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Installation

To run bellplay~, you can either:

  • Download a standalone application, or
  • Run it from source using Max

You’ll also need a text editor (preferably Visual Studio Code) to write and edit .bell scripts.

Windows users

Some features may not behave identically due to limited testing.

Download the pre-release from the bellplay~ releases page. Choose the .zip file, uncompress it, and move the .app into your /Applications folder.

MacOS users

macOS may block the app since it’s not signed by an identified developer.

  • If you see a message like:

    “bellplay~ can't be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software”

    go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.

  • Alternatively, run this in Terminal:

    xattr -c /Applications/bellplay~.app

  • If the app is marked as "damaged":

    codesign --force --sign - /Applications/bellplay~.app

Option 2: Run from source​

bellplay~ can be run inside Max, the visual programming environment from Cycling '74.

Requirements​

  • Install Max 9 or higher.
  • In Max, install the following packages through the Max Package Manager:
    • bach, dada, and ears by Andrea Agostini and Daniele Ghisi.
    • FluidCorpusManipulation, by FluCoMa.

Steps​

  1. Download the bellplay~ source code and unzip the folder.
  2. Open bellplay.maxproj using Max.
  3. Wait for it to initialize.

Text editor setup​

bell scripts are written in plain text. Visual Studio Code is the recommended text editor for writing and editing.

Steps​

  1. Download Visual Studio Code.
  2. Install the bellplay~ plugin for syntax highlighting, autocomplete, formatting, and more.

Integration with bellplay~​

In bellplay~:

  1. Open the app.
  2. Click on Settings.
  3. In the Settings window, click on Browse to open the dialog window and set Visual Studio Code as the Default text editor.

Common editor paths:​

  • macOS: /Applications/Visual Studio Code.app
  • Windows: C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe

Next steps​

Once installed, explore the tutorials page to run your first bell script. If you're new to the language, visit the bell tutorials for a musician-friendly introduction to the language.