tracelistener-circuit-extended

Circuit Scale Follow 0.4.2 — Synth 1 distortion-state fix

This release fixes Synth 1 patch changes unexpectedly altering drum distortion algorithms.

Root cause and repair

Version 0.4.1 stored drum distortion selector state in DSP Y:$0109–$010B. Stock Synth 1 voices also use that region, so loading a Synth 1 patch overwrote the drum selections. Version 0.4.2 moves Drum 1–4 to four independent, verified-unused DSP X-memory words at X:$1E65–$1E68 and removes the packed Drum 3/4 representation.

Preserved behavior

• Scale Follow remains default-on after a full cold boot
• Shift + Macro 5/6 selects one of seven distortion algorithms
• Macro 5/6 without Shift retains normal continuous distortion amount
• Shift + Macro 3/4 retains per-drum Sample Start
• all four distortion states remain runtime-only and reset after reboot

Validation

The final generated firmware is byte-identical to the image hardware-tested on the original Circuit. Hardware tests passed Synth 1 patch switching, all four independent distortion states, normal distortion amount, Scale Follow, Sample Start, and cold boot. The complete static/Thumb emulation verifier, GUI headless build, packaged executable smoke test, and mocked first-message WinMM guidance test also passed.

Verified hashes

• Windows v0.4.2 ZIP: 23a0a17502d6d976e0ce45fc03287576147d3f93eedaa5f3e99e4498eb05dd87
• Generated combined SysEx: 0cfdbeb08c13f1b5d97276ee02d3cad91d3ec514f689a06ba7745bc773fe4c9f
• Decoded combined image: e6a2b77bea0918e28b2cdadca6bef96654d6a39d7272b3a1f9ac25a51815cca2

The download contains the patcher/uploader and documentation, but no Novation firmware. Supply your own exact stock Circuit 1.8 build 3592 SysEx. After uploading, perform the documented complete 10-second cold power removal.

Full source changes and validation record: #6.

Circuit Scale Follow 0.4.1 — cold-boot guidance update

This release contains the same hardware-tested firmware as v0.4.0 and adds an important post-upload instruction to the Windows tool and documentation.

Required after uploading

1. Let the Circuit finish its bootloader restart.
2. Turn it off.
3. Remove USB, MIDI, external power, and batteries (if fitted) for 10 seconds.
4. Reconnect power and start normally.

The bootloader performs a warm restart that can retain the previous Scale Follow RAM mode state. A complete cold power removal clears it and guarantees that Scale Follow initializes on. If Scale Follow appeared inactive immediately after installing v0.4.0, no reflash is necessary—perform the cold boot above.

Firmware features

• four-octave drum Scale Follow using the master root and scale
• independent seven-algorithm drum distortion selection with Shift + Macro 5/6
• independent per-drum sample-start control with Shift + Macro 3/4

Verified hashes

• Windows v0.4.1 ZIP: d08406fd4bada18689221212732762ae7f75baaa11c7599476f1f57ba006d390
• Generated combined SysEx: 0dbe6176965d0a96b74c6a41ad0c76aa8e8d52a09a875422e86d86e338fd4e95
• Decoded combined image: 3beef4e206920e7f54bbf9c0f3c86e5a7098d5e4948f759cc18f30920884ae06

The full verifier passes unchanged, and the packaged GUI was rebuilt and smoke-tested. Full guidance changes: #4.

Important post-upload step: v0.4.0 firmware is valid, but the bootloader warm restart can retain Scale Follow RAM state. After upload, remove all power for 10 seconds and restart normally. No reflash is needed. Download v0.4.1 for the updated tool and instructions.

