Benjamin Pritchard
Welcome to my GitHub Pages portal. I am an open source software developer and embedded firmware engineer with a specialty in embedded Linux. Alongside engineering, I am a teacher and former Microsoft TEALS volunteer, an intermediate/advanced classical pianist and composer, an author of poetry, fiction, and essays, and a certified yoga teacher.
About Me
I have spent over two decades building software and firmware systems, ranging from low-level microcontroller dynamometer controllers and embedded Linux daemons to educational music technology and high-performance data serialization libraries. I believe in software craft, open source transparency, and using technology to enrich human learning.
My work frequently lives at the cross-section of disciplines: uniting computer science with music pedagogy (synesthesia-based education and symmetrical piano mirroring), connecting embedded Linux audio with WebMIDI, and bringing mindfulness and flow states into software development. I am married, have a daughter, and live in Akron, Ohio.
| Domain | Primary Specialty | Key Focus Areas & Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded & Systems | Embedded Linux & Microcontroller Firmware | C, Go, Embedded Linux, Cosmic C, HC16/ARM, Raspberry Pi, ALSA, Modbus RTU/TCP |
| Open Source | Libraries, Toolchains & Audio Software | 20+ GitHub repositories, Schemer encoding, WebMIDI, LevelDB/AOF state machines, Lilypond |
| Education | STEM & Computer Science Pedagogy | Microsoft TEALS volunteer, Code Ninjas instructor, interactive web tools, elementary education |
| Music & Piano | Classical Pianist & Composer | Student of Nicholas Constantinidis, U. of Akron Composition, symmetrical score engines, kirtan |
| Writing | Poetry, Spiritual Fiction & Essays | Mantic poetry, Waldorf pedagogy (WGU award), music analysis, patent drafting |
| Yoga | Hatha & Nada Yoga Teacher | 200hr YTT (Nada School of Yoga, Rishikesh, India), 500hr YTT (Spiritual Life Society, Hudson, OH) |
Embedded Firmware & Embedded Linux
My core engineering foundation is in embedded firmware development with a dedicated specialty in embedded Linux. Over nearly a decade at Mustang Advanced Engineering and subsequent consulting engagements, I engineered real-time measurement, data acquisition, and dynamometer control systems deployed worldwide across North America, Europe, and Asia.
My systems engineering work spans bare-metal and RTOS environments up through embedded Linux appliances—writing Linux kernel-interfacing daemons, ALSA audio drivers, custom hardware print-server daemons on ARM/Raspberry Pi boards, and industrial communication stacks.
| Layer | Technology / Protocol | Application & Engineering Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded Linux Daemons | Linux systemd, ALSA RawMidi, POSIX C/Go | Custom Linux printer daemons on Raspberry Pi; ALSA raw MIDI kernel interfaces; POSIX IPC services |
| Industrial Microcontrollers | Cosmic C, Freescale/NXP HC16, ARM Cortex | Dynamometer closed-loop control systems, PID load-control loops, high-speed telemetry |
| Industrial Protocols | Modbus RTU / Modbus TCP, RS-485, CAN | Author of compact Modbus implementations (nanoMODBUS) for memory-constrained MCUs |
| Embedded Key-Value & State | LevelDB, SQLite append-only logs, AOF | High-reliability logging engines and transaction-log state machines for edge appliances |
GitHub.io Interactive Projects
I host several interactive educational tools and music engines directly on GitHub Pages. These web applications are lean, fast-loading, and zero-overhead:
| Project | Stack | Description | Live GitHub.io Site | Source Repo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bach In The Mirror | Lilypond HTML5 | Transposed and symmetrically-inverted editions of J.S. Bach's 15 Two-Part Inventions generated via the Mozart Transposition Engine. | bach-in-the-mirror/ | Repo |
| Circle Modulation 1 | JavaScript Canvas | Interactive Circle of Fifths practice trainer and score visualizer designed to help students master harmonic modulations. | circle_modulation_1/ | Repo |
| Scale Quiz | JavaScript Web Applet | Interactive quiz applet for learning and drilling all major and minor scales, key signatures, and accidentals. | scale_quiz/ | Repo |
| ABC Notation Quiz | JavaScript ABCjs | Music theory learning applet to practice reading and writing the text-based ABC music notation format. | abc_notation_quiz/ | Repo |
Open Source Software & Repositories
I have authored and contributed to dozens of open-source projects on GitHub, spanning systems utilities, music software, and data serialization engines. My work on the Kundalini Piano Mirror platform was supported by an NSF I-Corps grant (in conjunction with the University of Akron Research Foundation and Burton D. Morgan Foundation) and a No Starch Press Foundation grant.
