Students learn Sonic Pi's live_loop, sleep and sample commands, and watch how live coders such as Sam Aaron, who created Sonic Pi, build a piece by re-running changed code without stopping the music. Over four lessons each student composes a piece of about 60 seconds using at least three structures: a drum loop, an event that happens by chance (for example one_in(4) triggering a sample), and a melody generated from a scale and a variable they can change mid-performance. They plan three live edits, such as switching the scale from minor to major or doubling the tempo, and perform the piece to the class by making those edits while it runs. Each student writes a 200-word statement explaining how their structures and edits shaped the form of the piece.
This page is one of a growing set of PICRAT examples by cell, subject and grade. Page maintained by Andy Perryer.