Ketch
A tracker firmware for the M-VAVE FM-1, in the LSDJ / picoTracker / M8 line: song, chain and phrase screens, instruments, effects and a mixer, on the FM-1's own keys and screen.
- Custom firmware
- Beta
- High brick risk
- Reversible
This project hasn't been claimed by its maintainer yet, so its details come from the community. Is it yours? Claim it
Ketch 0.1 beta: the first public build of a tracker firmware for the M-VAVE FM-1. Pre-release: please report what breaks.
Install: python3 tools/fm1_install.py ketch-0.1-beta.fwsc (see the README). Charge the FM-1 fully, keep it on USB power and don't touch it until it restarts. Go back to the official firmware with the FM-1 Firmware Hub. At your own risk.
What's in it: 4 channels on Felucca's engines; song, chain, phrase, instrument, effects and mixer screens; row commands (delay, retrigger, ramps, chance, hops, swing, sound parameters); live recording with count-in; projects saved in flash.
Known limits
- Tested on one unit only.
- Songs saved in this beta may not load in the next one.
- CPU load with heavy engines (PHYS, FM6 on all four channels) is not yet measured on the device: a dense song may drop voices.
Package identity FM-1_951, 610,775 bytes.
Before you start
- How hard is it?
- EasyCopy a file or use a web page. No extra software.
- What you need
- A USB or MIDI cable
- Comfort with the command line
- A computer
- Can it break my device?
- Could leave your device unusable.
- Can I undo it?
- Yes. You can go back to the official software.
Did it work for you?
Did Ketch v0.1-beta work on your M-VAVE FM-1?
No reports yet for v0.1-beta.
One-tap reports from owners. Bricked reports are checked before they count.
Compatibility
Devices: M-VAVE FM-1.
No compatibility information yet.
Getting started
From the project's README ("Install"):
- Charge the FM-1 fully and keep it on USB power.
- Download ketch-X.Y.fwsc from Releases.
- Install it from the command line (once: pip3 install mido python-rtmidi): python3 tools/fm1install.py ketch-X.Y.fwsc. It asks before it writes.
- Do not touch the FM-1 or the cable until it restarts.
Back to the official firmware or another one: the FM-1 Firmware Hub in Chrome or Edge. Ketch answers the hub's updater like every firmware there.
If an install is cut off: hold OCT- while switching on: the FM-1 starts in update mode (three LED flashes) and the installer finishes the job.
Installing firmware is at your own risk. A power loss in the first seconds of a write can leave an FM-1 dark; it then needs a recovery dongle (MvaveFM1Unbricker).
Risk and recovery
- Brick risk
- High
- Reversible
- Yes
- Requires opening the device
- No
From the project's README ("Install"):
- Charge the FM-1 fully and keep it on USB power.
- Download ketch-X.Y.fwsc from Releases.
- Install it from the command line (once: pip3 install mido python-rtmidi): python3 tools/fm1install.py ketch-X.Y.fwsc. It asks before it writes.
- Do not touch the FM-1 or the cable until it restarts.
Back to the official firmware or another one: the FM-1 Firmware Hub in Chrome or Edge. Ketch answers the hub's updater like every firmware there.
If an install is cut off: hold OCT- while switching on: the FM-1 starts in update mode (three LED flashes) and the installer finishes the job.
Installing firmware is at your own risk. A power loss in the first seconds of a write can leave an FM-1 dark; it then needs a recovery dongle (MvaveFM1Unbricker).
Releases
| Version | Name | Released |
|---|---|---|
| v0.1-beta | Ketch 0.1 betaPre-release | 12 October 2026 |
Credits, license and support
- License
- GPL-3.0