Running a workshop

Chipgrid was made for 8-bit workshops: people with no software, no music theory and no coding background make chip music and pixel pictures from scratch. This page collects what helps.

What you need

• A device each, or one per pair: laptop, tablet or phone, with a current browser. Laptops are more comfortable for typing; phones work with the on-screen pad.
• Headphones if everyone plays on their own; otherwise the room fills up fast.
• Speakers and a projector for showing, and for the multiplayer stage view.
• For multiplayer: one Linux laptop as the server, and a Wi-Fi network that lets devices see each other (a phone hotspot or a small router if not).

Before

• Open Chipgrid on the devices beforehand, to check sound. Browsers only start sound after a click or a key, and phones in silent mode may stay silent.
• Read the tutorial once: you will know what each chapter asks, and where people get stuck.
• Keep All operators open on the projector or printed, as a cheat sheet.

A way to pace it

One possible order, following the tutorial:

1. Listen first. Load the Demo song example on the projector and point at its parts: drums, melody, chords, bass, the piano roll on the screen. The Why 8-bit? tab has short sound demos of each trick.
2. First sound and melody (chapters 2 and 3). Everyone gets a beep, then a tune they can rewrite. This is where people realise they can change things while it plays.
3. Counting past 9 and drums (chapters 4 and 5). Base 36 is the one abstract idea; the drums make it concrete.
4. Chords, movers, drawing (chapters 6 to 8), then let people choose: more sound (chance and scales, tracks and loops) or more picture (waves, effects, words and sprites).
5. Make something. Load an example close to what someone wants and take it apart. The Recipes are short blocks made to be copied.
6. Show. Record a video with ● REC, or play on the projector. With multiplayer, end on one shared grid with a common pulse sent on an uppercase link.

The tutorial checks each step, so people can go at their own speed; those ahead can carry on through the chapters on their own.

What usually goes wrong

• “No sound.” Press play; check the volume slider and the device’s volume; on a phone, check silent mode.
• “My voice doesn’t play.” The bang must touch it on its left, above or below, not its right. Point at the voice: the Cell tab shows what it reads.
• “A part went missing.” Two voices fighting over one channel: the meters flash STEAL. See When the voices run out.
• “I typed a letter and something moved.” v is a mover, not a value; use another letter or a digit.
• “It all went wrong.” Ctrl+Z goes back, and reset puts the arrows back and clears the screen without touching the code.

More in Questions and problems.