Circuit Tracks XT8

Firmware loader & MIDI scope

Local USB MIDI stays between this browser and your Circuit Tracks. The server never receives your firmware file or MIDI log.

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01 / Connection

Connect Web MIDI

Use current Chrome, Edge or Opera over HTTPS. Close Novation Components and other MIDI software first.
Input disconnected Output disconnected

02 / Diagnostic monitor

What is the Tracks sending?

Logs persist only in this browser. XT selection detector is waiting for Shift + track.
Time Dir Channel / type Message Bytes
Connect an input, then play or sequence the Tracks.

03 / Bootloader only

Validate and install firmware

No file loaded
First-hardware-test alpha. A failed update may require official recovery. Use a direct USB cable and stable power. Never disconnect or close this page during transfer.
Build 4694 — latest v0.6.0 alpha · real DX7 (matches Dexed's engine) loading plain .syx files from DX7/ on the card, up to 256 voices · custom reverb, tape delay, lo-fi and chorus (FX view pad 32) · Performance page (second Mixer press) · strum and Degree pads · pattern repeats ×1–8 · Groove · XT queued switching, chains and Scenes. Emulator-tested only. Flash diag 4695 instead if you're doing the DSP load readings. sha256 ae5ac779…17c5fa69
Download build 4694 (.syx) Card pack: DX7 starter + pluck (.zip) Diag 4695 + load readout (.syx) Extra: 32 classic DX7 voices (.zip, copy 00_DX7.SYX into DX7/) DSP load meter New pad pages
Build 4548 — last good, re-flash to play v0.2.20 · pure XT8 (generator/patterns/chord/arp), no DSP. Stable daily driver; pack-switching fixed, project isolation on. sha256 33aad6e77662636910dc1a22e4640b07d62bf28dad34743d228b34ac33d5860b
Download build 4548 (.syx) Official recovery (.syx)
Build 4660 — SysEx debug monitor v0.3.13 (same as 4646) + a read-mostly debug monitor for hardware probes with tooling/ctdebug.py on the laptop. Flash this first for the debugging session. sha256 8a94f392…a82067a9
Download build 4660 (.syx)

Pad layouts and button gestures live on the cheat sheet; walkthroughs and recipes in the Generator guide.

The file will be decoded locally and its product, structure, padding and firmware CRC checked before the install controls become available.

Enter the official bootloader

  1. Power the Tracks off.
  2. Hold Scales + Preset + Note while powering it on.
  3. Reconnect MIDI above and select both ports whose names contain Boot.
Safety checks
Waiting for a validated file and bootloader ports 0%
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How this loader behaves

It mirrors Components’ Circuit Tracks transport: update-init and header are sent first, then one firmware block per bootloader request. It stops on timeout, disconnection, cancellation or CRC-error status, and reports success only after the bootloader returns its final viable-composition status.

Build 4694 · v0.6.0

Hardware checklist

Do each step and tick it when you see or hear what's in bold. Ticks and notes stay in this browser. Photos of the grid help most for colours.

Before you start: known gaps

Biggest image yet (449,280 B, 9,472 B under the 0x70000 limit). If the updater rejects it, the unit keeps its old firmware: note it and stop.

DX7 notes can drop, or possibly crackle, under load. The stock DSP sheds busy voices. The emulator puts the first drop at the 7th or the 11th held DX7 note (it depends on a block length it can't pin down). In the second case the DSP is at 98-105% of its time budget from about the 9th note, so you might hear crackle before anything drops. The load calibration measures it; here, just note when it happens.

Knob 8 on a DX7 Synth scales the voice's carrier level, so its loudness and brightness, from the next note; held notes don't change.

Fill doesn't jump XT lanes, only stock tracks.

Tape delay is not tempo-synced (time in ms) and has no wow yet.

Lo-fi and chorus are not saved with the Project; they live in battery-backed memory, so they survive power-off but follow you across Projects. The custom reverb and tape choices are saved with the Project.

Knob 2 in Pattern Settings is Groove, so a drum track loses macro 2 on that page.

XT lanes ignore Scene mutes.

Flash and boot (~3 min)

Pattern switching and the card (~8 min)

Sound (~8 min)

Keeping it (~3 min)

Feel and look (~6 min)

Notes