| Repository | Language / Category | Description | GitHub Link |
|---|---|---|---|
nanoMODBUS |
C · Embedded | A compact, lightweight MODBUS RTU/TCP C library tailored for microcontrollers with tight RAM/ROM constraints. | nanoMODBUS |
KundaliniPianoMirrorLinux |
ANSI C · Linux Audio | C codebase for the Kundalini Piano Mirror, providing real-time symmetrical key-remapping and MIDI transformation. | KundaliniPianoMirrorLinux |
GoRAWMidi |
Go · Linux ALSA | Go bindings for ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) RawMidi interface on Linux systems. | GoRAWMidi |
js-PianoKeyboard |
JavaScript · UI | Clean JavaScript library to render an interactive 88-key piano keyboard directly onto an HTML5 canvas element. | js-PianoKeyboard |
webmidi-left-handed-piano |
JavaScript · WebMIDI | In-browser WebMIDI implementation of the left-handed piano mirror, letting any digital keyboard run in symmetrical mode. | webmidi-left-handed-piano |
hecate |
C · CLI Utility | The Hex Editor From Hell! Terminal-based binary hex editor optimized for quick file inspection and patching. | hecate |
VanGoghFlowGTK3 |
C · GTK3 / Linux | GTK3 desktop utility that overlays screens with translucent, pulsating visual fields to induce psychological flow states. | VanGoghFlowGTK3 |
schemer_js / schemerBenchmarks |
TypeScript / Go | TypeScript encoder/decoder and Go benchmark suite for Schemer binary encoding vs. JSON, GOB, MessagePack, and XML. | schemer_js |
sql_state_machine & aof |
Go · Storage | Reference implementations demonstrating append-only logs (AOF) and SQLite transaction logs as resilient state machines. | sql_state_machine |
SimpleExist |
JS / App Engine | Tampermonkey userscript + Google App Engine backend to cross-reference and encourage contributions to Simple Wikipedia. | SimpleExist |
Teaching & Microsoft TEALS
I view teaching as a genuine calling. Bringing computer science, music, and creative expression to young learners has been one of the most rewarding dimensions of my career:
| Role & Initiative | Organization | Curriculum & Pedagogical Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft TEALS Volunteer | Promise Academy (Cleveland, OH) | Volunteered with the Microsoft Philanthropies TEALS (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools) program to co-teach computer science in urban high schools, partnering with teachers to build durable CS curricula. Actively advocated expanding TEALS programs into Akron schools. |
| STEM & Coding Instructor | Code Ninjas (Hudson, OH) | Taught children ages 5–14 core programming in JavaScript, Lua, and C#. Guided hands-on engineering topics including 3D modeling with TinkerCAD and digital electronics circuits with Snap Circuits. |
| Ambidexterity Lab Volunteer | Impact Academy (Canton, OH) | Supported by a grant from the No Starch Press Foundation, brought the Kundalini Piano Mirror and symmetrical keyboard concepts to students to foster ambidexterity, novel motor coordination, and polyphonic music comprehension. |
| Author of Educational Software | Independent / Web |
Created browser-based drills and trainers (scale_quiz, circle_modulation_1, abc_notation_quiz, js-PianoKeyboard) and beginner-friendly programming tutorials for students.
|
| Elementary Education Studies | Western Governors University | Pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, authoring recognized research on the pedagogical and developmental impacts of Waldorf education. |
Pianist & Performances
I am an intermediate/advanced classical pianist. I had the privilege of studying piano privately with Greek-American concert pianist Nicholas Constantinidis in Akron, who profoundly shaped my technique and musical understanding.
Below is a recording of an impromptu piano performance at the Steinway dealership:
Impromptu Piano Playing at Steinway Cleveland (2018)
Playing through piano repertoire at the Steinway gallery in Cleveland, exploring touch, polyphonic voicing, and flow.
| Performance / Recording | Instruments & Setting | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Steinway Cleveland Showcase | Acoustic Grand Piano (Steinway Gallery) | YouTube Video |
| Bhakti vs. Kundalini Improvisation | Piano improvisation with Josh | YouTube Video |
| Grand Fantasia on the Maha Mantra (Mvt. 3) | Voice, Percussion, Piano, and Dance | YouTube Video |
Musical Compositions
At the University of Akron, I studied music composition under Dr. James Wilding. My compositions integrate classical diatonic counterpoint, sacred Hindu kirtan themes, and novel structural inversions for custom keyboard layouts:
| Composition | Instrumentation / Context | Stylistic & Structural Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Fantasia on the Maha Mantra | Voice, Piano, Percussion, and Sacred Dance | Multi-movement participatory setting blending Indian kirtan call-and-response with classical piano elaboration. |
| Original Diatonic Setting in C# Minor | Solo Keyboard (MuseScore) | Composition Jury piece (U. of Akron Fall 2023). Descending diatonic line over C#m – F#m – B – C#m progression with a characteristic rhythmic motif. |
| Maha Mantra Setting for Leader & Chorus | Vocal Leader, Chorus, Keyboard & Percussion | 8-bar modal progression (A–A–C–C–F–C–G–G) featuring antiphonal call-and-response vocal structures. |
| Bach-In-The-Mirror Edition | Two-Part Keyboard Scores (Lilypond) | Algorithmic transposition and symmetrical horizontal/vertical mirror inversion of all 15 J.S. Bach Inventions BWV 772–786. |
| Kundalini Piano Mirror Firmware | Algorithmic Real-Time MIDI Engine | Provisional patent-backed firmware platform mapping real-time bidirectional inversions and Lua-scripted harmonic voicing. |
Writings & Essays
My writings encompass spiritual fiction, love and mantic poetry, academic educational research, and musical essays:
| Category | Title / Work | Theme & Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Spiritual Fiction | Lucky Camel Number 3: The Nectar of Devotion | Spiritual narrative exploring bhakti, grace, and inner transformation. |
| Spiritual Fiction | The Ascent, a short story in the form of a dream | Allegorical dream journey reflecting on higher consciousness. |
| Spiritual Trilogy | The Calling · The Awakening · The Activated Boy | Three-part series tracking personal spiritual realization, sadhana, and energy awakening. |
| Family Fiction | Granny’s Story | Heartfelt family reflection and personal memoir piece. |
| Love Poetry | The Tantra of Separation · Invitation to the Forever Dance · The Lover’s Reunion | Poetry written for my wife exploring sacred companionship and union. |
| Mantic Poetry | The Gates Were Opened · Kundalini · Please Hurry Along · Daring to Look · High Above · Cocreation’s Playground · The Bursting Dam | Meditative, visionary verse capturing mystical experiences, inner fire, and spontaneous insight. |
| Misc Poetry & Prose | The River At Dusk · we found the stars tonight · The Invocation of The Present · Alone on the Trails at Night · Phone Slaves · Iterations of Ivan | Contemplative observations of nature, trail running, modern digital culture, and existence. |
| Academic Paper | The Beneficial Effects of Waldorf Education | Winner of the WGU Excellence Award for academic analysis of anthroposophical and developmental pedagogy. |
| Music Essays | Composition Jury Report · Reflection on the Overture to Akhnaten (Philip Glass) · Emanuel Ax Concert Review | University of Akron music analytical papers examining minimalism, counterpoint, and concert performance. |
| Literary Analyses | Abraham Lincoln / Gettysburg Address · Franz Kafka / The Fratricide | Critical textual and rhetorical analyses. |
| Comic / Satire | The Last Word in Politics | Collaborative illustrated comic strip created together with my wife. |
Yoga Teacher & Practitioner
I am a certified yoga teacher. In 2017, I spent a month at Swarg Ashram in Rishikesh, India, completing my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) certification from the Nada School of Yoga. Rishikesh, along the banks of the Ganga in the Himalayan foothills, provided deep immersion in traditional Hatha yoga, Nada yoga (the yoga of sacred sound), and meditation.
Following my studies in India, I undertook my 500-hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training through the Spiritual Life Society and Yoga Center in Hudson, Ohio. The principles of yoga—mindfulness, breath control, and inner stillness—directly inform both my musical improvisations and my approach to writing software.
| Credential / Training | Institution & Location | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| 200-Hour YTT Certification | Nada School of Yoga · Swarg Ashram, Rishikesh, India | Traditional Hatha Yoga, Nada Yoga (sacred vibration & sound), Pranayama, and Meditation. |
| 500-Hour Advanced YTT | The Spiritual Life Society & Yoga Center · Hudson, Ohio | Advanced asana sequencing, philosophy, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, and holistic alignment. |
Returning from India: Oasis of Mercy / Ocean of Bliss
Upon returning to the United States after my intensive spiritual journey through Rishikesh and Northern India, I sought a way to express the profound spiritual sentiment and stillness I had experienced.
I created this video using my custom visualization compositing engine (Van Gogh Flow), paired with a contemplative poem dedicated to the universal ocean of spiritual freedom:
“RamaKrishna is supreme Freedom
an unfathomable ocean of eternal bliss
enticingly beckoning all people
to please find her
and make her your own.”