Prysm
A 4-voice wavetable FM synthesizer firmware for the M-VAVE FM-1.
- Custom firmware
- Stable
- Medium 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
Prysm 1.3: a sequencer for every patch, a LIVE screen for playing out, and a keyboard split with two sequencer parts.
Install: the web installer (Chrome or Edge), or python3 tools/fm1_install.py prysm-1.3.fwsc. Manual: docs/MANUAL.md. Your saved sounds, patterns and song carry over: every used slot starts with a copy of your current sequencer, and the split starts off.
New
- A sequencer per patch: each of the 8 slots keeps its own patterns, song and drum kit. Changing patch while playing swaps the sequencer at the end of the pattern. SAVE stores the sequencer with the sound (also when saving to a new slot); LOAD no longer saves the patch you're leaving.
- LIVE screen (HOME twice), for playing live:
- The first 4 black keys pick patterns, the first 8 white keys pick patches (sound and sequencer together). Both change on the next bar line; press again to cancel. A pattern key during a song switches to PATTERN mode.
- Mutes on the keys above middle F: F#4 / G#4 / A#4 kick, snare, hats; C#5 / D#5 OSC 1 / OSC 2; F#5 the noise. Lit = on, flashing = muted. Not saved; an M in the header on other pages while anything is muted.
- Four knobs, your choice: K1–K4 can each be any sound parameter (SELECT picks the knob, PRESETS its parameter), saved in the settings.
- Keyboard split (MIX → SPLIT, saved per patch): below the split key only OSC 1 plays, from it only OSC 2: a bass under a lead. Each side has its own octave (±2); set the key with KNOB1 or LEARN (press the key). Still 4 voices, shared by both sides.
- Two sequencer parts (SEQ → PARTS): with the split on, the notes below it are part 1 and the rest part 2. Record one over the other, and mute (MUTE1/2) or clear (CLR1/2) either. Recording replaces only the part you play.
- Snare flam (DRUM: HIT after ACCENT): two snares ~20 ms apart, the second softer.
- From Dinghy 0.4: TRS MIDI IN and the update loader's progress screen.
- The editor and the CLAP plugin (1.3.0) have the split.
From ETCH: restore the official firmware first. If an FM-1 does not start after an update, hold OCT- while switching it on (the rescue updater). Community firmware, not made or supported by M-VAVE: install at your own risk. GPL-3.0.
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?
- Small chance of trouble, with a way to recover.
- Can I undo it?
- Yes. You can go back to the official software.
Did it work for you?
Did Prysm v1.3 work on your M-VAVE FM-1?
No reports yet for v1.3.
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 ("Installing from the command line"):
pip3 install mido python-rtmidi python3 tools/fm1install.py prysm-1.4.fwsc # asks before it writes; restarts into Prysm python3 tools/fm1install.py --info # what the connected FM-1 runs
From ETCH: restore the official firmware first (ETCH only accepts its own updates). Back to the official firmware or another one: the FM-1 Firmware Hub.
Risk and recovery
- Brick risk
- Medium
- Reversible
- Yes
- Requires opening the device
- No
From the project's README ("Prysm"):
A 4-voice wavetable FM synthesizer firmware for the M-VAVE FM-1.
Two oscillators per voice, each a chain of three wavetable operators (mod 2 -> mod 1 -> carrier) that modulate each other by FM, ring or mix, and a noise source (white, pink, brown, digital, S&H, crackle), each through the filter or past it; a drum machine (kick, snare, hat, clap in three kits, a lane in every pattern); a resonant, self-oscillating filter (12 / 24 dB low-pass or a comb) with drive and a high-pass; an LFO with six shapes and two destinations; a second, tempo-syncable LFO with many more; two mod envelopes that can loop and modulate the LFO's rate; a mod matrix; a bit-crusher, a phaser / flanger, stereo chorus, delay (with wow and pitch-shifting repeats) and a plate reverb (with modulation and shimmer); sequencer steps that lock knobs; a MIDI looper; 8 patch slots with UNDO; graphical pages; USB audio and MIDI.
- See it: the demo video (2½ minutes: the screen and the sound)
- Install it: the web installer (Chrome or Edge), or tools/fm1install.py (below)
- Try it in a browser: the editor: Prysm itself, running in the page, with every parameter on screen; connected to an FM-1 (1.0 or later) the two stay in step
- In your DAW: the CLAP plugin (macOS, Windows, Linux): Prysm's engine as an instrument, every parameter automatable, the editor as its window, a connected FM-1 kept in step
- Use it: the manual (as a page)
- Build it: SETUP-MACOS.md, and below …
Releases
| Version | Name | Released |
|---|---|---|
| v1.3 | Prysm 1.3Latest | 26 October 2026 |
| v1.2 | Prysm 1.2 | 23 October 2026 |
| v1.1 | Prysm 1.1 | 22 October 2026 |
| v1.0 | Prysm 1.0 | 22 October 2026 |
| v0.9 | Prysm 0.9 | 22 October 2026 |
| v0.8 | Prysm 0.8 | 21 October 2026 |
| v0.7 | Prysm 0.7 | 20 October 2026 |
| v0.6 | Prysm 0.6 | 20 October 2026 |
| v0.5 | Prysm 0.5 | 20 October 2026 |
| v0.4 | Prysm 0.4 | 20 October 2026 |
| v0.3 | Prysm 0.3 | 19 October 2026 |
| v0.2 | Prysm 0.2 | 19 October 2026 |
Credits, license and support
- License
- GPL-3.0