Deep ambient dub | M-vave FM-1 + Roland T-8

A relaxing, slow and hypnotic dawless ambient dub session using the famous ‪@M-VAVE‬ FM-1 (with the Baud Girl custom firmware 🔥) and the Roland T-8. This was a surprisingly fun setup to make music with. After all the hype I really wanted to check out the tiny FM-1 so I ordered one and started getting familiar with it. The stock version was great, but the modified fw done by ‪@BaudGirl‬ got my attention and oh boy, it was a good decision to install it. This custom firmware is fantastic (I’ve used version 96). The main reason is the sequencer, which is 64 steps long instead of the stock 16, and it makes the overall user experience night and day compared to stock - I really really like it (and I haven’t tried the virtual analog and 8-bit sound engines yet). Thanks to the FM-1’s polyphony, I could also play over the running sequences, which is a big part of why I enjoy it so much. I know that new firmwares pop up for this synth like every day, and people make full grooveboxes, etc. out of it, but I wanted to keep it simple and just have an elevated stock experience. More details: https://baudgirl.com/work/FM-1+VA About the T-8... I've had this drum machine for a long time, but haven't used it much. Many complain about it being a "one trick pony" and that it's only good for acid and techno, BUT with some tweaking I think it can be a fantastic overall drum machine for simple downtempo music. What I really love about it is the built-in delay which syncs with the tempo... the panned stereo delay is otherworldly and adds a huge bonus to the overall vibe (I love that the delay doesn't affect the kick drum, but only the rest). Oh and one more thing: the T-8 has a built-in bass synth, so I added a simple bassline in the same key as the melody to make the track more beefy and give it more depth. One thing that was weird: sometimes (not in the recording) the MIDI sync wasn't spot on and it felt like the drums were a bit off (which made me wonder if the T-8 is reliable as a master clock). Signal chain: 〰️ M-vave FM-1 synth (as MIDI slave) → Zoom AMS-44 channel 1 〰️ Roland T-8 drum machine (as MIDI master) → Zoom AMS-44 channel 3-4 (stereo linked) 〰️ Zoom AMS-44 audio interface (powered with a power bank) → iPhone 14 with AUM to add effects and record Effects in AUM (in order): FM-1 synth 〰️ Gain boost (built in effect) 〰️ RoughRider3 compressor 〰️ Rymdigare (this adds the weird, yet atmospheric effects to the synth) 〰️ Eventide Blackhole reverb T-8 drum machine 〰️ RoughRider3 compressor 〰️ Eventide Blackhole reverb Shot on Sony RX100 mkIV, edited in DaVinci Resolve. No AI involved in the process. #mvave #ambientdub #dawless #rolandt8 #fmsynth #dawlessmusic #fm1 #downtempo