synth.f performance and catkit workshop, Piksel 07, Bergen (NO)
synth.f
Synth.f is a performance by Aymeric Mansoux, Tom Schouten and Marloes de Valk. It’s a live improvisation using home grown 1bit synths. The synths are build using the CATkit board, an open hardware project. The boards contain a PIC 18F microcontroller, and have 5 knobs and 4 buttons as interface. The microcontroller is programmed using the purrr programming language.
Synth.f was first performed at Piksel festival, friday the 13th 2006. During this performance 3 synths were used, 2 connected to computers and 1 stand-alone (in the shape of a toy piano), to produce a wall of 1bit sound. The second iteration of the performance took place on Sunday the 18th of November 2007.
catkit workshop
Workshop CATkit
15 – 16 November 2007
Techniker Kroen, Bergen, Norway
Price: € 30,- for the board + components
Guests: Tom Schouten, Aymeric Mansoux and Marloes de Valk
BEK and GOTO10
This is the latest evolution of what was drafted and shown at piksel06. We’re not playing with breadboards anymore, but we have designed a PCB, selected some components, and designed a complete standalone 1-bit synth that can be programmed interactively via a computer running GNU/Linux, connected to the kit using a TTL-232R cable.
In the two day workshop we will do the following:
* solder the components to the CATkit board
* get familiar with some basic Purrr (Forth) commands
* incrementally create a custum 1-bit synth controller Purrr program
At the end of the workshop, the development cable is disconnected, and you go home with a little battery operated toy synth.
Please note that the focus of the workshop is on programming, not electronics. However, the Purrr language is very easy to learn, despite it being quite lowlevel. A little bit of programming experience might help though. The Purrr programming toolchain is based on MzScheme, and we urge you to install it before the workshop starts, or use the pure:dyne distribution provided.