Boot screen
ReachPower on
The bar runs until the sound engine is ready and the last chosen patch is loaded. Keys are ignored meanwhile.
LUXR Manual
LUXR turns the M-VAVE FM-1 into a drum machine in the style of the Sonic Potions LXR: eight sounds made of synth and sample, a sequencer with 16 patterns, effects, a master bus and 36 patch slots. This page walks through every function, one screen at a time.
Install and update: orbitator.github.io/LUXR
Play LUXR in your browserThe emulator: the same firmware, the FM-1 on your screen, with 13 preset patches.
Chapter · 1
Basics
Six rules and you know how it works. The map shows where every control sits.
SHIFT
Hold GLO. The cards then show row B, many keys their second function.
Pages
A page button opens its first page; tap again for the next. The dots at the bottom right show where you are.
Knobs and cards
KNOB 1–4 set what the four cards at the top of the display show. Turning a knob does not play the sound.
Tap or hold
HOME: kit / system · GLO: mixer / SHIFT · REC: arm / quantize · ARP: on / while held · EDIT: pages / sound defaults.
Footer
It always names the three keys doing the most on the page.
Undo
A#4 undoes the last step, SHIFT + A#4 redoes it.
Chapter · 2
Start and system
LUXR starts with its logo and a loading bar until every patch is ready. Then it shows the kit page.
Kit
ReachTap HOME
Settings for the whole kit: tempo and groove, plus the tuning and decay of all eight sounds at once.
- KNOB 1Tempo (60–200 BPM)
- KNOB 2Swing (0–50 %)
- KNOB 3Tune: all sounds ±24 semitones
- KNOB 4Decay: all sounds longer / shorter
- B 1MIDI channel (drum map)
- B 2Colour theme
- B 3Version
SHIFT always means: hold GLO. The cards then show row B.
System
ReachHold HOME
Version, slots in use, the sound engine's load and the battery with charge in percent, voltage and estimated time left.
The time left appears after about five minutes off USB. Under 10 % LUXR reports “BATTERY LOW”.
Chapter · 3
Sequencer
Eight tracks with up to 64 steps. Each track has its own length and speed. The white keys are the 16 steps of the bar shown.
Sequencer
ReachTap SEQ
The grid shows all eight tracks in the chosen bar; the bars below show the pattern's bars. Tap a white key to set or clear a step without hearing it. Hold it for STEP EDIT: velocity, probability or condition (A:B, FILL), pan, ratchets and micro timing of that step.
- KNOB 1Track length
- KNOB 2Velocity
- KNOB 3Rotate
- KNOB 4Euclid: spread hits evenly
- B 1All tracks ×2 / ÷2
- B 2Copy ×2: copy the notes along
- B 3Accent
- B 4Speed: 1/8× … 2×
OCT−/+ change the bar, SHIFT + OCT+ adds a bar.
P-LOCK (C#5): hold a step and turn a knob to store that value for this step only. With REC + PLAY knob turns are recorded live.
NUDGE (D#5): hold a step, KNOB 1 moves it up to ±15/32 of a step.
FILL (hold F#5): steps with the FILL condition play only now.
Live pads
ReachSEQ ×2
All eight sounds as pads: F3–C4 normal, D4–G5 accented. With REC + PLAY every hit is written into the pattern.
- KNOB 1Pad velocity
- KNOB 2Quantize grid
- KNOB 3Rounding: nearest / before
- KNOB 4Metronome
Tracks
ReachSEQ ×3
The eight tracks with note count, mute and solo. White keys 1–8 pick the sound silently.
- KNOB 1Track
- KNOB 2Mute
- KNOB 3Solo
- KNOB 4Turn to clear the track
- B 2All on
- B 4Turn to clear the pattern
A#4 (undo) brings back what you cleared.
Quantize
ReachHold REC
How hits played live are placed on the grid.
- KNOB 1Grid 1/16, 1/8, 1/4
- KNOB 2Rounding
- KNOB 3Metronome
Note repeat
ReachTap ARP (on/off) or hold
Held pads repeat in time. D4–G5 choose the rate.
