# Firmware freedom for guitarists

> Guitarists can now choose their own firmware for hardware without locking in fixed sounds.
- Title: Firmware freedom for guitarists · Playtaurus | Shortify
- Summary: Guitarists can now choose their own firmware for hardware without locking in fixed sounds. Guitarists can run custom firmware on hardware without being…
- Keywords: coyo pedal, firmware, guitar, open source, dsp, microcontroller, hardware, amp modeler, web audio api, github, esp32, processor
- Source: Playtaurus — https://playtaurus.com/blog/firmware-freedom
- Author: Coyotiv
- Published: 2026-09-22T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: coyo pedal, firmware, guitar, open source, dsp, microcontroller, hardware, amp modeler, web audio api, github, esp32, processor
## Firmware freedom
The article promises firmware freedom for guitar hardware to let users choose what runs on it.
## Two sounds matter most
Guitarists use only two sounds per gig: one clean, one driven, with minimal tweaking.
## Hardware choices matter more
The hardware must have the right inputs, footswitches, mic input, and fit for the guitarist's needs.
## Industry gets it wrong
The industry focuses on menu depth but treats hardware as the delivery mechanism for sounds.
## Ampero II Stage example
The Ampero II Stage has good inputs, footswitches, and a mic input but cannot run full NAM A2 profiles.
## Firmware limits hardware
The hardware's sounds and interface are fixed by firmware, not the user's needs.
## Hardware for hardware
Guitarists should buy hardware for what it is: hardware, not for fixed sounds.
## iRig HD X example
The iRig HD X can be an interface or an amp modeller with different firmware without hardware changes.
## Chips are cheap and powerful
An ESP32-S3 costs $3 and runs A2-Full with six effects, a tuner, and USB audio interface.
## ESP32-P4 is even better
An ESP32-P4 costs $4 and runs two A2-Full models with ten more effect blocks.
## No secret sauce
The amp models are open-source, effects are textbook DSP, and engineering is the hard part.
## Firmware is the only closed thing
Companies keep firmware closed because it is the only thing that is still closed, not because it has magic.
## Full circle
The author built pedalboard.js fifteen years ago and now runs it on hardware with the same code.
## What we want to build
A community-driven firmware for guitar processing that runs on any hardware and processor.
## Key takeaway

Guitarists can run custom firmware on hardware without being locked to a single sound set.