Retro Challenge 2024

For the first time I will be entering the Retro Challenge.

I will be attempting to bring my RC2014 home-built computer into my music, by getting to grips with programming in C on the machine and writing some music software to use Shiela Dixon’s MIDI interface. In keeping with the retro nature of the challenge, I’ll be running it into some ‘vintage’ synths.

There are at least two things I would like to create with the RC2014, but since I haven’t programmed in C for almost 30 years, let’s take it slowly with some basic steps:

  1. Set up RC2014, compiler and transfer software for development and get a “Hello World” working
  2. Output some midi notes, somehow
  3. Create a buffer to play a collection of midi notes in order
  4. Parse a basic midi file into memory
  5. Run through the tracks, passing notes into buffer and playing out through midi

If I can get to that point, then the rest should be straightforward… ish. I hope.

The challenge kicks off tomorrow, so roll on October!

A Yamaha Mu5 mini keyboard sits in front of an RC2014 retro computer
Plugged and ready
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