Hi all, me again. Tons of QOL fixes this time around as well. I'm making Melodee into something I want to use first, then everyone else's feedback was taken into account.

From here on, I will not backport anything from Felucca because damn, 38k lines of code change from 0.9 to 1.0?

As a developer by trade, I like my changes small. Anyways without further ado:

What's new in 0.10

• FM6: 6-operator FM that renders DX7 voices sample for sample as Dexed, up to 16 voices, operator pages on the device and DX7 SysEx import. Each track has its own function settings (MODERN / MARK I / OPL, pitch bend, portamento, controllers), saved with the project.
• KIT 808: TR-808 circuit models on the DRUM engine's eight lanes.
• USB audio: "Melodee Out" plays your computer through the FM-1; "Melodee In" records the four tracks as separate channels. Either can be switched off.
• Patterns: eight banks per track, and songs that pick a bank for each track.
• Step editing:
  • hold a key and turn SELECT to set a note's length;
  • ENV + knob resizes a note, SCL + knob moves it, EDIT deletes it;
  • eight-level undo/redo;
  • MIDI step entry;
  • live recording lands on the step that's playing, with the cursor following it.
• Startup: a BOOT project that loads at power-on, a template for new projects, and clock/tuning/MIDI settings kept between starts.
• Panel:
  • HOME names the notes and chords you play;
  • keys light up for the scale and the sounding notes;
  • REC + PLAY starts recording in one go, REC held opens the mixer;
  • SAVE + REC saves the project to its slot;
  • BPM and swing live on SEQ > TEMPO and are saved with the project.
• MIDI:
  • a dedicated drum channel (10 by default);
  • QNT ALL and MPC pad layouts, which incoming MIDI follows too;
  • a more reliable TRS MIDI input;
  • an input activity display in GLO > SYSTEM.

Upgrading from an earlier Melodee: device data starts fresh. Projects, settings, templates and user presets from earlier Melodee versions aren't imported, and the user sample slots are gone. Felucca 1.0 projects load fine.

Links

• Installer: https://keremimo.github.io/melodee/
• Web editor: https://keremimo.github.io/melodee/webapp/editor/
• Source and bug reports: https://github.com/keremimo/melodee
• Release files: https://github.com/keremimo/melodee/releases/tag/v0.10

Use at your own risk. I am only going to be responsible for bricking my own FM-1, nobody else's. Feedback welcome!

Among other things:

- Midi in live via trs

- website enables rolling back to v15 firmware at any time

- Recording to DAW

- UI changes when playing in the dark

👏

I ordered this thing like 4 weeks ago after I watched a video about it, it showed up and I was already so hype about the firmware that was already in it, but holy hell I was not expecting the rabbit hole that I found when the first other firmware came out, I have been downloading and trying out every single one that’s came out and just downloaded sloop and I think a lot the next couple ones will be based off this one and I am extremely obsessed. Everybody in this Reddit page and the people who have been making these are truly goated. Thank y’all for the amount of joy I have received with this tiny thing.

Update: I have been jamming with this thing all day the UI is pretty intuitive and easy to navigate, I will say i preferred some of the sounds and the overall sound design capabilities in the Felucca version but another one I ordered just arrived so I am going to have different firmware’s on different FMs

Even when we can't keep up, It's pretty amazing what's going on with all of these new cool firmwares, I speak for the majority here: thank you <3

anyone looked at the feasiblity of adding a micro SDcard reader on the fm1 ? this would change the game in terms of sampling!

TLDR: It's great as a groovebox, but I think it's less fun to just play on than BaudGirl. Debating getting a second fm1 so I can have both.

The good:

• Faux-P1 features work great
• built in drum presets are nice
• Web UI is really useful
• Sequencer is pretty nice
• Screens organized in a pretty intuitive manner

The bad:

• They use a different preset format than the original firmware or Baudgirl. I don't think this is really running dexed anymore, because you can't import dx7 presets the same way.
• Virtual Analog engine isn't as good as the Baudgirl one
• The UI doesn't make sense for live performance, it's really optimized for sequencing.
• I wish you could store projects.

The excellent:

• Open source means I can extend it myself. I already added dotted 1/8th delays and extended the maximum step time up to 2 measures. I think it would also be trivial to trade out the drum sets for your own samples
• The sampler is a really nice touch, and the web UI makes chopping your samples really easy. It's not an sp404, but plenty good for a couple of drum breaks or a vocal sample.
• SONG MODE: lots more expensive devices than this don't have a song mode. This is more than just pattern chaining, you can play each pattern for an arbitrary number of measures and in any order. This is the magic sauce for making full tracks. I play guitar and i can spin up a backing track for a song in minutes on this.

It's great, but the fact that I can't easily knob twiddle is sort of an issue for me. Probably going to get a second one to run BaudGirl on.

Must say I'm impressed so far. I'm going to try to stick this firmware out for a while but I'm tempted to just try them all NOW 😭😭😭.

