PikoBeats
A drum sequencer by rheslip. View source.
pikocore
An assembled rp2040-based sampler mangler.
Details
The pikocore is a tiny, handheld, wonderfully hackable music device built for mangling samples on the fly. It holds minutes of gritty 8-bit audio and lets you twist, stretch, retrigger, and reshape sounds in real time using simple controls, tempo-synced effects, and a built-in sequencer. Powered by a single battery or USB-C, it’s designed to be portable, immediate, and fun—whether you’re jamming live, experimenting with custom firmware, or pushing lo-fi textures into unexpected territory.
Videos
3 videosSpecifications
- capable of holding 8 minutes of 8-bit 33 kHz monophonic samples.
- powered by a single alkaline AAA battery for up to 3 hours or by powered by USB-C.
- tempo-synced with a selectable BPM between 60 and 300, with samples mangled by beat-synced effects (stutter, retrig, gate, tunneling).
- loaded with real-time effects like a resonant filter, timestretching, volume, and wavefolding.
- sequenced with a 128-step sequencer with recording/playback.
- saved and loaded via EEPROM for instant patch recall.
- able to load custom firmware, new samples, all through USB-C.
- sync-compatible with Pocket Operators.
- open-source, wonderfully hackable.
Resources
Documentation
Pikocore Guide
Pikocore is a tiny, hackable sampler built for mangling sounds on the fly. This guide covers loading samples and firmware, building the hardware, playing it, syncing it, and fixing common problems.
Current firmware and samples
Current v2 devices use the browser-based Pikocore Loader. It downloads the correct UF2 firmware and connects over USB-C to read, edit, and upload sample banks. Original v1 devices are covered in the legacy archive below.
Demo
More background is available in the Studio Brootle interview and the DJ Iceman review. Assembled devices are also sold by Perfect Circuit, and UK DIY kits are available from Thonk.
DIY build
Noise Kitchen developed an alternative illustrated build guide. Download the PDF build guide, then use the schematic and bill of materials below. Pikocore hardware and firmware source is available on GitHub.
Schematic
Bill of materials
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Pico with RGB | 1 |
| 5V DC-DC step-up | 1 |
| 1.8 mm LED | 8 |
| PJ-320B straight audio jack | 3 |
| 6 × 6 × 4.5 mm button | 8 |
| AAA battery holder, 45 mm pin spacing | 1 |
| SPDT switch | 1 |
| 1 × 3 male header | 1 |
| 10 kΩ potentiometer, RV09 12.5 mm | 4 |
| 1 × 20 female header | 2 |
| 1 × 20 male header | 2 |
| 0.1 µF capacitor | 2 |
| 1 µF capacitor | 1 |
| 10 kΩ resistor | 3 |
| 1 kΩ resistor | 9 |
| 100 Ω resistor | 3 |
| 2N3904 NPN transistor | 1 |
Playing Pikocore
Basics and I/O
Pikocore has eight buttons and four knobs. The top-left jack receives a trigger or Pocket Operator sync signal. The top-right jack is the main audio output. The bottom-right jack carries trigger and audio for Pocket Operator-style sync. Use stereo 3.5 mm cables for every input and output.
Buttons
- Jump: press any button to jump to that relative position in the sample.
- Retrigger: hold one button and press another. The second button selects the retrigger speed; randomized pitch, filter, speed, or volume envelopes may also be applied.
- Stop/play: press the two leftmost and two rightmost buttons at the same time.
Button mashing is encouraged.
Knobs
The rightmost knob controls filter and output level. The leftmost selector knob chooses one of eight modes; the middle two knobs, A and B, then control that mode’s parameters.
| Selector | Knob A | Knob B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sample | Break |
| 2 | Filter | Stretch |
| 3 | Gate | Gate probability |
| 4 | Jump probability | Retrigger probability |
| 5 | Tunnel probability | Reverse probability |
| 6 | Sequencer record | Sequencer on |
| 7 | Save | Load |
| 8 | Volume/fold | Tempo |
- Sample
- Selects among more than 100 samples totaling roughly eight minutes.
- Break
- Moves all probabilities together using varied easing functions.
- Filter
- Controls the resonant low-pass filter.
- Stretch
- Applies a deliberately lo-fi timestretch effect.
- Gate / gate probability
- Controls gating amount and the likelihood that it occurs.
- Jump / retrigger / tunnel / reverse probability
- Sets the chance of changing step, repeating, changing sample, or reversing direction.
- Sequencer
- Records as many as 128 steps; turn clockwise to record or enable, counter-clockwise to erase or disable.
- Save / load
- Saves and recalls probabilities, sample, volume, and tempo.
- Volume/fold
- Changes volume and introduces wavefolding.
- Tempo
- Selects 50–305 BPM in 5 BPM steps and displays the value in binary.
