DirtyWave M8: Handheld synth and tracker project is looking stunning
5,0 / 5,0 | 
The M8 is an open-source sequencer/tracker and synthesizer project by musician Timothy Lamb (AKA Trash80) is based on Mutable Instruments Braids and is shaping up beautifully as it nears official release.
M8
This project has been knocking around a little while but recent increased activity and spotting a couple of prototypes in the wild makes me think that this is getting close to a finished product. On his Patreon page Timothy’s most recent post says that they are currently at firmware version 0.9.9 and a recent run of 100 pre-production beta models have just gone out to those who had preordered one. His plan is to take a well deserved month off and then look into something like Kickstarter to launch the finished M8 into the world.
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So what does it do?
M8 is a synthesizer and sequencer in a lovely looking handheld format, touchscreen, speakers and those fabulous mechanical buttons. The sequencer is in a tracker style and features 8 monophonic tracks, 255 patterns, 128 instrument tables for advanced modulation, 64 instruments per song, live arranging and MIDI in/out. In terms of sounds there are three different engines. First a Chiptune engine for those classic 8-bit sounds, then they’ve pulled the 40 synthesis types out the of Mutable Instruments Braids open-source Eurorack module, and finally we have sample playback from an SD card. Add some reverb, delay, chorus and a master bus limiter and it’s a pretty self-contained and versatile little music-making machine.
What does it sound like?
Check this out:
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It’s a stunning device and I’m really looking forward to them taking orders on Kickstarter and seeing it in use out in the world. Timothy deserves some time off after working up such an awesome product. More news when we get it.
More information
- Best place to follow the development and offer support is via the Trash80 Patreon page.
- Dirtywave website.
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2 responses to “DirtyWave M8: Handheld synth and tracker project is looking stunning”
We need more company’s jumping in this product group.
The competition could maybe beat this by making it with a non tracker sequencer because the tracker kinda puts me off.
Just a small correction. This is not an open source project. Neither the firmware source nor schematic diagrams are not available despite the compiled firmware downloads being on GitHub.
With that said, having a headless version of the firmware is amazing. It allows anyone with a Teensy 4.1 and a computer to experience the software and make music without limitations. The documentation is also high quality and free to download. Big props to the team!
Thank you for the article.