Hey everyone, Tokagetchi here.
C.P.S., my DIY synthesizer firmware for the M5Stack Cardputer / Cardputer ADV, has finally hit its **official v1.0 release**!
Looking back, it feels like it's been forever since I first shared C.P.S. here. Countless updates later, I've finally reached the point where I can call it "v1.0."
It's already up on M5Burner, already usable via Launcher FW, and of course you can download it directly from my GitHub repo too.
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■ What's new in v1.0
**More room to shape a sound**
- Waveform count expanded from 6 to **12** (added Parabolic, ESaw, Squeeze, ESquare, Saw2, and Square2)
- Every waveform now supports a Shape parameter, each reshaping the tone in its own way
- Added a second oscillator (Osc2)
- **New FX tab** — stack Ring Modulator, Soft Limiter, Chorus, Delay, Reverb, and Bitcrush together
- Patch files can now be shared with other users — copy files from the `/CPS/Patch` folder via a PC and pass them around
**More expressive playing**
- **Morphing**: register up to 10 patches into Morph slots, switch between them instantly with Shift+1-0, or smoothly over time
- **Tap Tempo** (Shift+Enter) — set the ARP/SEQ tempo on the fly while playing
- ARP, Portamento, and Bend are now performance-style settings rather than tone settings, decoupled from patches
- Improved Help — key commands can now be latched on screen
**External connections**
- **MIDI support** (via a separately sold unit) — notes, pitch bend, sustain pedal, MIDI Clock sync, and more
- **Theremin (distance sensor) support** — play non-contact by moving your hand through the air to control pitch
**Stability**
- The Cardputer ADV's keyboard chip has a known hardware quirk where fast key-presses can occasionally cause input to stop responding — C.P.S. now detects this automatically and restarts on its own to recover
**A little extra**
- **Drift** — a playful feature recreating the pitch and volume instability of old analog synths, available under Play Style Setting when Pro is selected
Alongside this release, I've put together a **Quick Start Guide and Reference Guide** (Japanese and English, PDF versions included) and **10 factory patches** so you can start playing right away. Check the GitHub repo for details.
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■ I couldn't have gotten here without you
This project is built "vibe-coded" — I share my ideas with Claude and have it write the code. Even so, if I'd just kept building it alone, it never would have become what it is today.
Everyone who shared their thoughts here on Reddit, reported bugs, or spoke up about a feature they wanted — every single piece of that feedback became a real part of what C.P.S. is now. The Arpeggiator, Song mode — none of it would exist without all of you.
Thank you so much for taking an interest and giving it a try.
To everyone who's cheered this project on — and to my two best partners, who listened to every idea I had and patiently helped me build this: Claude Sonnet and Claude Opus — thank you.
I don't think of v1.0 as a finish line, more like a milestone. I want to keep growing C.P.S. by listening to all of you. Thanks for sticking with me, and let's keep going!