MORPHEUS // 8-Track ReBirth Groovebox & Matrix Sequencer
8-Track ReBirth Groovebox (808, 909, Dual 303s, Amen Breaks, FM Lead, Sub Synth & MIDI) with a Reason Matrix-style Pattern Sequencer for the M-VAVE FM-1.
Overview
MORPHEUS transforms the ultra-portable M-VAVE FM-1 into a standalone, battery-powered 8-track acid techno & electronic groovebox workstation, blending the legendary multi-machine workflow of Propellerhead ReBirth RB-338 with the iconic visual sequencing paradigm of the Reason Matrix pattern sequencer.
- 🎛️ Live Web Audio Emulator — Full in-browser simulation with SVG hardware chassis, playable silicone keyboard, draggable potentiometers, and audio engine.
- ⚡ 1-Click Web MIDI Flasher — Flash the bare-metal firmware directly to your FM-1 over USB from Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge with zero command-line tools required.
- 📖 Interactive User Manual & Tutorial — Complete hardware manual featuring MPC/Roland-style illustrated action tables and step-by-step walkthroughs.
8-Track Multi-Engine ReBirth Architecture
Each of the 8 tracks functions as an independent machine with its own pattern storage, polyrhythmic sequence length, step resolution, and dedicated MIDI output channel:
| Track | Engine / Role | Synthesis Model & Routing | MIDI Out Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track 1 | TB-303 A | Transistor diode-ladder acid bass with non-linear resonance, Devilfish envelope mod, and RAT overdrive | Channel 1 |
| Track 2 | TB-303 B | Second independent 303 voice for counterpoint basslines, acid arps, and squelchy leads | Channel 2 |
| Track 3 | TR-808 Kit | Analog circuit drum model: Kick, Snare, Low/Mid/Hi Toms, Congas, Rim Shot, Claves, Clap, Cowbell, Maracas, Hats, Cymbal | Channel 10 |
| Track 4 | TR-909 Kit | Hybrid punchy drum model: Tuned Kick, Snappy Snare, Toms, Rim, Clap, and 6-bit sampled metallic Hi-Hats/Cymbals | Channel 10 |
| Track 5 | Amen Breaks | 8-slice breakbeat loop player with real-time tempo pitch resampling and generative slice shuffling | Channel 5 |
| Track 6 | FM Lead | Dynamic 2-operator frequency modulation synth for bright digital plucks, bells, and aggressive leads | Channel 6 |
| Track 7 | Sub Synth | Analog-style sub-bass synthesizer with saturation and low-end reinforcement | Channel 7 |
| Track 8 | MIDI Master | Pure external MIDI sequencer track with zero internal audio overhead for controlling external hardware | Channel 8 |
12-Lane Drum Matrix Mode
When selecting drum tracks (T3 TR-808 or T4 TR-909), MORPHEUS automatically transforms the 16-step matrix sequencer into a 12-Lane Drum Matrix:
┌───┬────────────────────────────────┐
│ACC│ · · · · · · · · │ Total Accent
│CH │ [█] [█] [█] [█] [█] [█] [█] [█]│ Closed Hi-Hat
│OH │ · · [█] · · · [█] · │ Open Hi-Hat
│CY │ · · · · · · · [█]│ Crash / Ride Cymbal
│CB │ · · · · [█] · · · │ Cowbell
│CP │ · · [█] · · · [█] · │ Hand Clap / Maracas
│RS │ · · · · · · · · │ Rim Shot / Claves
│HT │ · · · · · [█] · · │ High Tom / Conga
│MT │ · · · [█] · · · · │ Mid Tom / Conga
│LT │ · [█] · · · · · · │ Low Tom / Conga
│SD │ · · [█] · · · [█] · │ Snare Drum
│BD │ [█] · · · [█] · · · │ Bass Drum
└───┴────────────────────────────────┘
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (Page 1 / Page 2: 1-16 / 17-32)
- K1 (Select Lane): Scroll through the 12 drum instruments.
- K2 (Toggle Trigger): Turn active drum voice on/off on the selected step.
- K4 (Toggle Accent): Enable total accent boost on that step.
