Programming Music and Synthesizers on-the-fly with Pharo
● Prerequisites:
○ Basic understanding of synthesizers and audio effects
○ No prior experience with Pharo or Smalltalk required
Hardware & Software Requirements
● Computer running macOS, Linux, or Windows
● Pharo 13
● Coypu and Phausto libraries (provided during the workshop)
This hands-on workshop introduces participants to live music programming with Pharo Smalltalk, using two integrated libraries:
Coypu is a domain-specific language for real-time music programming. It allows expressive live coding of rhythms, melodies, and musical structures.
Phausto provides a flexible library of synthesizers and audio effects. It embeds the Faust DSP language into Pharo, offering high-quality sound synthesis through a clean and approachable syntax.
Together, these tools leverage Pharo's unique strengths, its live development environment, immediate feedback, and system introspection, enabling participants to create and manipulate instruments in real-time. No prior experience with Smalltalk or Faust is required. This workshop is ideal for anyone curious about the intersection of programming, sound, and live performance. Every tool used in this workshop is free to use and fully open source.
Workshop Structure
Part 1: Foundations (45 minutes)
● Introduction to live coding: history, philosophy, and the TOPLAP manifesto
● Overview of the Pharo IDE: browsers, inspectors, live feedback
● Smalltalk syntax essentials for musical expression
● Installing Coypu and Phausto and testing the environment
Part 2: Rhythms and Melodies (75 minutes)
● Understanding Coypu's architecture: performers, sequencers, and patterns
● Connecting to audio backends and MIDI devices
● Creating rhythmic patterns with Hexbeat notation
● Exploring stochastic and algorithmic composition techniques
● Using Coypu's string notation for musical structures
● Hands-on exercise: building a live-coded rhythm section
● Real-time parameter modulation and group improvisation
Part 3: Sound Design with Phausto (75 minutes)
● Introduction to Phausto’s synthesis components: oscillators, filters,
envelopes
● Understanding signal routing and chaining effects
● Building a custom synthesizer from scratch
● Creating and applying audio effects
● Connecting Phausto instruments to Coypu sequences
● Assembling a personal instrument library
Part 4: Performance Preparation (20 minutes)
● Organizing instruments into performance-ready classes
● Assigning instruments to Coypu performers
● Performance workflow tips and best practices
Part 5: Visual Interface and Control (25 minutes)
● Introduction to Bloc for creating user interfaces in Pharo
● Building control interfaces for instruments
● Adding mixer controls and visual feedback
● Linking UI elements to musical parameters
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the workshop, participants will have:
● Practical Skills
○ Hands-on experience with Coypu’s pattern language and Phausto’s synthesis toolkit.
○ Live coding practice in both solo and collaborative settings
● Creative Tools
○ A custom set of synthesizers and effects for live performance
● Technical Understanding
○ Concepts in real-time audio, signal processing, and live coding
● Community Engagement
○ An introduction to the live coding community, its collaborative ethos,
and its values of openness, inclusivity, and shared creative practice
Domenico Cipriani
Researcher / Software Developer
EVREF / Inria
Domenico Cipriani (aka Lucretio) is a minimalist dance music producer and sound researcher with over 100 vinyl releases and performances at iconic clubs including Berghain, Tresor, Rex, and Fabric. He is co-founder of the influential label Restoration, a key player in the vinyl resurgence of the late 2000s.
Holding an M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Padova, Domenico bridges research and music technology. Since discovering Symbolic Sound Kyma in 2016, he has specialized in Open Sound Control protocols and presented an interactive network performances at the >>Sonic Experiments<< festival at ZKM.
He currently conducts computer music research with the Inria EVREF team in Lille and develops audio plugins with the indie company Soft Computing, all while remaining active as a DJ and live performer.
Domenico is also the creator of Coypu and Phausto. With Coypu, he has performed at the International Live Coding Conference in Shanghai (2024) and Barcelona (2025).