Firmware Freedom
3 hours ago
- Guitarists typically only use a couple of core sounds despite multi-effects units offering thousands of presets, and hardware design matters more than deep menus.
- Hardware should be purchased for its physical qualities, and users should have the freedom to run any firmware on it, similar to computers or unlocked phones.
- Modern microcontrollers like ESP32-S3 and P4 are cheap ($3-$4) and powerful enough to run full amp models and effects, outperforming dedicated DSPs.
- Amp models and effects are open-source or textbook DSP; there is no proprietary 'secret sauce' holding back community-driven development.
- The goal is to create an open, community-driven firmware ecosystem for guitar processing that runs on any chip, with invite to developers, guitarists, chip makers, and pedal companies to participate.