Pikobeats - Alternative Firmware for the Pikocore Sample player

A Euclidean rhythm generator for Zack Scholl's wonderful Pikocore sample player. Completely new code written in Arduino for easy hacking!
Pikocore docs: infinitedigits...
Download the source code and some sample binaries: github.com/rhe...
Check out my groovebox firmware for the Pikocore: • "Piko-33" Groovebox Fi...
Written with Arduino Pico: arduino-pico.r...

[@edboymovies]

Great demonstration on the pikobeats. Does your DIY have custom switches to allow for those caps?

[@rheslip20]

The switches I used have longer stems than the ones Zack uses. I bought the caps on Aliexpress and glued them on - easier on the fingers!

[@edboymovies]

@@rheslip20 Awesome! Also, maybe its a misunderstanding on my part. I was attempting to add my own samples in this build with Arduino. When compiling the code to upload. I get a compilation error and something like #include "pico/stdio.h" no such file or directory. I believe I got the right driver for the pico, just not sure if that's the issue either. I looked around to make sure that board was loaded onto Arduino.

[@rheslip20]

@@edboymovies That generally happens when you have the wrong board selected in the Arduino IDE. You have to install the Pico Arduino package by Earle Philhower github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico. After that you have to choose the correct board before compiling. I use the VCC-GND YD RP2040 with 16mb flash selected in the "tools" section but it depends on the board you are using. You definitely need a 16mb board if you want to load a lot of samples.

[@user-go6rq8hk5d]

Great project, I'm delighted, I uploaded my audio files, it sounds very good, but one question worries me: how can I add a CV input there so that I can synchronize it with other devices? I will be very grateful for your answer and help;)

[@rheslip20]

I added sync out at 1 clock per sixteenth note for the guy in the comments below and it didn't work correctly with his hardware. There doesn't seem to be any standardization in how external clocks work - what edge to clock on, how many clock ticks per beat etc. MIDI clock is standardized but the stock Pikocore doesn't have MIDI. Best bet is change the code to make it work with your setup. Modify do_clocks() in seq.h to use an external clock instead of the internal timer.

[@user-go6rq8hk5d]

Thanks for the information, I’ll try to do it, and the CV output works fine for me (it’s good that you added it), but sometimes I need to be able to control the picobeat tempo using another device, so I need not only the output, but also the input, it turns out I need to change value in do_clocks()?

[@rheslip20]

@@user-go6rq8hk5d Its not as simple as changing a value. You have to monitor the clock input signal, detect the correct clock edge and use it to advance the sequencers. When external clock is present you must NOT use the internal timer to clock the sequencers or it will mess the timing up. Its not super difficult code but its not simple either which is why I didn't implement it.

[@user-go6rq8hk5d]

​@@rheslip20Thank you very much for your answer

[@user-go6rq8hk5d]

Good afternoon, please tell me, everything worked well, but then the functions got mixed up, now everything works as if the USR button was pressed, but it is not closed, what could have happened?

[@rheslip20]

Are you sure you used the right I/O pins? The USR button is GPIO 24, CLKIN is GPIO 22.

[@user-go6rq8hk5d]

Yes, apparently soldering liquid got on the board, as it turned out it is very sensitive to any changes in resistance, thank you very much for your answer, the problem was solved;)

[@user-go6rq8hk5d]

Please tell me what could be the matter? Sometimes the encoding program works very strangely, or encodes one file, or not all of the list, but only part of it, perhaps there are some conditions for its use? I cut my samples in Wav format by seconds, renamed them to C1, C2, C3 and so on, because the program did not accept long names, now even in the Arduino IDE it gives an error in the line num samples, maybe there is some kind of instruction Wav files can be uploaded there, name length, playback time?

[@rheslip20]

Source files should be 22 or 44khz .wav 16 bit signed .wav files. It does not handle 24 bit or float samples. It tries to munge the filename down to 8.3 format because that's what I use in my other Arduino programs that actually use the filename. Chances are your filenames conflict after it converts it to 8.3. Source code for the utility is in the resources folder in github with instructions on how to recompile it if you want to modify it.

