygian dominant. Rests, slides and accents can use selected steps and probability values, while gate length also has minimum and maximum settings.

Song mode now offers seven banks, expanding memory up to 112 slots. Patterns have a 16-step maximum, but they can be chained, transposed in semitones in real time, and assigned different lengths. MIDI input, MIDI output, clock source, division and sync polarity are now selectable directly on the unit. The B1 also includes delay, saturation and sawtooth operation."

Seashell Firmware 2.0: Instruō - Beijing Modular 26

video upload by sonicstate

"Jason from Instruō chatted to Nick about Seashell firmware 2.0 and the company’s recent 58HP quad multimode filter.

He explained that, since our Berlin coverage, Seashell firmware 2.0 is close to release. The update adds parallel random and LFO operation, more modulation sources and destinations, second-order modulation through matrix multiplication nodes, and 120 hardware preset slots. Seashell remains a monophonic voice with two oscillators that can be targeted separately, and the computer software mirrors the hardware rather than hosting the patch data. Program change commands switch presets, and the controller setup uses aftertouch rather than MPE, with MIDI CCs assigned to pressure control.

The 58HP filter is a quad multimode design with mono-to-stereo operation per filter, all-pass stereo enhancement, a VCA mixer, global controls and four internal LFOs. LFOs can route to FM, morph, resonance and animate destinations. It is sold direct in small batches for £1600, including VAT, with UK shipping covered and international DDP shipping included."

Custom MIDI Controllers: Entropy Music - Beijing Modular 26

video upload by sonicstate

I believe this is the first post to feature Entropy Music, not to be confused with Entropy & Sons.

"We spoke to Muyang from Entropy Music about their range of *Custom MIDI Controllers*, including a compact motorised fader unit and several bespoke controller examples.

They explained that the range includes ready-to-ship products as well as one-off builds. The four-channel motorised fader controller supports MCU and HUI protocols, so it works with Pro Tools, Logic and other compatible DAWs. It also includes a system mode with 16 banks, and it can control orchestral library expression and automation.

The custom side of the range allows different controls, layouts and enclosure styles to be combined. Examples included magnetic connections, button-based controllers, a GLM controller for mapping functions in Genelec’s GLM software, and VU meter modules. The meters can display audio level, MIDI CC values or other data, including OSC where required.

A web editor assigns parameters and stores them in memory. Entropy Music also offers pocket-sized controllers, including models used with iPad live sets. Products ship internationally, with custom builds made in small quantities using 3D printing, wood, stainless steel or aluminium.

More Info: https://entropymusic.cc"

Analogue Solutions Series 700 Modular Synthesiser

via Analogue Solutions

"The Roland System 700 is a very rare and desirable modular synthesiser. It was and still is a premium professional system. They fetch over £150,000 on the second hand market, and that’s even if you can find a full system. If you can find a Roland System 700, usually it is only a partial system and finding the remaining blocks is near impossible.

The Analogue Solutions Series 700 is as close to the Roland System 700 as you can get. We aimed to replicate the design as closely as possible, keeping the look and layout the same.

We had knobs and slider caps custom made, and also custom ordered switches and potentiometers.

There are mechanical changes inside, which of course do not change the sound.

Using modern hindsight there are now better ways to build this internally and externally, and different choice of circuits types and layouts would be made in a synth now, but we stayed with the original spec.

Almost every circuit has been reproduced from original schematics. We kept changes to a minimum, only changing where necessary. The original uses many components that are discontinued. So changes were only made where it is impossible to find parts.

We resisted the urge to change the spec or feature set. The only change we made was to add a basic single channel MIDI to CV converter. This primarily for syncing the sequencer to MIDI.

Physical size is identical. Though we don’t plan to sell loose single modules, they are the same size as the original system, though a space may be required, and the power connector would need adapting.

We supply complete systems. However, one could buy the system in parts, starting, say, with just the Main block, adding the other blocks as money allows.

Or single blocks could be bought to fill gaps in an incomplete system."

PlantsSystem-FiveGenerativeVideo

video upload by plantssystem

"Here is a digest video of five generative sound pieces I made for the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (RP2350). Each one is a self-contained instrument: switch it on and it plays by itself, with a small screen showing what is happening and a joystick and four buttons to steer it on most pieces.

Hardware: Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (RP2350) with a Waveshare Pico-Audio board for stereo audio out and a Waveshare Pico-LCD-1.3 (240x240 display, joystick, A/B/X/Y buttons). All sound is generated on the Pico 2 itself; there are no external synths or samplers. The firmware is written in Arduino (arduino-pico core).

