Synthstrom Audible

The first official community firmware release is out now, and it’s mental! The full, outrageous, list of features and improvements can be found here: https://github.com/SynthstromAudible/DelugeFirmware/releases/tag/release_1_0

Download here: https://synthstromaudible.github.io/DelugeFirmware/

A sampling of what you will find is below

AND SO MUCH MORE

At Synthstrom, we are BLOWN away by all of this, we can’t wait for all of our users to try these new features.

When six months ago we made the Deluge code open-source and gave the world the reigns to say where they wanted Deluge development to go, we couldn’t have even imagined the wonderful community that would develop around it and the commitment to not just listening to each other and fleshing out thoughtful and considered features, but a devoted commitment to ensure the stability of the software, refine the existing database and to ensure comprehensive beta testing.

A HUGE, HUGE thank you to all the coders who contributed, you’ve shown the industry that this is not only a possible pathway, but it can succeed far beyond any expectations.

The list of GitHub contributors who all deserve statues made in their honour:

@0beron
@alter-alter
@bfredl
@bobtwinkles
@chrisbc
@dctucker
@entzmingerc
@jamiefaye
@litui
@m-m-adams
@ok-reza
@PaulFreund
@phfalk
@Queroland
@seangoodvibes
@soymonitus
@stellar-aria
@suivaht
@topisani
@trappar
@weavermedia

Instructions on how to use all these new features, here: https://github.com/SynthstromAudible/DelugeFirmware/blob/community/docs/community_features.md

Stay tuned for tutorial videos and more over the coming weeks.

Wow. Just wow…

If you want to make life easier for the coders, please consider contributing from $1 a month here. https://www.patreon.com/Synthstrom Audible

A large investment was recently made purchasing a tool which will make future updates faster and even more reliable. 100% of funds received go into the open-source project

Our JUNE 2023 ANNOUNCEMENT Below–———————————-

Our Deluge code goes open-source today!

Developers, please visit our GitHub: https://github.com/SynthstromAudible/DelugeFirmware
And take a read of the documents linked below
Firmware installation and debugging guide
Deluge codebase introduction

Community, please consider supporting the developers by making a monthly contribution, from just $1, here: https://www.patreon.com/Synthstrom

We will be hosting the first of our Q&A’s in just two day’s time – June 7th, 7pm (EDT) on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@SynthstromAudible/streams – at the end of the session you’ll be able to ask questions via YouTube chat – although you must be a subscriber to the channel to ask (so please do so in advance if you think you might ask anything). Anybody can view and take part in this of course, dev’s and the community.
Ahead of this Q&A, developers, please present your questions here: https://github.com/SynthstromAudible/DelugeFirmware/discussions

For the community who aren’t part of GitHub, you can discuss the development over on our forums in the ‘Open Source’ category, there is also a specific ‘Dev-Chat’ on the Discord. Links to everything community at: https://synthstrom.com/links/

We’d like to make a special thanks to community member Aria Burrell (AKA: “litui” on the community Discord). JLink is the official debugger Renesas recommends but its cost can be well outside the reach of many would-be contributors to open source efforts. For that reason, Aria set out to find a more financially accessible tool for developers in the community to use in place of the JLink.

That customised firmware is “DelugeProbe”, available now in version 1.02, the “Have Fun Storming the Castle!” edition, for Raspberry Pi Pico, Raspberry Pi Pico W, Raspberry Pi Debug Probe, and Seeed XIAO RP2040, with support for other RP2040-based boards on the way. Instructions for modding the Deluge with debug pins, adding a debug port to the Deluge case, and building your own DelugeProbe are included in a file within the Deluge source. Other CMSIS-DAP based debuggers are also usable, though DelugeProbe contains speed and quality-of-life improvements over the original Picoprobe. DelugeProbe source and binary images are available at https://github.com/litui/delugeprobe

Aria, continues to work with us in support of improved developer experience, with the next item on her agenda being build scripts to support development and debugging in Windows, Mac, and Linux environments using alternative IDEs and editors such as Visual Studio Code.

Aria, along with Jamie, and of course Rohan will be available for questions in our Q&A.