[@user-go6rq8hk5d]

Thanks for the answer, I'll try it

[@user-ii2jm3tj2o]

I like this a lot but the sync out goes like crazy with volca and does not react to usr+first button. Is it not implemented?

[@rheslip20]

I have not implemented clock in and out yet.

[@user-ii2jm3tj2o]

@@rheslip20 And are going to? If you do, I am sure to make a track with this. I even ordered universal pcbs as the postage from US to Slovakia is much too high. I used to write code but that was assembler and very long ago:(.

[@rheslip20]

I'll give it a try. I will have to add the hardware to my board since it doesn't have it. Do you need clock out or clock in? Do you know what the clock speed is? My code is set up for 24 pulses per quarter note but I don't know what the Volca uses.@@user-ii2jm3tj2o

[@user-ii2jm3tj2o]

Volca uses 1 pulse per something, but I plan to use it with east beast which can divide the clock. I am really not an expert and there are many specs. Use Korg system if you can.

[@user-ii2jm3tj2o]

m.kzbin.infoaGAzrES9jbk is my big version runing.....

[@rheslip20]

Sweet!

[@user-ii2jm3tj2o]

Thanks, how about them sync out? One engineer said it was just a matter of sending the beat to a digital output. Is there still hope you will implement it?

[@rheslip20]

@@user-ii2jm3tj2o I added it just for you! It outputs a short pulse at the beginning of each step. It works with my Beatstep Pro if I configure it for 1 pulse per step. Let me know how it works. Updated source and a new Picobeats_clkout.uf2 binary in the build directory: github.com/rheslip/PikoBeats

[@user-ii2jm3tj2o]

@@rheslip20 Thanks so much , man! I am ill right now but will try as soon as I can. Good luck and thanks again!

[@user-ii2jm3tj2o]

And the pin is gp21, correct? I disassembled my pikocore and must add a co nnector to my big rendition I posted for you....

[@ZElTGElST]

Such a great firmware. would say I like this better than the original. I will be probably compiling your code and trying to adapt it to a pico board than I have but is totally different, with 8 multiplexed pots, buttons, leds, screen and midi in In case you would like to develop it further I can send you for free a PCB. So thank you so much for sharing this sweetie!

[@rheslip20]

Thanks! You might want to check out the Pico MIDI Sequencer and Twisty MIDI Controller projects on my github. The MIDI controller uses 16 multiplexed pots, a couple of buttons and a small OLED screen. The MIDI Sequencer uses 16 multiplexed encoders, a couple of buttons and an OLED screen. I used parts of those projects for PikoBeats.

[@ZElTGElST]

@@rheslip20 cool!. I will be taking a look at the code, maybe I can adap it partially. My PCB has midi in. I assume the Twisty is midi out, right? Thank you for pointing it. You can check the PCB here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGnddqWOjtJqack It´s a more recent revision with the external bits integrated. That one is a port of Braids running on a pico and turned into a generative drum machine that you could run on the same pcb too Cheers!

[@ZElTGElST]

Deffo open to do some future collaborations if you feel like. I have been checking your piko beats code and is super easy to understand and editable/hackable/expandible

[@rheslip20]

Thanks. I try to make my code easy for others to use. Hopefully somebody like you comes along and makes something else cool with it! re: collaboration - maybe. pm me if you like rheslip(at)hotmail.com@@ZElTGElST

[@rheslip20]

Twisty is MIDI out over USB. Easy to add hardware MIDI to it, I just haven't needed it yet. Pico sequencer is the same - USB MIDI@@ZElTGElST

[@LeoandThomas]

U think is changeable to make it like the paripi destroyer from synth kids (kinda mini acid machine)...?

[@rheslip20]

Just watched a video on the Paripi Destroyer - it seems a bit more like the stock Pikocore firmware which is open source as well. I just released a new firmware "Piko-33" which turns the Pikocore into a simple groovebox: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2TQq6NjnZp0iJo

[@LeoandThomas]

Uploaded your software...it is awesome....please add a filter to 2 and 3 ...if that is somehow possible..again : awesome software...love it@@rheslip20