# M7. Play it

> For agents: start with the [agent guide](https://parol6.build/llms.txt). Every page is Markdown by default; add `Accept: text/html` for HTML.

**Whole task:** a script patches cables, moves knobs and changes them on a schedule. It performs a short piece.

**Our design.** The PAROL6 manual stops at pick-and-place, so this milestone is ours.

## Parts

- The [M5](/lore/m5-touch-the-skiff) and [M6](/lore/m6-patch-a-cable) rig.
- A clock source, chosen with [the skiff](/lore/skiff-target).
- A sequencer script on the PC.

## Concepts

- **Sequencing**, and timing the robot's motion against a musical clock. The arm is slow, so the score is a patch-change score.
- **MIDI and CV control.**
- **Handling failure mid-performance.** A stall means the arm must home again ([Homing](https://docs.source-robotics.com/PAROL-docs/1.1/05-operation/homing/)).

## How-to

- Our performance scripts.
- The [Python API](https://docs.source-robotics.com/PAROL-docs/1.1/programming/02-python-api/) program runner.

## Practice

- Rehearsal runs.
- Recovery drills: home again and resume.

## Done check

A 3-minute performance of a written score of patch moves and knob moves on cues, recorded in one take, with Joel narrating what each move does to the sound.

## Terms

- **patch-change score**: a score written as cable and knob moves on cues, slow enough for the arm, instead of a score of notes. Our design.

## Video

[The M7 video](/lore/video-m7) is planned. It is the capstone release: the performance first, then the breakdown.

## Sources

1. [Python API, PAROL6 docs 1.1](https://docs.source-robotics.com/PAROL-docs/1.1/programming/02-python-api/)
   Source Robotics. The program runner for the performance scripts. Accessed 2026-11-07.

2. [Homing, PAROL6 docs 1.1](https://docs.source-robotics.com/PAROL-docs/1.1/05-operation/homing/)
   Source Robotics. Re-homing after a stall, for recovery mid-performance. Accessed 2026-11-07.

## Lore on this page

- [The PAROL6 milestones](/lore/milestones)

## What links here

- Agent guide → Joel builds a PAROL6 robot arm, one sourced and filmed milestone at a time. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/llms.txt)

- Build steps by milestone → The official how-to pages for each milestone, in build order, gathered from the milestone pages. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/lore/build-steps)

- Change log → What changed in the files served here, newest first. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/log)

- Concepts by milestone → The mental models each milestone teaches, gathered from the milestone pages, with the glossary for single terms. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/lore/concepts)

- Full agent guide → Joel builds a PAROL6 robot arm, one sourced and filmed milestone at a time. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/llms-full.txt)

- M7 video: Play it → The video for milestone 7 is planned and not yet recorded. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/lore/video-m7)

- Milestone videos → Each milestone ends in one video, and every video is planned until Joel publishes it. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/lore/videos)

- PAROL6 build → Joel builds a PAROL6 robot arm, one sourced and filmed milestone at a time. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/)

- PAROL6 wiki | PAROL6 build → The PAROL6 build wiki: the milestones, their videos and the official sources behind them. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/lore)

- Parts by milestone → What goes on the bench at each milestone, gathered from the milestone pages and the official bill of materials. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/lore/parts)

- Source change history (log.md) → The generated change log as Markdown. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/log.md)

- The PAROL6 milestones → Seven milestones take the build from a bare control board to a robot arm that plays a Eurorack skiff. → [Read page](https://parol6.build/lore/milestones)