In this workshop, we use laser-cut wood, wires, screws, electromagnets, glitter, and pipe cleaners to build small robots that can play drums, xylophones, and other instruments we find. Then, we use remote controls to play games, create music, and have fun with the robots!
When we’re ready, we often take a short tour around the venue with our robots, controlling them and making music together.
The workshop is best suited for up to 32 participants and works well for both younger and older audiences.
Topics we cover:
Basic programming
Basic electronics and physics
Music, collaboration, and coordination
Construction and sculpture
Acoustics and sound
Short overview:
We start by spending about 30–45 minutes building music robots using laser- cut parts, screws, nuts, and simple electronics.
After building, we play the rhythm game Micro:bit Orchestra Hero, where participants compete for points and can compare their scores with other teams on a global high score list.
The participants program their robots to automatically play rhythms using a sequencer. We explore how an orchestra works, create rhythms together, and experiment with different sounds and tempos.
Finally, we document the robots with photos before taking them apart and cleaning up.
Detailed process:
1. Building the robots
The workshop begins with participants being handed the most important parts (the robot’s “brain” and “muscles”) one by one, while we connect them together as a group. This involves only two electromagnets (“robot muscles”) and one battery. Then, participants are given quick examples of what the rest of the robot might look like before receiving laser-cut wooden pieces, screws, nuts, and drums.
Participants work in pairs, and the only rules are that their robot must be able to hit the drums they’ve been given and must not look like any of the other robots. The robot brain (based on a micro:bit) has two buttons that can be used to test how the muscles work during construction.
Building takes 30–45 minutes, and as the robots start taking shape, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and other decorative materials are also introduced. Throughout the process, the workshop leader occasionally plays music from speakers that is synchronized with drumming from the unfinished robots—much to the surprise and amusement of the participants. This works via a simple website connected to the micro:bit:
Participants are free to build however they want. Some focus on making highly functional robots that play well or produce unique sounds, while others focus on making beautiful robots or unusual, impressive constructions.
Near the end of the building phase, remote controls (also micro:bits) are handed out to each pair, allowing them to control and test their robot more easily.
2. Game: Micro:bit Orchestra Hero
Once everyone has finished building, it’s time to play Micro:bit Orchestra Hero. This is a rhythm game (similar to Guitar Hero) that runs on the workshop leader’s computer and connects wirelessly to all the participants’ remote controls.
Each participant is assigned a button to press, and after the game ends, they see their score—which can also be entered into an online high score list. It’s exciting to see how well you do compared to other schools, regions, or even countries (at the time of writing, the list contains 1,029 teams).
After the game and scoring, participants shift from beingmusicians who directly control their robots to composers who program musical sequences for their robots to play automatically.
Before starting, we discuss what an orchestra is and how a “sequencer” is used to make music. We also do a group exercise where participants are split into three groups (“stomp,” “clap,” and “hey”), and the leader counts through a grid while participants make their sound when it’s their turn.
Participants then get a quick introduction to how the same logic works on their remote control, which switches from a simple controller to a sequencer for their robot. They have a few minutes to create a rhythm for their robot (which now plays in sync with all the others) before we go around and listen to each pair’s rhythm.
We then try adding creative rules for composition, like “make a new rhythm but only use 3 sounds” or “make a new rhythm but use at least 5 sounds.” We discuss which results we found the most interesting, and play around with different rhythms and tempos.
5. Photoshoot and cleanup
When we’re done making music together, it’s time to wrap up. The workshop leader photographs all the robots before they’re disassembled and the parts are packed away for the next workshop.
