Introduction: How to Make a Pencil Drawing Piano
Piano is an amazing instrument which makes wonderful music. With a Multi-Control board at hand, let’s make our own piano.
Any conductors can be used as keys for the piano. Here we make a pretty pencil drawing piano.
Step 1: Prepare Materials
Multi-Control board - http://bit.ly/2sTJYxx
Mini USB cable
Some alligator clip cables (included in Multi-Control kit)
6B pencil or softer one
Eraser for 6B pencil
Paper
Computer
Step 2: Draw the Musical Notation With Pencil
Draw the musical stave and notation on a blank paper, drew stave with gel pen and seven notes with pencil, and mark them with C, D, E, F, G, A, and B separately.
Note: you must use a pencil or fountain pen to draw to ensure good conductivity lines, or it may fail to work.
You can add more notes if you like.
Step 3: Retrace the Drawing Lines
To ensure good conductivity, retrace the drawing lines especially the alligator clipping parts and the touching parts.
Step 4: Wiring
Connect the Multi-Control to Notes by clipping to the holes and the drawing notes one by one as follows:
Multi-Control Board------------------Notes
C-------------------------------------------C
D-------------------------------------------D
E-------------------------------------------E
F-------------------------------------------F
G------------------------------------------G
A------------------------------------------A
B------------------------------------------B
Then extend the GND of Multi-Control with an alligator clip cable.
Step 5: Upload Code to the Multi-Control
Visit the WiKi page of Multi-Control, you can see the related resources.
Click HERE to download the library. Click Sketch -> Include Library -> Add .ZIP Library, then include the download library, including Joystick and MIDIUSB.
Then go to Github page and download the code.
Unzip the download package. Open multi-control-midi.ino. Then select the board type (Leonardo) and port, and upload the code.
Here is the code:
/**********************************************************************
* Filename : multi-control-midi.ino * Description : SunFounder multi-control midi device driver * Author : Dream * Brand : SunFounder * E-mail : service@sunfounder.com * Website : www.sunfounder.com * Update : V1.0.0 2017-3-15 * * * This code fits SunFounder multi-control product，which is used to simulate midi device functions. * 1.A1,A2 for scale adjustment：A1 conducts, shift to an octave up; A2 conducts, shift to an octave down; * A1 & A2 all conduct, shift to an transpose up. * 2.A3-A10 for tones：corresponds to tone C5, D5, E5, F5, G5, A5, B5, C6(in piano keyboard mode). * 3.Piano and drum supporting，comment out #define KEYBOARD，and uncomment //#define DRUM to shift to DRUM mode. * * easy-to-do DIY： * DEBUG When it is 1, it will print the debugging information. * MINTOUCH 900 sensitivity of holes(0-1023), the larger the parameter is, the more sensitive they will be. * In header file notemap.h, you can modify the holes' midi tones and velocity parameter mapping. **********************************************************************/ #define KEYBOARD // uncomment to shift to piano keboard mode //#define DRUM // uncomment to shift to drum mode #include "MIDIUSB.h" #include "notemap.h"#define DEBUG 0 // When it is 1, it will print the debugging information #define MINTOUCH 900 // sensitivity of holes(0-1023), the larger the parameter is, the more sensitive they will be
int mod = 0; // for scale adjustment, Octave parameter
const int Mode = 7; // Switch, to turn on/off the touching holes const int channelPlus = 3; // button A, used to configure channel function const int channelMinus = 2; // button B, used to configure channel function int statusMode = 0; //============================================== // Set variables // holeAX[0] the analog value to be read valueAX // holeAX[1] analog to digital one statusAX // holeAX[2] output the value only when it changes lastStatusAX // holeAX[3] note map NOTE_AX // holeAX[4] lastNoteAX, value of modified tone lastNoteAX int holeA1[] = {0, 0, 0, 0}; int holeA2[] = {0, 0, 0, 0}; int holeC[] = {0, 0, 0, NOTE_C, 0}; int holeD[] = {0, 0, 0, NOTE_D, 0}; int holeE[] = {0, 0, 0, NOTE_E, 0}; int holeF[] = {0, 0, 0, NOTE_F, 0}; int holeG[] = {0, 0, 0, NOTE_G, 0}; int holeA[] = {0, 0, 0, NOTE_A, 0}; int holeB[] = {0, 0, 0, NOTE_B, 0}; int holeCP[] = {0, 0, 0, NOTE_CP, 0};
//==============================================
void setup() { Serial.begin(115200); pinMode(channelPlus, INPUT_PULLUP); pinMode(channelMinus, INPUT_PULLUP); controlChange(channel, CONTROL_VOLUME, 127); // setup channel }
void readStatus(){ // read the analog, and shift to digital one to store in array holeX[1] statusMode = digitalRead(Mode); //if(statusMode == 0){ // hole switch holeA1[0] = analogRead(A1); holeA2[0] = analogRead(A2); holeC[0] = analogRead(A3); holeD[0] = analogRead(A4); holeE[0] = analogRead(A5); holeF[0] = analogRead(A6); holeG[0] = analogRead(A7); holeA[0] = analogRead(A8); holeB[0] = analogRead(A9); holeCP[0] = analogRead(A10);