- KNOB 1Rate
- KNOB 2Velocity
- KNOB 3Velocity ramp
- KNOB 4Latch
- B 1Humanize
Chapter · 4
Sounds
Each of the eight sounds has a synth layer and a sample layer. SELECT picks the sound, the header shows it.
Synth 1–4 / 5–8
ReachEDIT, EDIT ×2
The synth layer's eight parameters; depending on the sound for example pitch, decay, pitch envelope, click, wave, FM and drive.
- KNOB 1–4Parameters 1–4 (page 2: 5–8)
ALGORITHM rolls a new sound, SHIFT + ALGORITHM steps through the samples.
Sample layer
ReachEDIT ×3
A transient or sample on top of the synth: from the LXR transients, the sound's own samples or the machine samples.
- KNOB 1Sample
- KNOB 2Level
- KNOB 3Pitch (25–175 %)
- KNOB 4Synth level
Sample 2
ReachEDIT ×4
Fine work on the sample.
- KNOB 1Start
- KNOB 2Tone
- KNOB 3Bend
- KNOB 4Decay
Sound mix
ReachEDIT ×5
Level, pan and effect sends of the chosen sound.
- KNOB 1Level
- KNOB 2Pan
- KNOB 3Delay send
- KNOB 4Reverb send
- B 1Drive send
Envelope
ReachTap ENV
The sound's envelope. With GATE the sound holds for a while, then fades with RELEASE.
- KNOB 1Attack
- KNOB 2Decay
- KNOB 3Release
- KNOB 4Gate (off, ¼ … 16 steps)
LFO 1 / LFO 2
ReachLFO, LFO ×2
Two LFOs per sound, synced to the tempo.
- KNOB 1Target: pitch, filter, decay, level, pan, sample
- KNOB 2Wave
- KNOB 3Rate 1/16 … 8 bars
- KNOB 4Depth
Sound defaults
ReachHold EDIT; OCT−/+ synth / sample
Sets how rolled sounds come out (ALGORITHM, SHIFT + D#4). RND leaves a value to chance. Applies to every patch.
- KNOB 1Synth: volume / sample: level
- KNOB 2Synth: synth level / sample: pitch
- KNOB 3Synth: pitch ± / sample: decay
- KNOB 4Synth: decay / sample: which samples
Chapter · 5
Effects
Drive, delay and reverb live on FX, one tap per page. You set the sends per sound.
FX sends
ReachTap FX
The chosen sound's three sends and its level.
- KNOB 1Drive
- KNOB 2Delay
- KNOB 3Reverb
- KNOB 4Level
Drive
ReachFX ×2
Distortion for sounds with a drive send.
- KNOB 1Mode: soft, hard, fold
- KNOB 2Amount
- KNOB 3Tone
- KNOB 4Level
Delay
ReachFX ×3, FX ×4
Tempo-synced delay, mono, stereo or ping-pong.
- KNOB 1Mode
- KNOB 2Time
- KNOB 3Time right
- KNOB 4Feedback
Delay 2: tone and level.
Reverb
ReachFX ×5
Reverb with pre-delay.
- KNOB 1Size
- KNOB 2Damp
- KNOB 3Level
- KNOB 4Pre-delay up to 180 ms
Master filter
ReachFX ×6
One knob for the whole mix: low-pass to the left, high-pass to the right, off in the centre. Saved with the kit.
- KNOB 1Filter
- KNOB 2Resonance
Ideal from a MIDI controller: assign it with CC LEARN.
Chapter · 6
Mix and master
Tap GLO briefly for the mixer; tap again or turn SELECT for pan, compressor, limiter and output.
Mixer and pan
ReachGLO, GLO ×2; OCT−/+ sounds 1–4 / 5–8
Four sounds at a time with fader and meter. A red dot blinks when a sound goes over 0 dB at the output.
- KNOB 1–4Level (pan page: pan) of the four sounds
Compressor
ReachGLO ×3
Compresses the whole mix. The graph shows the curve, the level as a red dot and the gain reduction.
