Getting around
- turn SELECT
- Next / previous page; KNOB 1-4 turn its four cards.
- tap HOME
- PERFORM page; again: main page (TYPE, DRIVE, REVERB, KEY VEL).
- tap EDIT
- VOICE page: TONE, BARK, BELL, HAMMER.
- tap OCT-
- Octave down (OCT+ up), range ±2.
- turn ALGORITHM
- Piano TYPE from any page (not on SEQUENCER).
Playing
- turn PRESETS
- F01-F12 factory, U01-U16 yours; loads when you stop.
- tap HOME+turn KNOB 1
- PERFORM: trem/wah, phaser, chorus, delay amount; up = on.
- tap HOME+tap HOME+turn KNOB 4
- KEY VEL: your touch; above ~100 the bark comes in.
- hold REC
- Sustain pedal; a quick tap latches it, tap again releases.
- tap SEQ+turn KNOB 1
- Chord mode: one key plays a whole chord (OFF to stop).
- tap ARP+tap ARP
- Arpeggiator on / off; on its page PLAY latches HOLD.
- tap GLO+turn SELECT+turn KNOB 1
- SCALE: OFF / SNAP / DEGREE (white keys walk the scale).
Sound
- turn ALGORITHM
- STAGE 77, SUITCASE, EARLY FELT, BELL DYNO.
- tap EDIT+turn KNOB 2
- BARK: the growl of hard notes (KNOB 3 BELL, 4 HAMMER).
- tap HOME+tap HOME+turn KNOB 2
- DRIVE: amp drive, clean to growl (KNOB 3 REVERB).
- tap EDIT+turn SELECT
- DECAY page: DECAY, RELEASE, damper NOISE, TUNE.
- tap HOME+turn SELECT
- ASSIGN: choose what each PERFORM knob plays.
Sequencer / patterns
- tap SEQ+tap SEQ
- SEQUENCER page: loop recorder, 1-16 bars (KNOB 1).
- tap PLAY
- On SEQUENCER: start / stop the loop (stop = back to bar 1).
- tap SEQ
- On SEQUENCER: recording on / off; playing it overdubs each pass.
- hold SEQ
- On SEQUENCER, 1 second: clear the whole pattern.
- turn KNOB 4
- On SEQUENCER: left UNDO the last pass, right ERASE mode.
- turn KNOB 2
- On SEQUENCER: QUANT grid, never changes what you recorded.
Effects
- tap FX
- All effects off / on (BYP in the header); settings kept.
- LFO twice
- TREM/WAH on / off; KNOB 1 picks PAN, TREM or WAH.
- ENV twice
- Phaser on / off.
- SEL twice
- Delay on / off; KNOB 1 picks DIG or ANA (tape).
- tap ENV+turn SELECT
- One page past PHASER: CHORUS; KNOB 1 switches it on.
- tap LFO+turn SELECT
- One page back: COMPRESSOR; THRESH up from OFF turns it on.
Saving & loading
- tap SAVE+turn PRESETS+tap SAVE
- Save to user slot U01-U16 (KNOB 1 picks too).
- tap SAVE+tap HOME
- Leave save mode without saving.
- hold SAVE
- Undo the last preset load: your sound comes back.
Settings
- tap PLAY
- Tap tempo (3 taps or more); not on ARPEGGIO / SEQUENCER.
- tap GLO
- TEMPO: BPM and tremolo / phaser / delay sync.
- GLO twice
- SETUP: delay tone, preset LEVEL, USB VOL knob / fixed.
- tap GLO+tap GLO+tap GLO
- MIDI: CHANNEL, TRS IN, CLOCK (INT / AUTO / USB).
Good to know
- The FM-1's keys have no velocity: KEY VEL (main page, KNOB 4) sets how hard they strike; 96-108 is a good start.
- Try BELL DYNO for glassy ballads, SUITCASE with TREM/WAH on PAN for the classic stereo vibrato.
- Keys play odd notes or keep going? Chord mode (SEQ light), arp HOLD or the sequencer is on.
- With chord mode on, SEQ jumps straight to the SEQUENCER page.
- Effect depths start at 0; switching one on from its button gives it a useful starting depth.
- MASTER is digital: keep it high and turn your speakers down for the least hiss.
- Something wrong after an update? Hold OCT- while powering on: USB rescue screen for reinstalling.
A community cheat sheet by the hub, not by the firmware's makers: when in doubt, their manual is right.