if (holeA1[0] < MINTOUCH) holeA1[1] = 0; else holeA1[1] = 1; if (holeA2[0] < MINTOUCH) holeA2[1] = 0; else holeA2[1] = 1; if (holeC[0] < MINTOUCH) holeC[1] = 0; else holeC[1] = 1; if (holeD[0] < MINTOUCH) holeD[1] = 0; else holeD[1] = 1; if (holeE[0] < MINTOUCH) holeE[1] = 0; else holeE[1] = 1; if (holeF[0] < MINTOUCH) holeF[1] = 0; else holeF[1] = 1; if (holeG[0] < MINTOUCH) holeG[1] = 0; else holeG[1] = 1; if (holeA[0] < MINTOUCH) holeA[1] = 0; else holeA[1] = 1; if (holeB[0] < MINTOUCH) holeB[1] = 0; else holeB[1] = 1; if (holeCP[0] < MINTOUCH) holeCP[1] = 0; else holeCP[1] = 1; //} if(DEBUG){printValue();} }
void printValue(){ // Serial Plotter Serial.print(holeA1[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeA2[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeC[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeD[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeE[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeF[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeG[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeA[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeB[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(holeCP[0]);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(0);Serial.print(','); Serial.print(MINTOUCH);Serial.print(','); Serial.println(1023); }
void holeHandle(int *holeAX){ // handle for hole function if(holeAX[2] != holeAX[1]){ // Status change if(holeAX[1] == 0){ // one hole conducts, produce corresponding sound noteOn(channel, (holeAX[3] + mod), currentVelocity); holeAX[4] = holeAX[3] + mod; Serial.print("noteOn ");Serial.println(holeAX[3] + mod); } else{ // hole conducts, no sound is produced noteOff(channel, holeAX[4], currentVelocity); Serial.print(" noteOff ");Serial.println(holeAX[4]); } holeAX[2] = holeAX[1]; } //delay(20); }
int channelDebug(){// configure channel // press A once, add 1 to channel value, press B once, take 1 from channel value // after configuration, we know keyboard channel is 0, drum channel is 9. int a = digitalRead(channelPlus); int b = digitalRead(channelMinus); int channel = 0; if(a == 0){ // add to channel while(a == 0){a = digitalRead(channelPlus);} if(a == 1){ channel += 1; if(channel > 15){channel = 15;} } }
if(b == 0){ // take from channel while(b == 0){b = digitalRead(channelMinus);} if(b == 1){ channel -= 1; if(channel < 0){channel = 0;} } } return channel; }
int controlOctave(){// A1,A2 is control scale adjustment if((holeA1[1] + holeA2[1]) == 0) // A1 and A2 conduct, shift to an transpose up mod = 1; else if (holeA1[1] == 0) // A1 conducts, shift to an octave up mod = 12; else if (holeA2[1] == 0) // A2 conducts, shift to an octave down mod = -12; else mod = 0; return mod; }
void scan(){ // scan all the buttons status /*// configure channel channelDebug(); */ // A1 A2 mod = controlOctave(); // C holeHandle(holeC); // D holeHandle(holeD); // E holeHandle(holeE); // F holeHandle(holeF); // G holeHandle(holeG); // A holeHandle(holeA); // B holeHandle(holeB); // CP holeHandle(holeCP); }
void loop() { readStatus(); scan(); }
// First parameter is the event type (0x09 = note on, 0x08 = note off). // Second parameter is note-on/note-off, combined with the channel. // Channel can be anything between 0-15. Typically reported to the user as 1-16. // Third parameter is the note number (48 = middle C). // Fourth parameter is the velocity (64 = normal, 127 = fastest). void noteOn(byte chn, byte pitch, byte velocity) { midiEventPacket_t noteOn = {0x09, 0x90 | chn, pitch, velocity}; MidiUSB.sendMIDI(noteOn); MidiUSB.flush(); } void noteOff(byte chn, byte pitch, byte velocity) { midiEventPacket_t noteOff = {0x08, 0x80 | chn, pitch, velocity}; MidiUSB.sendMIDI(noteOff); MidiUSB.flush(); }
// First parameter is the event type (0x0B = control change). // Second parameter is the event type, combined with the channel. // Third parameter is the control number number (0-119). // Fourth parameter is the control value (0-127). void controlChange(byte chn, byte ctrl, byte value) { midiEventPacket_t event = {0x0B, 0xB0 | chn, ctrl, value}; MidiUSB.sendMIDI(event); MidiUSB.flush(); }
Step 6: Adjust Touch Sensitivity
Open a MIDI software and complete the initial setting. Then hold the GND and touch a note, if a pressed key is shown on the MIDI, it means this note conducts. Since conductivity varies among different objects, which may affect the touch sensitivity, so set a proper value of touch sensitivity for the pencil drawing. The bigger MINTOUCH value set, the more sensitive it will be.
Step 7: Enjoy Your Hand-drawing Piano!
Now, you get a DIY touch piano! Time to play piano! Have fun!