BlastBeats

BlastBeats turns the OPL3 chip into a fast, dirty, brilliantly playable groovebox with six drum voices, four synth parts, per-step tricks, and performance-ready routing.

DOS-era FM, rebuilt for the stage

At its core is the YMF262 OPL3 chip, famous for the sound of early 90s PC audio. BlastBeats takes that unmistakable FM character and makes it direct: kicks, snares, hats, metallic tones, basslines, and hooks can all be pushed from tight and punchy to wild and abrasive.

The point is speed. With deep control close to the surface, BlastBeats lets you shape kits, flip patterns, automate moves, and route instruments without killing momentum.

A groovebox that rewards abuse

Use it as a complete machine for full tracks or as a focused FM rhythm weapon inside a larger setup. The result is raw, lively, and unmistakably hardware-first.

Highlights

• Ten-voice groovebox with six drum voices and four synth instruments
• Vintage OPL3 FM engine with a wide range from clean punch to grime
• Fader automation, tricks, and per-step control for live pattern mutation
• Quad audio outputs with flexible instrument routing
• 100 kits with per-step kit changes for dramatic arrangement shifts
• 64-step patterns with song chaining for longer structures
• SD-card based kit workflow for expanding the machine over time