Sync and tempo
Pikocore uses a 2 PPQN audio click and accepts a maximum 3V sync signal. Connect a Pocket Operator in
SYN1 to the upper-left input. Use the lower-right output and set the receiving Pocket Operator
to SYN4, or SYN5 when the chain continues.
Firmware 1.2 and newer can lock the clock so jumps do not pull the beat off-grid. Press the middle four buttons together to toggle clock lock: yellow means on and teal means off.
Tempo LED helper
Set selector position 8, then turn knob B until Pikocore’s LEDs match this pattern. Hardware clock accuracy is approximately ±2%.
MIDI
MIDI in
Connect an Itty Bitty MIDI adapter to the clock input. Enable MIDI input in the Pikocore Loader firmware settings. Pikocore follows MIDI clock and start, stop, and continue messages; firmware settings also choose clock division and whether keyboard notes act like the eight front-panel buttons.
MIDI out
Firmware 1.3 and newer can send MIDI over USB. Each of the eight steps is a MIDI note. Hold a button and turn the selector knob to change that step’s note.
Flashing firmware
Hold BOOT while connecting USB-C. If the cable is already connected, hold BOOT and press
RST. Download the UF2 from the Pikocore Loader,
then drag it onto the drive named RPI-RP2.
Alternative firmware and community builds
Piko-33
A sample sequencer by rheslip. View source.
Remixes and enclosures
- Arcade enclosure and button box by 2ononen.
- Arcade enclosure by ground_grown_circuits.
- Printable case video, with regular and expanded 3D files.
Finished DIY cases are sold separately by Dich Studios. They include translucent buttons, access to the battery, USB and audio ports, a switch cap, rubber feet, and lanyard slots.
Troubleshooting
The battery dies quickly
Use an alkaline AAA battery. Carbon-zinc batteries drop below the required voltage sooner even when some charge remains.
The audio is very quiet
Use a stereo 3.5 mm cable and make sure it is inserted completely. A mono plug can cause very low output.
There is a high-pitched sound
Turn the potentiometers counter-clockwise, rotate the AAA battery in its holder, or test with a USB power bank.
There is no sound, or it sounds muffled
At selector position 2, turn knob A fully clockwise and knob B fully counter-clockwise to reset filter and stretch. Then use selector position 8 and raise knob A to restore volume.
The RP2040 module does not work
Check that the RGB and VREF pads are bridged. Some 16 MB modules arrive without these connections and require solder bridges.
If the problem remains, email zack@infinitedigits.co.
Legacy v1 firmware and sample uploader
These files are retained for original v1 Pikocore hardware. Current v2 devices should use the Pikocore Loader. The v1 sample uploader remains at api.pikocore.com.
Put bpmX in an audio filename to provide its tempo, such as
my_drum_bpm150.wav. Add beatsY, such as
my_drum_bpm150_beats4.wav, to provide its beat count.
- July 20, 2025 · v1.4.0Release note only; improved stability.
- March 28, 2024 · v1.3.0Release note only; added MIDI out.
- February 2, 2024 · v1.2.2Download MIDI build UF2Download clock build UF2
- December 2, 2023 · v1.1.0Download MIDI build ZIP
- September 6, 2023 · v1.0.1Download clock/no-RGB build ZIP
- July 4, 2023 · v1.0.1Download clock build ZIP
UF2 troubleshooting
If a v1 UF2 will not load, the RP2040 may not tolerate the firmware’s overclock. Select a lower sample rate in the v1 uploader and build the firmware again.
Customer feedback
Reviews
Thanks for responding to my component needs btw, it’s a brilliant invention you designed.
nice bit of kit. My only reservation is personal: I like to build drums in a fairly methodical way, and Pikocore keeps tempting me into improvising instead. Depending on the day that is either inconvenient or exactly what I need.
I brought it over to another musician’s place and handed it to him with basically no speech beyond “try these buttons.” We were jamming with the same piece of audio almost immediately. That directness is probably my favorite thing about it.
HI, sorry to bother you, I just bought a built Pikocore and am enjoying it.
Really enjoyable for mangling breaks and discovering rhythmic fragments. I personally want a more structured environment once I know where the track is going, so Pikocore is mostly an idea generator for me rather than where I finish anything.
Great to get your mailout below, love my Pikocore, and I got a Norns Shield end of last year, my god you are prolific!
Pikocore goes hard.
Thankmyou very much for this amazing device
the level doesn’t go very high
Looks like mine is to quiet((( in all other, it’s amazing device
Thanks for making such a fun and inspiring instrument, our users absolutely love it.
This box is glitch heaven!
I fed Pikocore a break, started jumping around it, and accidentally found the main drum idea for a track I had been stuck on all week. That alone sold me on the workflow.
