SYNC PULSE ORCHESTRA
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Some times artists are isolated, lonely perhaps, or feel they need to work on their own exclusively. At Access Space we believe collaboration
is an essential part of artistic practice.
The Sync Pulse Orchestra, an electronics and collaborative performance workshop, is based around the most basic part of a computer, the CMOS
chip (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/CMOS.html).
The workshop is 4-5hrs long and for up to 12 participants. There would be no soldering involved, so a complete beginner can participate.
Participants will build a 6 voice synthesiser and perform an improvised
score at the end of the workshop. The synths are synced together so that participants collaborate in performance regardless of whether they want
to or not! And they will learn to create a whole from listening to each
other.
We will bring specially created CMOS synth kits with heart-shaped Sync Pulse Orchestra logos and laser cut heart-shaped badges for participants
to show they have experienced the joy of performing with others. Sync Pulse synths will be free for participants to take away with them.

Below is a circuit diagram and a graphic of the finished synth. They are easy to build and if you'd like to make one yourself, please do!

We wanted to design a workshop that was easily accessible for anyone, whether a participant had no experience of electronics or had quite a lot. The idea was for a collaboration at the end, so each person will have joined in both the building of an intrument and making the "orchestra" noise.

Also the synth had to be inexpensive so anyone can build one whether they came on the workshop or not! The answer to our question about expense came in the form of the CMOS chip, and that is how the workshop evolved.

Here are some photos of people collaborating using the synth at the workshop at PixelLab #10

Workshop leader – John X. Moseley
John is a tinkerer, musician and engineer, a creator of strange and wonderful electronic objects and music making gadgets. He is the
inventor of ArtBot, an autonomous, free roaming robot which paints pictures in an abstract style. John created ArtBot because he wanted to
submit work to an exhibition by didn't think of himself as a painter...so he invented one. ArtBot's first work was exhibited at 20x20
2009 in Sheffield. John helped set up and now manages Refab Space, Access Space's DIY FabLab. His music can be heard at
https://soundcloud.com/jo_mo, some photos of his electronics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/j0_m

Twitter @_Jo_Mo