The pieces in the video:

AMBIENTWS: Switch it on and just listen. An endless ambient piece that breathes in Japanese scales (hirajoshi, miyako-bushi, Ryukyu) and Maj7 progressions, layering a granular voice, a physical-model voice and a pulse/rhythm voice, and pausing now and then to catch its breath. It can follow USB MIDI clock.

AZIMUTH: Clicks, sine pings and noise bursts tick like a glitching heartbeat, with a kick, bass and arpeggios racing across the stereo field. Patterns repeat bar by bar and renew every four bars, or can be frozen in place.

GIBSON: A recorded voice keeps talking until it shatters, stutters, reverses and bit-crushes for a few seconds, then calmly picks up where it left off.

LAWRENCE: In an empty room a grand piano quietly composes. Each melody is heard once, and a new piece is born at every start.

PROPHETIQUE: A 5-voice polyphonic generative sequencer built from a single Prophet-5 note. Four tracks play the phrases of an original song, and as you change how many notes are dropped, the playback direction and how pitches are chosen, the song unravels, rearranges itself and drifts away from the original.

The source code is not public. The pieces are shared only as firmware with a few artists for their own work and live use.

Credits:
GIBSON voice: from "William Gibson on Technology" by Jeff Lacy ( • William Gibson on technology ), used under CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.... The audio was cut into phrases and is glitched in real time.
LAWRENCE piano: Salamander Grand Piano V3 by Alexander Holm, CC BY 3.0. Samples were converted to 8-bit and a subset of pitches is used."

Teenage Engineering OP-1 Alternate Firmare by Popcorp & Hundekraft

video uploads by dj mindless

"all credit to Popcorp, Hundekraft and all responsible for creating this monster of a firmware!"

Playlist:

1. OP-1 OG Custom Firmware Iter Synth Granular C64 Arp Clouds, Father & Washer FX Hundekraft 3.0
2. New Synth Engines Supersaw Mbira Oxbow New Effects Washer Filter Snowglobe & C64 Arp OP-1 Custom FW
3. OP-1 New Monster🤯 Custom Firmware & FX Suite: Father/Crush/Hail/Plate/Reverb/Stutter/Palme/In A Room
4. OP-1 Custom Firmware FX PALME by Musica Obscura WARBLE Maiko Pruett GIN DRUM SYNTH Squarewave Studio
5. New Synth Engines Wavetable and SID Hundekraft 3.0 OP-1 Custom Firmware
6. OP-1 Custom Firmware 4 Track MIDI Sequencer + ELG Synth engine
7. OP-1 New 4 Track MIDI Sequencer ELG Synth Hundekraft 3.0 Custom Firmware
8. OP-1 New Synth Engines EVA and FM Bell Hundekraft 3.0 Custom Firmware
9. OP-1 Custom Firmware HK 3.0 Pew, Taffy and Wavetable Synth Engines

https://hundekraft.github.io/op1-work...

Your OP–1. A little more yours.

Now Available! The Official OPTIGAN Desktop Plugin!

"If you’re a fan of iOptigan, we’ve again partnered with Stefan Stenzel, this time to bring you the official Optigan Plugin for your desktop DAW environment!"

Features

Contains all 40 original discs and three prototype discs
Fifteen discs include multiple revisions
Can sync perfectly to DAW
Flex option for setting pitch independent from tempo
Chord detection to trigger chord buttons
Computer keyboard modes for chord and effect buttons
MIDI in and out for scale tones, chord and effect buttons
Panoptigon compatible
Upside-down disc loading
Spring reverb emulation
Optical metronome

The Optigan Plugin is now available! Click here to go grab it!"

Side note: some of you might remember Stefan Stenzel from Waldorf.

M-VAVE FM-1 | Official V16 Firmware: A Multitimbral Beast! (Stereo FX & New Presets)

video upload by NatLife Sounds

You can find the M-VAVE FM-1 on Amazon.

"New "Ambient & Dreams V2: Analog Vibes" soundbank (Official release tomorrow + new Video-demo): https://natlifesounds.com/product/amb...

