TinyGreg Model-TG: custom Elektron Model:Cycles firmware adds a powerful sampler engine

TinyGreg Model-TG is a new custom Elektron Model:Cycles firmware that adds a sampler with various playback engines and more.

In recent days, the market for custom firmware for hardware musical instruments has literally exploded. AI tools like Claude now make tasks that once required coding skills and long hours of work possible. 

Yesterday, I reported on a custom firmware for the Elektron Model:Cycles that adds a host of new features. But that’s not all. TinyGreg has released Model-TG, another custom OS that supercharges its initial sound design capabilities.

TinyGreg Model-TG

Model-TG is a new custom unofficial firmware for the Elektron Model:Cycles. According to TinyGreg, the Model-TG is built on your computer from your own copy of the stock OS. It patches new code into the firmware, so everything the Cycles already does keeps working.

The Elektron Model:Cycles is a hands-on 6-track FM synth groovebox and drum machine. The OG firmware features six machines powered by FM synthesis, covering both percussive and melodic synths.

With this new custom firmware, you keep access to all six FM machines and all their parameters. However, it also opens a whole new sound design world.

Mighty Sample Machine

It introduces an all-new sampler machine, the seventh machine on any track. This machine incorporates elements familiar from the Model:Samples, effectively turning the Cycles into a “Model:Hybrid. 

It plays stereo samples from the Cycles’ internal storage, with a different sample per pattern and p-lockable per-step sample locks. That’s cool, but it’s not the most exciting part. 

The new sampler machine comes with seven distinct playback modes, including classic ones like one-shot, loop, or slice, but also more powerful ones: granular, stretch (time-stretch), pluck (Karplus-Strong), and wavetable, each with its own options.

The granular, wavetable, and pluck engines alone elevate the device to a whole new level. It’s incredible what the internal CPU can do. And there is more! 

Model-TG also adds slicing capabilities with a dedicated slice editor, plus internal track resampling. You read that right. You can now resample the whole output or the computer’s USB audio in mono or stereo straight onto a track. Once done, it’s then saved to internal storage.

More Features

TinyGreg Model-TG also brings a retrig page with beat-repeat on the tempo grid and plus 12 master FX (drive, crush, rate, pump, filter, ring mod, noise riser, gate, tape stop, vinyl, flanger).

The new custom firmware also adds attack to the envelope, and a filter with cutoff and resonance controls to all stock FM machines.

You’ll also find scale lock, sample upload through Elektron Transfer, and a system page with CPU and memory use.

Multi-track audio via USB isn’t available in this firmware, but it is in the other one from 18nelli18.

TinyGreg Model-TG First Impression

The alternative firmware market is really taking shape—it’s almost scary to see what’s possible. It’s crazy what you can pack into such small devices. If the firmware runs stably and can do all that, it’s a huge upgrade for the little Elektron box.

TinyGreg Model-TG is available now as a free download. Keep in mind: this is a custom, unofficial firmware that can brick your hardware. So, use it at your own risk! 

More information here: GitHub

Elektron Model:Cycles is available from my partner

Thomann

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