Golana DZ Edition

64-step sequencing, Song Mode and USB MIDI OUT for the M-VAVE FM-1.

Golana DZ Edition is an experimental, open-source fork of Golana by Gadlele, itself based on Felucca. It keeps Golana's expressive synthesizer and hardware-friendly interface while extending the FM-1 into a more capable MIDI song sequencer.

This is the DZ fork, not the original Golana 1.0 firmware. Use the DZ download below. The original Golana website, web installer and firmware links install Gadlele's original version, not this fork.

Download Golana DZ Edition v0.1.0-beta (.fwsc)

All DZ releases · DZ extension notes · Original Golana · Original Golana manual

What's new in the DZ Edition?

The DZ extension has been built and exercised on a physical M-VAVE FM-1. Song Mode, sequential program playback, USB MIDI OUT and MIDI melody import have been tested on hardware. This is still a beta, not a comprehensive compatibility or long-term reliability certification.

Quick start on the FM-1

Edit a 64-step pattern

1. Turn PRESETS to select a program.
2. Press REC to reach PATTERN; enter notes and choose NOTE, REST or TIE for each step.
3. Press REC again for SETUP and set LENGTH (1–64), resolution, gate and swing.
4. Stop playback and use SAVE to write the program (sound and pattern) to its slot.

Important: Each saved program contains both the synthesizer settings and the sequencer pattern. Saving to an occupied program slot overwrites its previous contents.

Play a song across programs

1. Create and save the patterns in consecutive program slots.
2. Press SEQ repeatedly until the SONGMODE page appears.
3. Set SONGMODE = ON.
4. Set FIRST PROG and LAST PROG to your desired range (for example, 1 to 3).
5. Choose PLAY MODE = ONCE or REPEAT.
6. Press PLAY.

The player advances in order from FIRST to LAST. REPEAT loops the complete selected range; ONCE stops at its end. Each program can have its own sound and pattern settings.

Example: Three 64-step programs contain up to 192 steps. At 1/16 resolution and 4/4 time, that is 12 bars. All 32 slots together can reach 2,048 steps when each uses its full 64-step length.

Sequence external instruments via USB MIDI

Connect the FM-1 to a compatible USB-MIDI host (computer, supported mobile device or other host equipment), then route its outgoing MIDI notes to a synthesizer or sampler. USB MIDI OUT has been verified on real hardware, including sequence playback. Actual routing and host compatibility depend on the connected equipment.

The FM-1's internal Golana sound engine can still be used; this is not yet a multi-track MIDI workstation.

Installation

Download the DZ firmware package from this repository's Releases. The experimental v0.1.0-beta package is:

Golana-DZ-v0.1.0-beta.fwsc

Before flashing:

• Confirm that you have an M-VAVE FM-1, a reliable USB data cable and a suitable computer.
• Back up presets, patterns and any other data you cannot afford to lose.
• Keep a copy of your current working firmware and make sure you understand the recovery procedure.
• Do not use the original Golana web installer or its Golana-1.0.fwsc download if you intend to install DZ Edition.

Command-line installation (Windows PowerShell)

The project includes the installer script inherited from Felucca/Golana. With Python installed:

py -m pip install mido python-rtmidi
git clone https://github.com/dzwerg/Golana-DZ.git
cd Golana-DZ
py tools/fm1_install.py --info
py tools/fm1_install.py "C:\path\to\Golana-DZ-v0.1.0-beta.fwsc"

Replace the example path with the actual location of your downloaded .fwsc file. Read the installer's prompts before proceeding. For Linux/macOS, use python3 instead of py if appropriate.

For background on building, installing and recovery, see BUILDING.md. Flash experimental firmware at your own risk.

Storage and firmware compatibility — read before flashing

The original Golana user-preset format stores the first 16 steps. DZ Edition adds 48 extra steps per program (steps 17–64) and Song Mode settings in a separate flash record. Its code uses an A/B commit scheme and tries to select an unused legacy project-sector pair, preferring project D; if all such pairs are occupied, saving the extension is blocked.

These safeguards are implemented in firmware/src/golana_ext.c, but they are not a guarantee of compatibility with every existing flash layout or firmware downgrade.

In particular:

• Make a backup before switching to DZ or switching back to original Golana/Felucca.
• Test save → power off → restart → reload → verify steps 17–64 on your own hardware before relying on stored songs.
• Do not assume that another firmware understands or preserves DZ's extra-step storage.
• A program's first 16 steps and its additional 48 steps use different stored data structures; losing the extension can lose the latter.
• A/B storage reduces some failure risks but does not eliminate all risk of data loss or failed writes.

Current limitations

• One sequenced note per step in the stored pattern. The Golana synth itself supports polyphonic playing, but stored patterns are not yet polyphonic piano-roll sequences.
• Song Mode plays a contiguous program range; it does not yet offer arbitrary song arrangements such as A–B–A–C without duplicating patterns.
• Sounds and patterns are not independent: a program stores both.
• No built-in Standard MIDI File (.mid) player and no complete General MIDI sound set. MIDI import demonstrated during development used separate host-side scripts, not an on-device MIDI file browser.
• Flash persistence, firmware transitions and every possible host/device MIDI combination still need wider testing.

The Golana synthesizer is still here

DZ Edition retains the original Golana architecture: two oscillators (including saw, pulse, triangle and sine options), oscillator modulation, five filter types, independent filter and amplifier envelopes, LFOs, modulation routes, arpeggiator, effects and its distinctive on-device visual interface.

For the detailed instrument controls, see the original Golana manual and upstream project. Some original manual pages may describe the upstream 16-step sequencer rather than DZ's 64-step extension; the instructions in this README take precedence for DZ-specific features.

Building from source

This repository includes the source for the firmware and host tests. Builds need the JieLi toolchain, the AC79 SDK and the other prerequisites documented in BUILDING.md.

On a configured Linux/WSL build system:

./build.sh

The ordinary development build writes build/felucca.bin and build/felucca.fwsc. The published v0.1.0-beta firmware package was built successfully, with the image and linker memory checks passing.

Do not confuse the .fwsc update package with the .bin application file.

Roadmap (not yet implemented)

• Separate synth sounds, sequencer patterns and song arrangements.
• Independent pattern banks, reusable arrangements and better MIDI sequencing workflows.
• Extended persistent song capacity, with careful flash-layout design and testing.
• Explore a lightweight General MIDI-compatible sound engine / MIDI-file playback mode.

Credits and licence

• Golana: Gadlele — original synthesizer, UI and project.
• Felucca: Leo Kuroshita / Hügelton Instruments — underlying firmware, tools and components.
• Golana DZ Edition: dzwerg — DZ-specific sequencer, Song Mode and MIDI extensions built on these projects.
• Other authors and third-party dependencies: LICENSING.md and LICENSES/.

Licensed under GPL-3.0-only as described in LICENSE. The firmware update package also contains separately licensed components from the JieLi AC79 SDK; see the licence material attached to the release.

This is an independent community firmware project. M-VAVE and FM-1 are trademarks of their respective owners; Golana DZ Edition is not affiliated with or endorsed by M-VAVE.

Related project: miniBRUTE - independent FM-1 synthesizer firmware (in development).