Download V16 Firmware: https://www.m-vave.com/download

So, I'm pleased to present the official release of firmware B16 for the M-Wave FM-1, which includes the following major changes:

8-Part Multitimbral Architecture: You can now layer up to 8 different sounds or play 8 independent patches simultaneously via separate MIDI channels.
Expanded Polyphony: Total synthesis voices increased from 12 to 20, dynamically shared across all 8 parts.
Upgraded Sequencer Grid: Up to 64 steps (increased from 16) with a brand-new 8-track, 8-column arrangement layout for seamless live playback.
- Global Stereo FX Architecture: The 6 built-in effects are now fully stereo. However, they now function as a single shared global FX chain for all 8 voices. Changing individual voice presets no longer alters the shared FX settings.
Per-Voice Tuning & Pan: Each of the 8 parts features independent volume, level, pan, and fine-tuning (-100 to +100 cents).
Expanded MIDI CC Control: Added support for MIDI CC11 (Expression), CC7 (Master Volume), and dedicated CC70–93 range for external FX modulation.
Enhanced Workflow: Features direct patch import/export, DX7 standard SysEx (.syx) bank transmission, and customizable RGB UI color schemes.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Speak and Key Speak by Max for Cats

video upload by max forcats

Speak
Speak is a polyphonic Max for Live instrument that turns typed words into speech in the style of a 1980s Speak & Spell. It encodes each word into coarse chip-style LPC frames and decodes them live in eight voices. MIDI notes set the pitch, so any word can be played as a melody or a chord. It speaks six languages (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Japanese), and it can freeze a vowel, stutter at any point in a word and apply a 10-point modulation curve. Vibrato has several shapes and a fade-in, and there are controls for tract size, tilt and intonation.

SpeakKeys
SpeakKeys uses the same voice engine, but each of 48 MIDI keys has its own word and its own pitch instead of speaking one word chromatically. You type a word and a semitone pitch for each key, and a note shows the note that plays it and the note that sounds, so you can program little songs and play them from a keyboard or a clip. The keys are laid out in four banks of 12 and are saved with presets. A pair of mappable Select Key and Select Pitch controls lets you edit all 48 pitches from a few Push encoders. It shares the language, vibrato, global pitch and tone controls with Speak. Max for Cats crafts Software Instruments, Effects, MIDI devices, Sound Design and Samples for Ableton Live.

https://maxforcats.gumroad.com/l/zjvtye

ELZ_1 core | Sound Design Examples #2 Piano

video upload by SONICWARE

"Dr. Endo demonstrates how to create unique sounds with the ELZ_1 core, exploring its creative possibilities. https://sonicware.jp/pages/elz_1-core

ELZ_1 core is a compact synthesizer module designed to bring the ELZ_1 sound into the gear you already use - keyboards, MIDI controllers, DAWs, and live rigs.

● 18 Distinctive Synth Engines ● 49 Versatile Effects ● 2 USB Ports for PC & Controller

This is a made-to-order product and will not be available in stores. Available exclusively through our webshop.

#SONICWARE #ELZ1core #ELZ1 #ELZ_1 #Synthesizer #SynthModule #CompactSynth #Keyboardist #DAW #MusicProduction #MIDIController #SynthEffects #SoundDesign #HardwareSynth #WavetableSynth #FMSynth #GranularSynth #PhysicalModelingSynth #VirtualAnalogSynth #LowBitSynth #8BitSynth #NoiseSynth"

Pollard Industries Syndrum Twin Electronic Drum Synthesizer SN 1339

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this eBay listing

Additional Tone Tweakers Listings

"This unit was meticulously refurbished and is working perfectly, so buy with confidence.

We paid our tech for approximately 8 hours of skilled labor plus parts to properly overhaul this unit so it would work perfectly for its next owner and so that it will hopefully outlast others. This work included the following:

Disassembly and cleaning
Cleaned all jacks
Replaced capacitors
Removed, cleaned and lubricated slide potentiometers

One interesting thing we noticed (that most sellers wouldnt have bothered to mention) is that there are 2 different types of slide pots used in this particular unit - one type feels a bit tighter than the other and has different colored shafts. We suspect this was how it left the factory as the pot types used are identical in both the upper and lower synth sections. This unit works great and sounds amazing and should make its next owner very happy.

Each of the 2 channels of the Syndrum Twin consists of an identical synthesizer with its own trigger input and audio output. Triggers can be sent from various drum machines, MIDI to CV converters, or drum pads. Audio signals can be used as well - for best results, we would recommend using a click or very short percussive sounds (like a rimshot).

Invented by Joe Pollard and Mark Barton in 1976, this drum synthesizer found its way onto popular records by The Cars, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sparks and Joy Division, as well as many disco hits, including “Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward, “Knock on Wood” by Amii Stewart, and 'The Second Time Around' by Shalamar. A must for anyone into drum synths, or just those who love a good pew pew sound!"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Expander for the M-Vave FM-1: firmware switching, song library, MIDI out & sync (demo)

video upload by Oficina de Sonido

00:00 Intro
00:27 Firmware install
03:12 Song library & live sets
05:16 MIDI out: sequencing a MicroFreak
07:39 Sync out: FM-1 as master
09:28 Sync in: Clave as master
10:29 Wrap-up

You can find the M-VAVE FM-1 on Amazon.


