ZEN-1 禅
Ambient scenes for the M-VAVE FM-1, in your browser: the same code the FM-1 runs, with sound.
Turn your phone sideways for bigger controls.
Start here
- Press Switch on on the panel. It plays by itself: you never need to touch anything.
- Turn PRESETS to change the scene, and ALGORITHM to change the mood.
- Press PLAY for a new picture, and try the white keys: they play along with the scene.
ZEN-1 has two modes, and the same buttons and keys do different things in each: a scene (the ambient mode it starts in) and the koto instrument. Hold HOME to switch between them; the screen shows which one you're in.
In a scene (the ambient mode)
- PRESETS: the scene (Sakura, Koi, Hotaru).
- ALGORITHM: the mood (the time of day and the feel).
- SELECT: Activity, how busy the scene is (petals, koi food or fireflies, and so how many notes).
- KNOB 1–4: the four settings on the page that's showing.
- FX: show the knob pages and step through them: Scene, Volume, Nature, Music. SEL goes back a page.
- GLO: painted look or pixel art.
- PLAY: a new picture (a new tree, pond, or field and moon).
- HOME
- Tap: the battery, the scene and the mood.
- Hold: the koto instrument (below); hold again to come back.
- SEQ: the sleep timer, from 15 minutes to 8 hours.
- SAVE
- Tap: save now (it also saves by itself).
- Hold 3 seconds: reset everything.
- OCT− / OCT+: the notes an octave down or up.
- MASTER: the volume.
- White keys: notes that always fit, and the scene answers.
- Sakura: the blossoms shake and petals land with your note.
- Koi: you drop food, and the koi play your note back as they find it.
- Hotaru: a firefly rises to your note's height.
- Black keys: each scene's own.
- Sakura: a harp, ringing out on the river.
- Koi: pebbles on singing bowls; the top key tips the bamboo.
- Hotaru: firefly flashes; the top key sends a breeze.
Everything the scenes do is in the guide.
In the koto instrument (hold HOME)
- White keys: mi fa la ti do, three times, and a top mi (the ST-50's lower row). The lit keys are the tonics.
- Black keys: the upper row (fa♯ sol ti♭ do♯ re). With SEQ on, ornaments: vibrato, trill, damp, strong pluck.
- SELECT: 本数 (the key). PRESETS: the instrument. ALGORITHM: the scale (IN, YŌ, MIN'YŌ).
- KNOB 1–4: the four values on the screen.
- HOME page: 余韻 (ring), trill rate, vibrato depth, reverb.
- FX: the sound page. EDIT: the bend page.
- LFO: vibrato. ARP: trill. GLO: mono or poly.
- SEL
- Tap: equal (平均律) or just (純正律) tuning.
- Hold: the tuning page.
- OCT− / OCT+: with a note held, a sprung bend down or up; with none, the octave.
- SAVE: tap to save, hold 3 seconds to reset everything. HOME held: back to the scene.
Mouse and touch
- Knobs: drag up or down, or use the scroll wheel over one.
- Buttons and keys: click or touch. Drag across the white keys for a glissando. Several fingers work at once on a touch screen.
- Holding a button (for a combination): Shift-click or right-click it; click again to let go.
Keyboard
- Tab moves through every knob, button and key, and each one says what it does.
- Space or Enter holds a button or key down while you hold it. Shift+Enter keeps a button down until you press it again.
- Knobs: the arrow keys; Page Up / Page Down for bigger steps. MASTER also takes Home / End.
Keyboard shortcuts
These work while the page has focus (not in a text field); the switch under the panel turns them off. Each key presses a control on the panel, so what it does depends on the mode.
| Key | Presses | In a scene | In the koto instrument |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q–I, A–K | White keys 1–8, 9–16 | Notes that fit the music; the scene answers | mi fa la ti do ×3 and a top mi |
| 1–0, - | Black keys 1–11 | The scene's own: harp, pebbles or firefly flashes; the top key the bamboo or a breeze | The upper row (fa♯ sol ti♭ do♯ re), or ornaments with SEQ on |
| Z / X | OCT− / OCT+ | The notes an octave down / up | With a note held: bend down / up. With none: the octave |
| ↑ / ↓ | SELECT | Activity: how busy the scene is | 本数 (the key) |
| Esc | HOME | Tap: battery, scene and mood. Hold: to the koto | Tap: the home page. Hold: back to the scene |
| Shift | LFO | Not used | Vibrato on / off |
| / | ARP | Not used | Trill on / off |
Every other control (FX, SEL, GLO, PLAY, SEQ, SAVE and the knobs) is on the panel: click it, or reach it with Tab.