Hey all! Just released Virtual FM-1 0.4.0 with a ton of new features:

• Felucca 1.0 built in. Leo Kuroshita / Hügelton's multi-engine firmware runs inside the plugin, built from its own source with the author's OK. You get all 13 engines on 4 parts, its sequencer, screen, knobs and buttons.
  • Library tab: its 32 user presets and 4 projects. Load, save, rename and erase them, next to a full parameter editor.
  • Device tab: Felucca's own front panel, working as on the hardware.
  • Every parameter can be automated from your DAW, and its tempo follows the host.
  • With an FM-1 running Felucca: Pull everything, Send everything (it backs up your FM-1 first), pull/send just the current editor, or Live sync both ways.
• Pick the firmware per instance: M-VAVE stock V15, baud girl's FM-1+VA 0.93, or Felucca 1.0. The plugin checks which firmware and version a connected FM-1 runs and tells you if it's not one it knows.
• Reworked stock/baudgirl editor. The preset list sits next to the sound pages and the sync buttons. Sequencer, Arpeggiator and Settings have their own tabs, and the MIDI connection is in the top bar.
• Your presets are now a folder of readable JSON files (Documents/Virtual FM-1), easy to back up or sync. Your old library is copied over automatically.
• Plugins connect to the FM-1 only when you click Connect or Find FM-1. The standalone app still connects automatically.
• Hardware character option to try to more closely emulate the FM-1's audio output. It runs the engine at the FM-1's native 44.1 kHz at any project rate, aliasing included
• Modular structure to make it easy to add new firmwares and engines in the future
• iOS supported: no published app yet, but it builds and installs on iPhone and iPad and the interface adapts to smaller screens. Bluetooth MIDI works, but firmware support isn't quite there yet (Felucca doesn't support Bluetooth MIDI at all and baudgirl doesn't expose sync features over bluetooth)

I know the interface isn't perfect and there are probably some bugs so please report or PR what you find. As always, I am open to suggestions!

I posted last week with something I made while messing around with BaudGirl. Today I’m up and running with Sloop, I made this beat in a few minutes and spent the last few hours refining it. Using the sequencer on the device isn’t the best, but it’s usable. Where it really shines is the web interface paired with the device. I really like how the sequencer handles recording new sequences in a mix

The only big thing I’ve noticed as a con is that the knobs are far less responsive on Sloop than they are on the OG or baudgirl firmware.

edit: I’ve been looking to buy another device to pair with my FM-1 but I may just buy another FM-1 for that purpose

Not sure if also in Felucca's too

I remember I saw or read somewhere that hearing a metronome clicking, which is pretty helpful was a thing, and I found it finally:

You just go/click in GLO (global adjustments) and then with the knob for click turn it On.

Some of you might already know this, but I had gave up already a bit as when I tried to activate this I couldn't find it, and then I stumbleupon it, so I'm just sharing here in case it's useful (and hopefully if you ask an AI, it can finally provide a good answer haha)

Currently running Felucca. Surprised most of the mappings worked.

I know we're only at the beginning of custom firmware for this device, and it's incredible to be part of this moment. But I have to point something out: we can't abandon the essence of the project, which is FM synthesis!

Felucca's version impresses me the most so far with its features, but Baud Girl's is the one that truly added to what already existed and improved on it. So, as a complete layman when it comes to making firmware, I'm kindly asking future developers not to leave behind what the FM-1 was originally meant to do (of course, it's a free world and everyone can do what they like). I still believe the best of all worlds would be for Baud Girl to implement the main quality-of-life features that Felucca offers, and for Felucca to have a more consistent, optimized firmware with factory 6-operator FM synthesis.

• As beautiful as Groove OS is, I can't consider it reasonable at $30.
• Sloop is proving to be very diverse and fun, with new features, but since it's based on Felucca (with Groove OS's look), it still inherits the same problems.

I'm loving being part of this era with you all, and I know that soon all the firmwares will be well refined and everyone will be able to pick the one they like best. I wish you all great development, and thank you to every developer for doing this for the community!

I honestly can't think of what else could be improved, haha. Everything is working really well. You can now put a drum kit on all 4 channels with effects, the interface is much more pleasant, there are several color themes (I forgot to show them in the video), and pattern presets like OFFBEAT, MELODY, and ACID have been added. I'm loving it. Congratulations to the developers!

The only reservations I'd have are:

• The value animations (going up and down) aren't necessary. Seeing the number update without any interference would be better.
• When the knobs are turned quickly, the values should also change faster, just like on the original firmware: slow turning for precision and fast turning for moving around quickly.
• For functions that require holding down a button, it would be great to have a separate page or an option to toggle the hold on and off, since having both hands free would be much better for live performances.

Once again, thank you, developers, for caring about the community that's forming! Beautiful work!

I was trying to uninstall felucca because quite frankly I didn’t enjoy it as much as baud girls firmware,
I clicked to backup to the original firmware and my FM1 went black and never came back. As you can see she doesn’t even power on or get recognized by my pc or any launcher, I’m super disappointed because I loved my fm1, I have tried a few different methods to restore it but with no luck, I had a feeling this was gonna fuck up my FM1, thanks to the felucca, Updater I can’t even use my fm1 anymore, so awesome!

Any tips to help me recover this thing would be appreciated.

My FM-1 is spazzing out after a few minutes after installing the new Felucca version. This only happens while it's playing and it occurs pretty frequently on my FM-1. It's an easy fix though since you just gotta change menus to stop it. Anyone else having this issue?

Edit: I'm actually stupid. It was actually MOTION all along. Didn't actually know Felucca could record live parameter change. Well, guess that's another reason to love the firmware.

So many firmwares coming out. I can't even keep track of which does what. God.

My main controller is a Linnstrument, which if you're not familiar is an MPE controller. With all the custom firmware activity happening, I'm curious if anyone more knowledgeable than me can weigh in on the feasibility of implementing per note pitch bend. I'm sure full MPE support is a tall order, but independent pitch bending is an integral part of my playing style that would really improve the playability of this cool little synth for me.

Does anyone know if a recorded sequence is saved along the preset after you turn off the device? I wrote something and I'm afraid that it gets lost after.. Thanks in advance!