"The Expander is a small companion box for the M-Vave FM-1, by Oficina de Sonido. It plugs into the FM-1's USB port and adds what the FM-1 can't do on its own:

▸ Install and switch firmwares (SLOOP, X0X, CTL-1, stock…) with no computer, from its microSD card

▸ Song library: back up and reload songs on firmwares that support it. Switching firmware no longer costs you your work, and you can play a whole set live without a laptop

▸ Two TRS MIDI outputs: sequence other synths from the FM-1, with MIDI channel filtering for devices that receive on all channels

▸ Sync in and sync out: the FM-1 can lead or follow Volcas, Pocket Operators, modular synths and drum machines

In this demo: firmware install, loading songs, sequencing a MicroFreak, and syncing both ways with Clave, the Euclidean drum machine by Oficina de Sonido.

What you see is a prototype, user interface included: we're already working on the PCB, the front panel, the enclosure design and the UI.

It will be open source: schematics, PCB and firmware will be published once it's finished.

More info: https://www.oficinadesonido.org/expan...

Built on the great work of the developers of SLOOP, Felucca, X0X and CTL-1. Thank you!"

Dr.Øne: a 4-voice drone machine by DenverSynthLabs

video upload by manmade madman

"Dr.Øne is a fun to play drone machine with 4 independent voices that can rotate, or instantly transpose, to get you someplace fresh and exciting. Instantly, you're taken somewhere new and musical, gently, or even abruptly. It's half concrete, half metal, all luscious tones.

Or, you can just play it.

The voices barely interact, but feed through an all-new spring reverb algorithm and delay, which then feed a micro-cassette that you can freeze, rewind, and half-speed all at the push of a button. You'll find millions of sounds driving into the effects. This will quickly be a center for inspiration, as you discover new paths to strange sounds and chords.

Or, you can just play it.

You can map this to your favorite hardware controller (like a Novation Launch Control XL) and sit back and make chords out of sounds, progressions out of tones. Tying it to hardware is revealing. Suddenly it becomes an instrument that doesn't exist. Don't think for a second that you can save this game and resume, because you cannot. Just like life, there is no going back, only forward.

Or, you can just play it.

Throb button gives you spikes of the voices at their shape-- from sine to pulse and everywhere in between-- that you can use to bounce off the walls, or climb them, if that's your thing.

Melt your past. Forge your future. Make something new without boundaries. Or, you can just play it.

Available now: https://store.denversynth.com/drone.html"

DenverSynthLabs’ easiest synth to lose hours to.

Half of Dr.Øne is concrete. Musique concrète began when people cut, slowed, reversed and looped recorded sound until it stopped being a recording and became an instrument. Dr.Øne is the other half: four voices that hold a chord forever, then rotate or instantly transpose to take you somewhere fresh. Play it by hand, with a hardware controller or the mouse, and don’t be surprised when it’s three hours later.

CLICK FOR MORE »

discoDSP Models the Oberheim TEO-5 In Software with the TED-8

video upload by discoDSP

TED-8 is the Oberheim TEO-5 as a plugin, built from thousands of measurements of a real unit. Every knob, every curve and every effect was recorded, compared and tuned until the plugin and the hardware sounded the same side by side. Then we gave it three more voices, a Poly Unison mode that stacks up to 6 voices on each of 8 notes (48 voices at once), a full modulation matrix and a cable to the real thing, so TED-8 works on its own in your DAW or as the editor and librarian for the TEO-5 on your desk.

HOW WE MODELED IT

TED-8 How we modeled it We started with a TEO-5 on the bench and a lot of patience. One note at a time, one knob step at a time, we recorded what the unit actually does: how far the filter moves per step, how the envelopes curve, how fast each LFO setting runs, how each effect colors the sound. TED-8 follows those recordings rather than a datasheet, so a patch you dial in feels and responds the way it does on the hardware.

The little imperfections came along too. Each voice sits a few cents apart and a touch louder or softer than its neighbour, the way the voices of the unit do, so chords breathe instead of sounding cloned.

CLICK FOR MORE »

JP6+ Split Whole Arp Demo

video upload by sequentix

"JP6+ Split Whole mode turns the synth into two separate polysynths.
In this unit, voices 7 and 8 have been populated, so it's a dual 4 voice synth (JP6+2).
Upper and lower both have independent arpeggio settings (sharing the same rate atm). Selecting Upper or Lower allows either tone to be edited and played with keyboard independently. Upper receives basic MIDI channel, Lower receives on channel + 1.
Key assign modes still available in arp. Big unison :)
Both voices filters set to Jupiter 8 4-pole mode."