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Arcade Button MIDI Controller

Step 8Software

Software
The sketch from the previous step only sends MIDI messages over a standard serial port. To map those MIDI messages from the serial port to a MIDI port you'll need two bits of software.

Firstly you need a virtual MIDI port to connect to your audio or video software. I'd recommend MIDI Yoke on Windows (if you're using Vista or 7, you will need to disable UAC to install the driver). I did try using LoopBe1 and while it works the majority of the time, the automatic feedback detection kicks in when making rapid knob/slider movements, essentially killing your MIDI control. If you're on OS X you can setup a virtual MIDI port using IAC driver under Audio MIDI Setup (there instructions at the link below).

The second bit of software required converts MIDI messages coming in on a serial port to messages on a MIDI port. There are a number of software solutions to do this, but I use the simply named Serial-MIDI Converter by SpikenzieLabs. It's Java based so will run on Windows, OS X and Linux.

Once everything has been installed and setup, fire up Serial-MIDI Converter and configure it by pressing the matching letter in the list of items to match your serial and MIDI port settings. I use the settings COM 5 (yours may vary), 115200 kbps, In From MIDI Yoke 1 and Out To MIDI Yoke 1. Once you've gone through the setup, hit some of the buttons on your MIDI controller. You should see the little Serial RX and TX indicators in the bottom right of the window flash green.
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6 comments
Apr 9, 2012. 8:27 AMAssAulterPT says:
Hi, i'm using only 12 buttons. Do I need to change the code or can i still use the same?

And, on Serial MIDI Converter, the TX doesn't flash green. What's happening
Do you have any idea?
Apr 4, 2012. 12:48 PMcaducotavio says:
Greetings!
I'm a newbie, so please, be patient.
I've been trying to make my midi controller work, but I've come across two question: the first is about the incoming and outcoming ports to be used when under mac os 10.7?

About the sketch, I noticed there are conditions written specifically the arduino mega and others; mine, is uno. Do I have to change anything in order for the sketch to work correctly with my equipment?

Thanks in advance!
Nov 2, 2011. 10:59 PMiarriaga says:
So If I were to replace the DFRduino used here and wire all the components to the teensey++ instead (keeping the exact same sketch), would I be able to interact with my DAW straight away without the MIDI converter running in the background?
Jul 8, 2011. 2:36 PMamensah says:
Im have this idea ... Cant you just use a USB MIDI Input Output Cable Converter so then you dont have to use these "virtual midi port" and the "midi converter program" everytime you gonna use it? (sorry for bad english)
Feb 24, 2011. 7:18 AMendolith says:
The newer Arduinos can act as USB devices, so is it possible to configure them to work without this software?
May 29, 2011. 1:00 PMpsynautic says:
the arduino code would have to be rewritten utilizing, HIDUINO or similar, or directly using LUFA. Based on my investigation of those libraries in the past week, and their extreme lack of reasonable documentation and tutorials, this would be far from a simple task. unfortunately. I'm looking into teensy++ currently to do a similar project.

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