- KNOB 1Threshold 0 … −40 dB
- KNOB 2Ratio 1:1 … 10:1, LIMIT
- KNOB 3Attack 0.5–50 ms
- KNOB 4Release 20–1000 ms
For drums: attack 10–20 ms, release 100–200 ms, 3:1 or 4:1.
Limiter
ReachGLO ×4
Holds the peaks under the ceiling with 0.7 ms look-ahead. When on, the mix reaches the output without saturation.
- KNOB 1Makeup up to +24 dB
- KNOB 2Limiter on/off
- KNOB 3Ceiling −12 … 0 dB
- KNOB 4Release
Output
ReachGLO ×5
Auto level holds every sound under the target automatically; the graph shows how many dB it lowers each one. Your faders stay as they are.
- KNOB 1Pre-clip: shave peaks before the compressor
- KNOB 2Auto level on/off
- KNOB 3Target −12 … 0 dB
- KNOB 4Output 0 / +3 / +6 dB
Chapter · 7
Patterns and song
Every patch has 16 patterns. You can chain them and arrange them into a song.
Patterns
ReachTap SCL
A white key picks the pattern (while playing it switches at the pattern's end). Hold one key and press another to chain: 2 + 5 plays 2-3-4-5.
- KNOB 1Pattern
- KNOB 2Chain
- KNOB 3Copy
- KNOB 4Paste
Song
ReachSCL ×2
Up to 32 rows of pattern and repeats. Press white keys one after another to enter the rows.
- KNOB 1Row
- KNOB 2Pattern
- KNOB 3Repeats
- KNOB 4Song on/off
- B 1Number of rows
- B 2At the end: loop / stop
Chapter · 8
Saving patches
36 slots. A patch holds the kit, 16 patterns, the song and two snapshots.
Store
ReachTap SAVE
SELECT picks the row (1–9 … 28–36), white keys 1–9 the slot: a used one loads at once. OCT+ saves to the chosen slot. The loaded patch is marked red.
- KNOB 1Slot
- KNOB 2What is saved: kit + pattern, kit, pattern
- KNOB 3What is loaded
- KNOB 4Turn to load
PRESETS also picks the slot; with SHIFT it browses the patches and loads them.
New patch
ReachSAVE ×2
A new empty patch with 16 empty patterns. Only OCT+ saves it.
- KNOB 1Length
- KNOB 2Speed
- KNOB 3Tempo
- KNOB 4Turn to create
- B 1Kit: factory / keep
Chapter · 9
MIDI
Everything over USB MIDI: clock, notes per sound and controller mapping.
MIDI
ReachHOME ×2
Internal or external clock, clock output, and the chosen sound's channel and note. A sound alone on its channel is played tonally by notes there (C3 = its own pitch).
- KNOB 1Clock INT / EXT
- KNOB 2Clock out
- KNOB 3Sound's channel
- KNOB 4Sound's note
- B 1MIDI in channel
CC learn
ReachHOME ×3
Set to ON, turn a knob, then move the control on your controller. Up to 32 mappings, mute and solo included.
- KNOB 1Learn on / off / clear all
- KNOB 2Pick an entry
- KNOB 3Turn to delete the entry
Performance
Black keys
They work on every page. Snapshots keep a whole sound state: hold to play it, let go to return to the patch's sound.
| Key | Function | With SHIFT |
|---|---|---|
| F#3 | Hold snapshot 1 | Keep snapshot 1 |
| G#3 | Hold snapshot 2 | Keep snapshot 2 |
| A#3 | Mute | All on |
| C#4 | Solo | Solo off |
| D#4 | Random mute; hold long: all on | New sound |
| F#4 | Copy bar | Copy pattern |
| G#4 | Paste bar | Paste pattern |
| A#4 | Undo | Redo |
| C#5 | P-LOCK on/off | Accent mode |
| D#5 | NUDGE on/off | Follow |
| F#5 | FILL (hold) | Tap tempo |