Generative radio for the M-VAVE FM-1 on JIANT firmware
Set up your FM-1
FM-1 Radio needs seven things before it can play on an M-VAVE FM-1 running JIANT FM. When you connect, the radio checks most of them by itself and shows you what's left. Here they all are, in the order you'll do them.
In the browser
A browser that speaks MIDI
The radio talks to the FM-1 over Web MIDI. Chrome and Edge have it on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS, and so does Chrome on Android. Safari, and every browser on iPhone and iPad, don't.
- 1Chrome or Edgeopen this page there
- 2AndroidChrome, with a USB OTG adapter or a USB-C cable
Firefox is not tested yet.
In the browser
Connect
Plug the FM-1 in with a USB data cable, then press Connect. The browser asks to control your MIDI devices: allow it.
- 1USB data cablea charge-only cable shows no port
- 2no hubstraight into the computer or phone
- 3closeDAWs and other pages using the FM-1
- 4Connectthen Allow in the browser's prompt
One page at a time: two FM-1 Radio tabs would mix up the machine's replies.
On the machine
JIANT on the machine
The radio speaks the editor protocol of JIANT FM, the custom firmware by Juan Ignacio Antonucci. On the stock firmware or another firmware, it can't do anything.
- 1JIANT FMV10.9 or later, tested on V10.26
- 2quick installwith The Firmware Hub
The radio reads the version when you connect and refuses a version it doesn't know.
On the machine
Save your music
The radio writes its tunes into the tracks, in RAM. JIANT saves by itself 10 s after the machine stops, so the radio's music could end up as your autosave. Save first. The radio also keeps a copy and offers to put it back when you stop.
- 1SAVEsaves your current project
On the machine
LOOP mode
In SONG mode the machine plays its arrangement and the patterns are frozen. The radio needs LOOP: it carries the arrangement itself.
- 1STOPthe machine must be stopped
- 2hold SAVE + D5switches between LOOP and SONG
Checked again when you press PLAY: in SONG mode, the radio stops and tells you.
On the machine
MIDI OUT to CLOCK
The radio follows your machine's clock: you keep the tempo, TAP and all your settings.
- 1HOLD HOME 1 sopens the MENU
- 2ALGORITHMto the CONTROL tab
- 3SELECTto the MIDI OUT row
- 4any knobfrom KEYS to CLOCK
- 5HOMEcloses and saves
Not ALL: with ALL, the machine also sends its sequencer's notes, and the radio would think you're playing.
On the machine
No armed track
On a track armed for recording, every change the radio makes would be recorded as automation. The radio checks it live and writes nothing while a track is armed.
- 1disarmevery track armed for recording
Then
Pick a starting style, press Start the radio, then PLAY on the machine. The first tune is written while you wait. Press Stop whenever you want: the machine keeps playing, and Put my music back restores your own.
If something goes wrong
No FM-1 port
Use a USB data cable (a charge-only cable shows no port), plug the FM-1 in without a hub, and close the DAWs and other pages that use it. Then press Connect again.
The browser refused MIDI access
Open the site settings (the icon left of the address), allow MIDI devices, reload and Connect.
No clock from the machine
Set MENU › CONTROL › MIDI OUT to CLOCK, not ALL. Or choose the app clock in the radio's Settings: the app then sends the clock over USB.
The machine is in SONG mode
Stop the machine, hold SAVE and press D5 to switch to LOOP, then start the radio again.
A track is armed
Disarm recording on every track: otherwise the radio's changes would be recorded as automation, so it refuses to write.
Another page is connected
Close the other FM-1 Radio tabs: two pages talking to the same FM-1 mix up its replies.