More on the hardware custom firmware front…

The M-Wave FM-1 has already ascended to the “totally sold out everywhere” pantheon, thanks entirely to its firmware being completely open source and available for anyone with Claude to customise.

My buddy Pete certainly went to town with this CULTBOX firmware he made, which combines an Elka drum machine, a Polivoks synth and his own custom dub siren, among other things.

Check it out:

Really though the point is that we’re moving to a state where people can basically create their own grooveboxes now. IMO this reinforces the point I made in an earlier post, i.e. that I’d imagine the future will be less about owning loads of hardware, and more about owning a select few pieces that can be rewritten to do whatever you want at the time.

I am seeing the same thing with my Polyend Tracker, which now has upgraded (and brilliant) firmware, but also other downloads that can turn it into a 4-track looper, a 303 and a vocoder, among other things.

Exciting times!