ChoralRoot

A chord instrument in the style of the Telepathic Instruments Orchid (no affiliation whatsoever): one hand plays roots on 18 keys (D4–G5) while the other shapes the chord on an Orchid-style 2×4 block — DIM MIN MAJ SUS / 6 m7 M7 9, plus LOCK — with a voicing encoder that rotates the inversions. Everything synthesized, zero samples. The musical engine comes from the author’s own monome choralroot (MIT), and on top of that it reuses the FM6 and CZ-1 engines from Melodee.

Workflow

Playing two-handed chords live and composing, with three MIDI out channels to drive other gear. The stated goal is “parity” with the Orchid — the secret chords map is still open. There’s a sounding browser emulator to try it before flashing.

Engines & what it emulates

Everything synthesized: Melodee’s FM6 (DX7 rendered exactly like Dexed, .syx import, a 32-slot cartridge), QUAD — 4-operator FM styled after the Elektron Digitone, aligned with the algorithms and controls of its manual —, the Casio CZ-1 (Melodee’s engine), plus VA, PHASE, LOFI, VOICE, TRIO, WHEEL, PHYS and NOISE.

What sets it apart

• USB audio as three separate stereo pairs: master, CHORD and BASS.
• A semantic looper with layers and undo; Key Mode, performance modes and a bass part.
• A SAFE MODE that kicks in after two crashes; carries the fix for Felucca 1.0.3.1’s divide-by-zero brick; “FM-1_920” device identity; backups interoperable with Felucca and Melodee; extremely thorough design documentation.

Status & caveats

First public beta, very active (0.1→0.13 in hours). The hard warning: installing over SLOOP bricked one unit — rescued with 0.13 and the author’s own MvaveFM1Unbricker — so go back to stock V15 before switching. Its installer now refuses to run over SLOOP, Felucca-beta or unknown firmwares, with documented evidence of bricks.