Getting Started

Creating Your First Block Diagram

Block diagrams provide a visual way to create effects without writing assembly code. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Open the Quick Actions sidebar

    • Click the Audiofab icon in the VS Code Activity Bar on the left

Quick Actions Sidebar

  1. Click “New Block Diagram”

  2. Choose a location and filename for your diagram

  3. Drag blocks from the palette onto the canvas

Visual Block Diagram Editor

  1. Connect blocks by:

    • Clicking an output port on one block

    • Dragging to an input port on another block

  2. Modify block parameters by clicking a block and changing values in the Properties panel

  3. Program to your pedal or export to HEX:

    • Press Ctrl+Shift+P and select “FV-1: Assemble current file and load to EEPROM” to program to your Easy Spin pedal

    • Press Ctrl+Shift+P and select “FV-1: Assemble current file to an Intel HEX file” to save an Intel HEX file

Note

After programming, ensure you rotate the Program select switch off of the current program and back to have the FV-1 reload the new program contents from EEPROM.

Creating Your First Program Bank

You can organize multiple programs (assembly or block diagrams) into a bank of 8 slots:

  1. Open the Quick Actions sidebar

  2. Click “New Program Bank”

  3. Choose a location and filename

  4. Drag .spn or .spndiagram files from the File Explorer onto bank slots

  5. Click the “Program Bank” button to load all programs to your pedal

Assembly Programming

If you prefer traditional FV-1 assembly language:

  1. Create a new .spn file (right-click in Explorer → New File)

  2. The extension provides syntax highlighting and real-time diagnostics

  3. Use Ctrl+Shift+P and select “FV-1: Assemble current file and load to EEPROM” to program to your Easy Spin pedal

Using the Simulator

Test your effects without hardware:

  1. Open a block diagram or assembly file

  2. Click the “Simulate” button in the block diagram editor or press Ctrl+Shift+P and select “FV-1: Run In Simulator”

  3. The simulator provide the following features:

    • Audio Monitor: Hear your effect in real-time

    • Oscilloscope: Visualize any register or signal

    • Spectrogram: Visualize the frequency spectrum of the FV-1 outputs

    • Delay Memory Map: See delay buffer usage

    • Controls: Adjust POT0, POT1, POT2 in real-time

    • Breakpoints: Debug by stepping through instructions

Tips for Success

  • Start simple: Begin with a single effect block and gradually add complexity

  • Monitor resources: Watch the status bar for instruction, register, delay memory and LFO usage

  • Use the simulator: Always test in simulation before programming hardware

  • Check the error list: VS Code’s Problems panel shows compilation errors

Next Steps