The retriggering is addictive without feeling gimmicky. Tiny changes in what I press completely rearrange the perceived groove.
Hope to have it sorted soon - I love this thing!
Awesome project and device - thanks for your hard work!
Hi Zack, just finished the Pikocore XL build from Erica Synths yesterday and really digging it.
Thanks for making such an awesome little thing :) I just bought a Pikocore XL kit from Erica Synths.
I want to let you know I’m still having a lot of fun with the Picocore!
I’m buying the assembled unit for sure. I don’t think it’s expensive at all.
I say the more lofi battery powered sample mangler, the better .
Hi Zack, I am really enjoying the Pilocore and Zeptocore, I still have a lot to learn.
The place found the parcel finally under their pile of paper, and I have the Pikocore today, it's awesome and looking forward to uploading samples.
Pikocore is wonderful)
Thank you for making such intriguing, and delightful piko's, it really opens up the more hardcore aspect of my work, whilst being live and somewhat unruly.
I hope you won't give up on this project, despite you've invented some new cool things (like zeptocore and the other awesome stuff you did).
I bought a pikocore as a birthday gift for a friend and he absolutely loves it, and now wants a Zeptocore.
And thanks for these amazing little machines.
I just want to start off by saying I absolutely love my pikocore and my zeptocore.
Firstof all I would like to thank you for two amazing music devices!
Compared to the Pikocore where I loved 80% of the breaks.
Something is really weird with powering your otherwise wonderful device
I have lot of fun with Picocore, its awesome little machine ... but ...
Despite the freezes though, this thing is a blast and I love it already :)
I would be extremely grateful for any advice you can give me regarding this as I LOVE this device
I’m new to electronics but I have built the Pikocore (without the dc-dc converter yet) and it seems to work ok over usb…it’s an amazing device!
I purchased the Pikocore from Perfect circuit, and aside from a minor issue with the output jack, where I can't plug the cable all the way in, it's super fun:)
Hello Zack, I recently purchased a pikocore and I love it so much 💖.
hi, first of all, thanks for the pikocore, it’s a lot of fun messing up sounds!
Really great, so much fun!
first I would like to thank you for your beautiful instrument
Once again thank you for an amazing device, I just purchased a handy case for this and am looking forward to many good times ahead with the Pikcore!
Hello, I Love the Pikocore beat mangler, it's very amazing and inspiring, thank you!
I thank you for this wonderful idea and project !
I just finished my Pikocore yesterday and it's pretty awesome!
Thank you for designing this fantastic instrument, I'm having so much fun!!!
I'm having a blast with it!
first have to applaud how awesome the device is once assembled.
It is an awesome device.
This thing is a blast!
I received my pikocore a few days and love it.
Love it!
Again, amazing machine!
So obsessed that I have 6! They are so amazing in terms of creating very quick randomized music.
anyhoo love the OG pikocore and keep up the cool work.
I was getting to grips with it and enjoying it (congrats on a great project).
Would love to get my hands on it too , though I also love the gritty sound of pikocore!
i'm using the prototypes in my music project, live and it's a blast!
The pcm5102 sounds great and being able to load samples via sd card is a game changer.
The Pikocore v2 definitely sounds like an even more amazing development
The more I explore it with my own samples the more i love it.
just finished my box for the first pikocore I got and have two pikocores in sync now ….love it !
its just hard to wrap my head around the fact that so much can come out of this little package, and being able to import my own sounds is the icing on the cake.
im just havin so much fun with the Pikocore.
Zack Love the sound of my PikoCore
I ran across the Pikocore and thought is was a wonderful product.
is just turning out to be the perfect setup for me: is really helping me get back to a more immediately exciting way of making music
It’s so much fun to have this impactful sound in the mix
I'm absolutely blown away by the hard work and level of polish you've put into this whole thing, I absolutely love it
What an amazing little machine.
Anyway, your pikocore is brilliant! nice work.
The Pikocore v2 sounds mighty awesome too.
I really love the breaks that are on the Pikocore
love everything you ever coded but the pikocore really makes me smile, thank you!!
hey zack absolutely loving my pikocore.thanks so much.
Super huge fan of the pikocore, I have it built in my arcade button enclosure and it's been awesome to use and interface with my other gear.
I received my Pikocore today and it's awesome, I'll have to record something with it!
Greetings Zack, I received my pikocores and they are awesome!
mode 3: very effective, gate gets nice and short, gate percent is a nice touch
filter very low gets choppy and yummy
We love the design of the Pikocore!
I didn’t think it was clunky by any means, for how small and intricate the device is it’s an amazing piece of gear!!!
This looks and sounds excellent! I like what you're doing with all the buttons!
Awesome little breakbeat/audio mangling device.
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