There are multiple exciting open-source projects being developed by the community on GitHub at the moment, you can get an overview of the various projects here

One of the more ambitious projects is Delugian which intends to build a desktop GUI with which users can create and edit synth patches/drum kits, name and mix tracks, and even arrange their songs, Those who use Elektron boxes will be familiar with Overbridge; Delugian endeavours to become something similar over time.
https://github.com/alifeinbinary/delugian

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ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT (May) below:

Since launching our beloved Deluge, we’ve added a ton of functionality, made it more versatile and packed it full of ground-breaking features. Our arranger, looper, advanced sequencing and MPE implementation are still industry leading

At Synthstrom, we’re devoted to sustainability and want our Deluge to continue being the centre of our users’ musical excursions for many years to come. Late last year we started retrofitting older Deluge variations with the OLED screen featuring in our new units. The next step we’re taking has been even longer in development – waiting until we knew we had a community full of talented coders who were as passionate about the Deluge as we are. We know now the time is right – it’s time to take software development into overdrive – we’re going open-source!

What is open-source? Open-source means we’re opening our software code to the community; our users who know how to write code can now develop their own Deluge features, make refinements to the existing code and contribute to a Community version for all users.

Before the speculation even starts, this isn’t us working on a new model, there are currently no plans for that. We’ve employed a team to manage the open-source project so we can focus our energies into ramping up the building of new OLED Deluges to meet demand, speeding up the retrofitting and refurbishing of older units, and just maybe, finally getting the Deluge into limited retail – though don’t hold your breath on that last part 

Synthstrom will continue to maintain and update the main “Official” repository, including all official Deluge Firmware releases going forward.

Alongside there will also be a “Community” repository (for both the OLED & non-OLED versions), forked from the Official repository, as a central place for community code contributions to be merged together, so long as they don’t appear to break anything and represent complete features ready for use. And of course all future updates to the Official branch can be merged in, too.

And of course, you can fork either branch and make your own changes and share these with others, irrespective of what’s happening in the Official or Community repository.

Installing Community or other firmware builds is 100% compatible with your Deluge’s hardware warranty. However, if you use a non-official community build, we won’t be able to provide software support.

Our open-source project manager will initially oversee and maintain the Community repository, though this will probably change in the longer term, particularly if or when open-source development branches in multiple different directions. We’ve created thorough documentation and Rohan will also be on hand at the launch, to offer guidance and assistance to those getting involved – including open video Q&A sessions.

Rohan has always been eager to give back to the global community of makers and tinkerers that helped him as a beginner, we just had to make sure the time was right, we had the right people involved and that we had a system that aided those taking part.

We’re also launching a Patreon to help support those contributing to the ‘Community’ repository. This will allow the entire community to show their gratitude to those developing, testing and refining code by making a monthly financial contribution, from just $1. Though administered by Synthstrom, 100% of these payments (less Patreon fees and tax) will be distributed only amongst those coders contributing to the Community repository – distributed in accordance with how much each individual contributed.

We have re-opened the epic feature suggestion threads on our forums where coders can find ideas to work on and where users can discuss their desired features: https://forums.synthstrom.com/categories/deluge-suggestions

In special cases, the Official repository may consider submissions from the Community repository*, where features and their UI have proven universal appeal. However, Synthstrom needs to continue to provide our customers with a stable and high-performance official firmware version, so we need to be responsible for every line of code in this branch.

Deluge Firmware will be released under the GPLv3 license. There are no restrictions on personal use and this license allows for code to also be used in commercial projects – however, if even one line of code from this is used in a commercial project, the entire piece of code for that project must also be made open-source under this same license.

The newly open source Deluge Firmware source code will live in GitHub. We will be launching this project in June though you can follow our GitHub now and be alerted when it’s live. https://github.com/SynthstromAudible

* If a Community feature is to be accepted into the official repository this will be negotiated and licensed on a case by case basis with its developer(s)

Key dates & details:
Monday, June 5, 7pm EDT – Codebase made available, documentation released and Patreon launched.

Wednesday, June 7, 7pm EDT – Open Group video Q&A session with Rohan. Will be recorded and made available on GitHub following.

Saturday, June 10, 11am, CEST – Open Group Zoom session with Rohan. Will be recorded and made available on the GitHub following.

Following these Q&A sessions. Rohan and/or our Open Source team will be responsive in answering questions on the GitHub. Please try not to flood forums with questions until after these sessions as we anticipate much will be answered therein.

Open-source Project Manager: Jamie Fenton
An experienced games, audio and multimedia production tool engineer, Jamie Fenton is known in the Deluge community for developing the Downrush application. Downrush is used for transferring, viewing and editing of Deluge songs, patches, and media assets using a Wi-Fi SD card and your mobile device.
https://youtu.be/mc8y9d1wQ-M