DM-404
Tool for SP-404MKII (Roland)
Windows emulator that runs Roland's own SP-404MKII system program 5.52 on an emulated i.MX RT1060 in a QEMU fork, with an on-screen panel, MIDI, TouchOSC control and a VST3 plugin for DAW tracks.
- Distribution
- Prebuilt image you flash yourself
- Requires stock
- 5.52
- License notes
- Mixed licences by directory. The app and plugin (frontend/) are AGPL-3.0-or-later because of JUCE; the QEMU machine models and patches are GPL-2.0-or-later; the effects engine, tools and docs are MIT, with LGPL-2.1 for the DaisySP-LGPL parts it links. Roland's firmware is not included.
- Source
- github.com https://github.com/nickpetty/dm-404
- emulator
- fx
- midi
- sampler
Description
You supply your own copy of Roland's system program on first run; none of Roland's files are in the repository or the release package. The emulator boots the unit to its main screen with blank or existing projects, and supports pads, knobs, the VALUE encoder, LEDs, sampling, resampling, skip back, a 16 GB internal drive and an SD card image. The 48 effects run in a stand-in built on DaisySP, because the unit's effects chip firmware is encrypted. MIDI ports, MIDI learn and clock work, and the DM-404 Link VST3 plugin carries audio and MIDI to and from a DAW track. The unit's USB audio and MIDI device is not emulated, and only Windows 64-bit builds exist so far.
Install notes
Bring your own firmware: download Roland's SP-404MKII system program 5.52 from Roland's support page and give the zip or SP404MKII_APP1.bin to the app when it asks. Unzip a release anywhere, keeping the qemu folder next to DM-404.exe. Copy the VST3 file to your VST3 folder to use the plugin. Nothing is flashed to hardware.
Version history
| Version | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| v0.1.4 | 2026-10-14 | Adds TouchOSC control of the panel. |
| v0.1.3 | 2026-10-06 | Panel layout and scrolling fixes. |
| v0.1.2 | 2026-09-30 |