Machinedrum source code / dream features

waftlord · August 31, 2018, 7:30am

i’ve been enjoying this guys work recently, and got me thinking the only real way to mod the MDs firmware would be to expand it’s internal memory.
Alongside coding to add all the fantasy extras, i don’t know why everyones asking to write to elektron, the firmware is free to download and, i assume, the code is all there…

watching the strange parts videos memory upgrade looks awkward as f**k and you’d need a raft of specialist equipment, lots of time, patience, skill and risk bricking any machine it’s attempted on.

so not to say it’s impossible, but far fetched to think they’ll be one guy willing to undertake this service. Perhaps a brand new board internal switch up is a more realistic for a novice user to undertake.

nsfx · August 31, 2018, 7:33am

There was some activity in trying to emulate the Machinedrum and the Monomachine in MAME a while ago. Looks to be paused. I’d pony up some major funds to see that happen. If you can emulate the hardware then you can safely test new firmware.

github.com

mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/elektronmono.cpp

// license:BSD-3-Clause
// copyright-holders:R. Belmont
/***************************************************************************

    elektronmono.cpp - Elektron Machinedrum and Monomachine

    Skeleton driver by R. Belmont

    The Machinedrum and Monomachine are basically the same hardware
    platform, only the front panel is different. Both have two major
    hardware revisions with different features (MK 1 and MK 2), and a
    "+Drive" storage option/upgrade.

    There are also "user waveform" (UW) versions of the Machinedrum MK 1
    and MK 2, and a keyboard version of the Monomachine MK 1 only. All
    Monomachine MK 2 units support user waveforms, there's no separate
    UW version. The firmware covers all models.

    The same circuit boards are used in both Machinedrum and
    Monomachine, at least in MK 2. I haven't found photos of the top of MK 1

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synthbie · August 31, 2018, 8:03am

The firmware is the compiled source code. It’s not really easily read or modified by humans.

JustinValer · August 31, 2018, 8:03am

I was not aware of this. excellent.

waftlord · August 31, 2018, 8:09am

i don’t profess to know what i’m talking about. my only coding experience was a “hello world” message in green text, think in Basic.

chapelierfou · August 31, 2018, 12:45pm

Had an official answer from Elektron.
This won’t happen.

nsfx · August 31, 2018, 1:00pm

Party poopers

JustinValer · August 31, 2018, 1:12pm

Many of the features requested in this thread have already been implemented in MCL
(which is essentially a feature/firmware upgrade for the MD achieved through the MIDI spec.)

Modern MD sequencer with micro timing conditional trigs, individual track lengths.
Chromatic Mode.
Single oscillator waveform designer.
Live performance features.

There’s a massive thread covering the development
https://www.elektronauts.com/t/minicommand-resurrection-mclive/

Ryan · August 31, 2018, 2:16pm

While still my least machine engines on the machine- the Bend parameter of these engines provides a great opportunity to really give a unique spin on this hokey sounds.

Ozone · August 31, 2018, 2:29pm

yep this 100%.
Finally started digging into my Mega Command in the last week or two, and amazed at its ability to push the Machinedrum way beyond any other Elektron in certain aspects, while modernising it in others. Really turns the mD into a mk3.

Just one cool thing about it which could unlikely be faked in a firmware hack (as an owner of a mk2uw with no +drive), is how it can work as a kind of plus drive and store unlimited? snapshots of all pattern, kit and master fx for future recall.

PeterHanes · September 1, 2018, 3:07pm

A post was merged into an existing topic: MiniCommand Resurrection // MCLive

cipherpunks · September 2, 2018, 8:55pm

For me the very reason I bought Machinedrum was the existense of that exploit that, for example, sir JustinValer used in his new MCLive thing. Funny, eh?

I highly doubt that I’ll ever buy any Elektron box again*, as I do want full control of any hardware I bought with my own money, and that includes its firmware.

Yes I do know a couple of musicians with similar views - and some of them have original Mutable modules doubled: one with “factory” firmware and another with “parasite” alternate firmware. This way one identical module basically was sold two times to the same person, and is used as two different modules. Profit?

What I do not want for sure is to be dependent on someone for patching bugs etc. Makes me feel bad, and somehow I do not want to feel bad after paying a hefty sum. Or it’s just me…

[*] except maybe - just maybe - AK, because A4/AK partially works with aforementioned MCLive. The fact that it works only partially is the cause of maybes.