Circuit Scale Follow + Drum Distortion Select + Sample Start 0.4.0 This release adds independent sample-start control to all four drums on the original Novation Circuit, firmware 1.8 build 3592. ### New feature - Hold Shift and turn the normal decay Macro. - Macro 3 controls the first drum in the active pair; Macro 4 controls the second. - Drum 1/3 therefore use Shift + Macro 3; Drum 2/4 use Shift + Macro 4. - Counter-clockwise moves toward the sample beginning; clockwise moves toward the end. - The final hardware-tuned sensitivity provides approximately 64 positions across each sample. - All four drums keep independent offsets during the current power session. - Normal non-Shift decay behavior is unchanged. - Selecting a new sample recomputes the proportional start point for its length. - Offsets apply to new hits only and reset after reboot; they are not stored in patterns, sessions, or packs. Scale Follow and the seven-algorithm Drum Distortion Select feature remain included and unchanged. ### Installation Download the Windows ZIP and follow WINDOWS_TOOL.md inside it. The package contains the guarded patcher and MIDI uploader but no Novation firmware. It accepts only a legitimate stock 3592 SysEx with SHA-256: 260a72ebd10208aae44f7c01ad18a79cf1d7ad32658ecd1dee0d5215c0e6b7c0 Back up the Circuit in Novation Components first. Close Components, DAWs, and MIDI utilities before using the uploader. ### Verified hashes - Windows ZIP: 96d58c766bee3dea269924289b3cd9a4876da0bf62a6605d06ce70536aa4d0f2 - Locally generated combined SysEx: 0dbe6176965d0a96b74c6a41ad0c76aa8e8d52a09a875422e86d86e338fd4e95 - Decoded combined image: 3beef4e206920e7f54bbf9c0f3c86e5a7098d5e4948f759cc18f30920884ae06 Hardware-tested on an original Circuit: full start sweep, normal decay, and independent Drum 1/2 state. The verifier also covers first, consecutive, reversed, clamped, sample-change, and independent Drum 4 events, plus all existing Scale Follow and distortion regressions. Full changes: #3

Circuit Scale Follow + Drum Distortion Select 0.3.0

This release adds independent drum-distortion algorithm selection to the original Scale Follow modification for the original Novation Circuit, firmware 1.8 build 3592.

New feature

• On the active drum pair, hold Shift and turn the normal distortion Macro.
• Macro 5 controls the first drum and Macro 6 controls the second.
• Turn clockwise for the next type or counter-clockwise for the previous type.
• Available algorithms: diode, valve, clipper, crossover, rectifier, bit reducer, and rate reducer.
• All four drums keep independent selections during the current power session.
• Normal non-Shift distortion-amount behavior is unchanged.

Algorithm choices reset after reboot and are not stored in patterns or packs. A small pop while changing an algorithm on sounding audio is expected because the DSP switches waveshaping functions immediately.

Scale Follow remains on by default and retains its four-octave, master-root-and-scale pitch mapping. Hold Shift + Scales to toggle Scale Follow.

Installation

Download the Windows ZIP and follow WINDOWS_TOOL.md inside it. The tool contains the patcher and guarded MIDI uploader but no Novation firmware. It accepts only a legitimate stock 3592 SysEx with SHA-256:

260a72ebd10208aae44f7c01ad18a79cf1d7ad32658ecd1dee0d5215c0e6b7c0

Back up the Circuit in Novation Components before installing. Close Components, DAWs, and MIDI utilities before using the uploader.

Verified hashes

• Windows ZIP: a1265ea5db661f99c34cff6c815f2105f7d3fa07d4b13848204db594f21ca23c
• Locally generated combined SysEx: 33012ecb50161111f1434343cd3ec8945fc35dc3390d7c303337e754d59b9fa0
• Decoded combined image: 0198d2dd35853dbfeb35d1aff64d96736f71f193f1e02701f79cea2054122a75

Hardware-tested on an original Circuit: both selection directions, four independent drum states, stable Drum 4 operation, normal distortion amount, master-root following, and master-scale following.

Full changes: #2

Circuit Scale Follow 0.2.0

This release adds a self-contained Windows GUI for building and uploading Circuit Scale Follow. Python is not required.

The tool contains no Novation firmware. Supply your own legitimate stock Circuit 1.8 build 3592 SysEx. The tool validates it, generates the exact hardware-tested mod, saves an untouched stock recovery copy, and enables guarded MIDI uploads for either the mod or recovery firmware.

Safety and validation

• exact stock input SHA-256 required
• exact generated mod SHA-256 required before upload
• fixed conservative 22 ms MIDI transfer interval
• final confirmation identifies the selected MIDI output
• GUI cannot close during build or transfer
• packaged executable reproduced both expected firmware hashes
• full 5,981-message mod and recovery transfers simulated without hardware
• Windows Defender scan found no threats
• ZIP audited to contain no .syx or .bin
• live scale following reconfirmed on hardware with a tuner

Read WINDOWS_TOOL.md inside the ZIP before starting.

Checksums

Windows ZIP:

cdf14f32e30c4e2359e52496225727a378d7347f22c29a7927dbce4ab2ca1b78

Locally generated mod SysEx:

af80b145fb5aa122eab4c7146b409c36a16bab19765b71369b9e9e6ee448d3ef

Accepted stock/recovery SysEx:

260a72ebd10208aae44f7c01ad18a79cf1d7ad32658ecd1dee0d5215c0e6b7c0