draft: false
Name: The Bells
short-description: Bellringing methods sequencer — 12 change-ringing methods with tempo and jitter, quantised to six scales
summary: |
  A bellringing methods sequencer: plays 12 traditional English change-ringing methods
  (Plain Hunt Minimus through Plain Bob Triples, 4-7 bells), sending each row of the
  method as a v/oct pitch sequence quantised to one of six scales, with a synchronised
  gate pulse per bell strike. Intended to drive oscillators or other CV inputs that can
  respond to permutation patterns.

  Z switch selects mode: Up = Play, Middle = Stop, Down (hold) = Edit. While held down,
  turning a knob selects that knob's edit-mode parameter (method / clock divide / scale);
  releasing Z returns to Play/Stop with the new parameter applied.
Language: C++ (Pico SDK + ComputerCard)
Creator: James Saunders
Version: 1.0.0
Status: Released
demo-link: https://youtu.be/jAWV7_NaBM0?si=06GFGjHGklVmo8Ig
date-created: 2026-06-27
date-updated: 2026-06-30
tags:
  - sequencer
  - bellringing
  - process
  - permutation
  - cv
  - scale
  - generative

panel:
  outputs:
    - id: AudioOut1
      name: Bell samples 1
      description: Sample playback of bell recordings alternating with AudioOut2
    - id: AudioOut2
      name: Bell samples 2
      description: Sample playback of bell recordings alternating with AudioOut1
    - id: CVOut1
      name: Pitch
      description: Calibrated v/oct output, one bell at a time, quantised to the active scale (tenor bell = root note)
    - id: PulseOut1
      name: Bell Gate
      description: ~10ms trigger pulse on each bell strike

controls:
  knobs:
    - when: { z: up }
      main:
        name: Tempo
        description: Raw tempo, 5-300 BPM (individual bell strikes per minute)
      x:
        name: Jitter
        description: Random timing variation, 0-40% of the beat gap
      y:
        name: Covering Tenor
        description: CCW half = off, CW half = on — adds an extra covering bell above the method's bells
    - when: { z: middle }
      main:
        name: Tempo
        description: Same as Play — Stop halts the sequence but tempo/jitter/tenor remain live
      x:
        name: Jitter
        description: Same as Play
      y:
        name: Covering Tenor
        description: Same as Play
    - when: { z: down }
      main:
        name: Method Select
        description: Chooses one of 12 change-ringing methods (see manual for full list); takes effect at the next row boundary
      x:
        name: Clock Divide/Multiply
        description: Seven steps, /8 /4 /2 x1 x2 x4 x8, applied to the tempo
      y:
        name: Scale Select
        description: Six scales — Major, Minor, Pentatonic Major, Pentatonic Minor, Blues, Chromatic

  switch:
    up:
      name: Play
      description: Run the selected change-ringing method
    middle:
      name: Stop
      description: Halt the sequence; tempo, jitter, and covering tenor remain live
    down:
      name: Edit
      description: Hold to edit — Main selects method, X clock divide/multiply, Y scale; release to apply

  leds:
    - when: { z: up }
      display: list
      items:
        - id: LED0
          name: Bell / row
          description: Bells 1-6 shown as a single lit LED matching the bell number; bells 7-8 shown as a single unlit LED among the rest (mirrored), since only 6 LEDs are available
    - when: { z: down }
      display: list
      items:
        - id: LED0
          name: Edit value
          description: Same 1-6-lit / 7-12-mirrored scheme, showing the currently selected method (1-12), clock divide step, or scale, depending on which knob last moved