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US — Ars Technica

From impulse purchase to pocket studio: The M-Vave FM-1

Devices2 min read

The M-Vave FM-1 is a cheap, small synthesizer with 27 piano keys. Hobbyists have now built many custom software versions for it, and the company has opened up part of its code to help them.

A cheap synth gets a second life

The M-Vave FM-1 is a small frequency-modulation (FM) synth that costs about $59.72 after fees. It was first sold as a small cousin of the famous Yamaha DX7. At launch, it did only what its box said. Then hobbyists on Reddit began changing its software, and now many custom versions exist. The article's writer even says the device can play Doom.

Key facts

  • Price: about $59.72 after fees
  • 27 physical piano keys
  • 1.54-inch TFT display (a small color screen)
  • Stock firmware version 15 was released with the FM1 Open package on October 17
  • Custom firmware began appearing in September, after reverse-engineering work started in July

What is FM1 Open?

On October 17, M-Vave announced FM1 Open. It is a software package that invites owners to build their own firmware, which is the basic software that runs a device. It includes a software kit (SDK), a browser-based workbench, and version 15 of the stock firmware. Usually, when hobbyists take apart a closed device, the company later releases an official fix. M-Vave did the opposite and published the app code under the GPLv3 license, which lets people reuse and change open code. It also offers an in-browser emulator, a program that copies the device on a computer so people can test new software before loading it onto the real synth.

Why it matters

This story shows how a small, cheap gadget can gain new uses when its maker shares its code. Owners can turn it into many different tools, not only a synth. There is one limit: the core sound engine is still closed. Only the app layer is open, so the community cannot change everything inside the device.

What to watch

  • How many more custom firmware projects appear for the FM-1
  • Whether M-Vave opens the closed synth engine in the future
  • How other device makers respond to open firmware projects like this one

Glossary

FM-1
A small, low-cost synthesizer with 27 piano keys and a small screen, made by M-Vave.
SDK
A software development kit: a set of tools that helps programmers build software for a device or platform.
GPLv3
A free software license that lets people use, change, and share code, as long as they share their changes under the same terms.

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