Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

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AccVlad
 
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Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by AccVlad »

Hello,

Would you have any solution to my problem with incorporating DC Boarduino card to make 120 bass MIDI accordion?

I tried DC Boarduino tiny Arduino clone card that I bought for $17.50. It works for me, but only on 12 bass accordions, only when I need to play together the treble and the bass side in my small 12 bass accordions.
Now, I want to make the MIDI accordion with 120 basses, therefore, I need for this to work properly more than 17 pins for the extra features to play more than the piano sounds. I want to incorporate the Program Change, use Pressure Sensor for velocity, or modulation, also the Potentiometer for the bend voice effects. I use already mentioned above features in smaller MIDI accordions.

The 3-4 extra pins added to 17 that are in use now, would be enough for this sophisticated projects that involves 120 bass PA, therefore in this situation, I want to know, if I can tied up together two (2) DC B. cards to make them work together in unison for the so called MIDI Through effects that involves of sending to the MIDI Sound Module of the sketch with signals for notes (sounds) that are programmed in the first card, and in addition, I want to use the second DC B card for those extra features that will supplement the work of entire Accordion MIDI system.

I have programs already written, that work for the Miduino/Arduino clones, or two(2) cards that have MIDI IN and MIDI Out pins. In the DC B, I can send only MIDI Out to the MIDI Sound Module, using wires hooked to the TX and DC power with two 220 Ohm in line to the MIDI Sound Module.

I would use Arduino Mega 1280, but original Arduino cards are too wide, or about 1.25” too wide, and do not fit inside of accordion, where I have sufficient space to install them in. In precision projects 1.25” is the “impossible dream.”
The DC B card is only .75” wide, and I like it for its size and it works. It does the job used as a single card for the small MIDI accordions. If, I could gang them up together, my problem probably would be solved.

Do you understand what I’m trying to do? I have already two 12 bass Accordion MIDI working perfectly, but I need to extend this to the accordions with 80 and 120 basses. The only way that I can do that is the procedure when I be able to join two DC B cards to work together. