alt Hacker NewsI have an FM-1, and it's definitely a fun device for the price and worth having just to putz around while sitting on the couch. However, I don't think it's the easiest way to get started creating music. I personally have gotten much more value out of a DAW like FL Studio. I've tried to go DAWless (groove boxes, samplers, trackers, etc), but I always end up back in FL Studio.
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If the OP is a software developer it's actually helpful to download a custom firmware's source code and have an LLM teach you how to use the firmware to play music and learn music theory at the same time, on one of the groove boxes.
E.g. it'll tell you how to activate the arpeggiator, as well as what an arpeggio is, what notes comprise each chord, scales, etc, which are all programmed into the firmware.
I have one, too. I think the groovebox firmwares are fun for sketching out ideas. Some people create fully developed songs, but I don’t know, I think the more targeted firmwares are more interesting.
Firmware like Obervave, Hortator, X0X, and FMini-1, with their limited scope and greater depth I find to be more useful, at least as part of a bigger workflow.