Bergen Centre for Electronic Arts

COSMO

Csound is a powerful, multi-platform, real-time sound-processing environment that enables musicians to design their own instruments and audio-effects by writing a few lines of Csound code. The aim of the “Csound On Stage Music Operator” (COSMO) project was to embed Csound into a standalone musical device especially designed for live performance.

An advantage of such an embedded design is the straightforward inclusion of individual designed digital audio-effects into a regular live-electronics setup and provide direct haptic control of Csound to the performing musician. Such a musical device may also enable non-programming instrumentalists to include Csound in their analog live-performance setups.

The base design allows for 9V powering, regular quarter jack-in and jack-outputs for sound, MIDI in/out (via USB), up to 8 analog controller inputs (pot meter, expression pedal jack or other sensors) and 8 digital controller in/outs (switches and LEDs). Csound 6 (Csound Python API) is running on a Raspberry Pi micro- computer, equipped with an additional sound card for low latency audio input and audio output and a custom designed PCB board COSMO Cross Mixer that provides relay based true bypass and a stereo dry/wet mixer circuit. Everything will be mounted into either a sturdy aluminium box or a elegant wooden box. Both boxes will provide access to the USB and Ethernet ports on the Raspberry Pi for easy access to loading in new Csound files and connecting additional devices.

Participants will make their own design based on the available choices (type and amount of controllers and their physical layout) and then proceed to build their very own COSMO box by soldering and mounting the different components.

Go to https://www.facebook.com/cosmoproject or http://cosmoproject.github.io for more info and the latest updates on The COSMO Project.

Dates and time

Saturday November 12 10:00 – 18:00
Sunday November 13 10:00 – 18:00

Workshop fee

All necessary components will be brought by the workshop holders and are included in the workshop fee. The fee varied depending on what box you want to build:

Singing up

Sign up to the workshop by sending a mail to trond.lossius@bek.no with the following information:

• Name
• Address
• E-mail
• Phone number
• What box type you opt for

Maximum 10 participants, so sign up early!

Deadline for signing up: October 30