M-VAVE FM-1 · after SOMA Pulsar-23 · new audio engine

Percussion synthesizer firmware for M-VAVE FM-1

Quasar replaces FM-1's firmware. It models SOMA Pulsar-23 — BD, BASS, SD and HHT, SHAOS shift register, LFO, clock dividers and FX processor — with audio engine written from scratch. 6 tracks, 16-step sequencer and phrase generator, aimed at experimental IDM.

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Features

New engine

Written from scratch for this firmware: integer arithmetic on FM-1's 2 cores, no code or tables from other synthesizers.

16 engine profiles

BD, BASS, SD and HHT, plus HAMMER, SKIN, WALL, WIRE, TONE, STATIC, METAL, SHAKE, GRIND, FM, PRC and PLUCK. Each of 6 tracks plays any of them.

147 sound families

HOME draws random sound from profile's families: kicks, snares, metal, static, grinders, gongs, strings. Short decays.

Macros and routes

4 macros on main knobs. 4 internal routes per sound, from SHAOS, LFO, clock dividers, or another track's output or envelope.

WRECK

Wavefolder, ring modulator, sample-rate and bit reduction after every voice.

Phrase generator

Polymeters, per-track clock and direction, Euclidean layers, ratchets, off-grid hits. Parameter locks reach WRECK.

BREAK

10 ways to break pattern while key is held: REPEAT, HALF TIME, DOUBLE, REVERSE, CHOP, ROLL, SHUFFLE, POLY, JUMP, SKIP. Random layers add ratchets up to 8, rises, WRECK and TRANSFORM.

TRANSFORM

Random stack of DRIVE, FOLD, RING, CRUSH and BITS over 2 to 6 tracks. Steps are untouched. Every setting has RND.

PERFORMANCE

Change anything, then press key again to restore previous state. CTRL ALL applies changes to every track with notes. Save pattern to keep result.

Sequencer

16 steps, 8 parameter locks per step, trig conditions, MUTATE, MIDI FX, patterns, sessions, MIDI and MIDI LEARN. Control layer comes from Bigorna, same author's FM-1 firmware.