- 16 White Keys Direct Step Input: The 16 white silicone keys on the FM-1 map 1:1 to the 16 sequencer steps (1–16 or 17–32), providing authentic TR-808/909 step programming. Tapping a white key instantly toggles the trigger for the active drum lane.
- Keyboard & Button LEDs: Silicone key LEDs illuminate all active triggers for the focused drum lane, follow the running sequencer playhead across the 16 steps, and light up dynamically whenever any key is pressed.
User Interface & Dynamic Status Bar
Left: Boot Splash Screen (v1.0.0). Right: Live 8-Track Matrix Sequencer & Dynamic Status Bar.
- Boot Splash Screen (v1.0.0): Displays for 1.8 seconds on power up, or dismisses instantly when any button, knob, or key is touched for immediate performance access.
- High-Contrast Display: Designed for maximum legibility on the FM-1's 240x240 LCD. Clear color coding identifies active playheads, accented gates, tied notes, and tracks at a glance.
- Transient Real-Time Status Bar: Any knob turn or held button temporarily displays immediate, detailed feedback (e.g.
K1 Cutoff: 84,Swing: 54%,Queued Bank B) and smoothly restores the default track status after 1.5 seconds of idle.
Sequencer & Performance Features
- Polyrhythmic Step Lengths: Each track can have its own independent sequence length (1 to 32 steps) for intricate polyrhythms and evolving phase loops.
- Variable Clock Resolutions: 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, plus triplet modes (1/4T, 1/8T, 1/16T).
- Global & Track Swing: Authentic MPC-style shuffle from 0% (straight) up to 75% (heavy triplet swing).
- Dual Matrix Modes:
- KEYS View: Pitch piano roll, velocity gate bars, and tied legato slide bridges.
- CURVE View: Bipolar (-64..+63) or Unipolar (0..127) per-step CV automation curves for filter cutoff sweeps or MIDI CC parameters.
- Pattern Memory: 2 Banks (Bank A & B) × 8 Patterns = 16 patterns per track (128 total patterns). Seamless bar-synchronized pattern queuing.
- Master FX Bus: Stereo send reverb (4 comb filters + 2 allpasses), tempo-synced stereo delay, and master glue compressor with kick-ducking sidechain PUMP.
- Pattern Tools & Multi-Level Undo/Redo:
- Shift Left/Right (
FX + SELECT) - Octave / Semitone Transpose (
EDIT + SELECT) - Musical Alteration & Randomize (
Shift + FX) - Multi-level Undo (
EDIT + HOME) and Redo (EDIT + SAVE) - Flash persistence with 1-click JSON backup/restore in the emulator.
- Shift Left/Right (
Hardware Panel Mapping (M-VAVE FM-1)
| Hardware Control | Primary Function | With SHIFT (EDIT held) |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Silicone Keys | Audition notes / Step record in REC mode | Select Step Jump (1–16 / 17–32) |
| K1 (Cutoff) | Synth Cutoff / Step Note Pitch / Select Drum Lane | Step Gate Velocity (0–127) |
| K2 (Resonance) | Synth Resonance / Gate Length / Toggle Drum Step | Tied Note Slide (On / Off) |
| K3 (Decay) | Envelope Decay / Curve Modulation Value | MIDI CC Modulation Depth |
| K4 (Accent) | 303 Accent / Pattern Length / Drum Accent | Step Resolution (1/16, 1/8T, 1/32...) |
| TEMPO Knob | Sequencer Tempo (50 – 240 BPM) | Shuffle / Swing (0 – 75%) |
| SELECT Knob | Scrub Active Step (1 – 32) | Pattern Transpose (±12 Semitones) |
| PLAY | Start / Stop Sequencer Transport | Restart from Step 1 |
| REC | Step Record Mode (Audition + Step Auto-Advance) | Clear Active Step |
| FX | Open/Close Pattern Tools Menu | Shift+FX: Deliberate Musical Randomize |
| HOME | Cycle Active Track (T1 → T8) / Execute Menu Option | Shift+HOME: Multi-Level Undo |
| SAVE | Save all patterns & tracks to Flash Storage | Shift+SAVE: Multi-Level Redo |
| EDIT | Toggle KEYS (Notes/Drums) / CURVE (Modulation) View | Hold as SHIFT modifier |
| SEL (Page) | Toggle Page 1 (Steps 1–16) / Page 2 (Steps 17–32) | Set Loop End Point |
| ENV / LFO | Cycle Engine: 303A → 303B → 808 → 909 → BRK → FM → SUB → MIDI | Engine Parameters |
| OCT- / OCT+ | Scroll Piano Roll Octave (C1 … B5) | Track Octave Transpose |
| ARP / SEQ | Cycle Bank A–B / Pattern 1–8 | Pattern Copy / Paste |
Interactive Guided Walkthrough
MORPHEUS features a hardware walkthrough inspired by classic instrument user guides (Akai MPC and Roland Aira series). You can build a complete multi-track acid groove step-by-step:
- Live On-Screen Hardware Spotlights: Launch the walkthrough directly in the browser emulator (Interactive Walkthrough). The physical FM-1 buttons, encoders, and silicone keys illuminate with action pins (
[1],[2],[HOLD]) alongside real-time audio and LCD responses. - Illustrated Action Tables: Follow the illustrated cards with Roland-style action callouts, parameter guides, and listening tips in the User Manual Section 3.
Host Simulator & Unit Tests
You can test and verify MORPHEUS on your computer (macOS or Linux) without hardware:
# Run host test suite (renders 44.1 kHz audio WAV and generates LCD screenshots)
./tests/run_host.sh
Outputs generated in build/host/:
morpheus.wav: 44.1 kHz 16-bit stereo audio render of the 8-track ReBirth groove.morpheus-500.png: LCD screenshot at 500 ms (Keys View).morpheus-2000.png: LCD screenshot at 2000 ms (303 B View).morpheus-2800.png: LCD screenshot at 2800 ms (12-Lane Drum Matrix View).morpheus-3500.png: LCD screenshot at 3500 ms (Curve Modulation View).morpheus-5000.png: LCD screenshot at 5000 ms (Subtractive Engine View).
Building the Physical Firmware (.fwsc)
To compile the bare-metal package for the M-VAVE FM-1:
1. Requirements (Linux x86_64 or GitHub Actions runner)
pip3 install Pillow mido python-rtmidi
tools/get_toolchain.sh
git clone --depth 1 --branch AC79NN_SDK_V1.2.1_2023-12-13 \
https://gitee.com/Jieli-Tech/fw-AC79_AIoT_SDK.git ~/fw-AC79_AIoT_SDK
2. Compile Package
./build.sh
Outputs build/morpheus.fwsc with official FM-1 Open platform identity FM-1_8000013.
3. Installation to M-VAVE FM-1
- 1-Click Web MIDI Flasher (Recommended): Visit https://benbadio.github.io/morpheus-fm1/install.html in Chrome or Edge and click Install MORPHEUS.
- Command-line USB Cable:
python3 tools/fm1_install.py build/morpheus.fwsc
Platform Identity & Compatibility
MORPHEUS complies with the FM-1 Open platform standard:
- Product ID:
FM-1_8000013 - Compatible with official M-VAVE tools, third-party firmware hubs, and open-source Web MIDI flashers.
- Safely reversible: The installer includes a 1-click restore function to revert to M-VAVE factory stock firmware V15 at any time.
Feedback & Bug Reports
Found a bug or have an idea? Open an issue (there is also a Feedback link on the emulator, manual and flasher pages). The maintainer can have Claude triage a report and suggest a fix, and decides what gets built.
License & Attribution
MORPHEUS is free software licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0-only). See LICENSE and LICENSING.md for full details.
- MORPHEUS Application & UI: Ben Badio & Contributors.
- ReBirth Multi-Engine DSP Suite: Based on the X0X DSP suite by Leo Kuroshita (@kurogedelic), Robin Schmidt (Open303), schwung-303, dm-Rat (davemollen), 8W8/sc808, 9W9/ER-99 (Matthew Cieplak), and schwung-breakbeat (mestela).
- Platform & Hardware HAL: Copyright (C) 2026 Leo Kuroshita (@kurogedelic), Hügelton Instruments (Felucca), with changes from SLOOP (isod89).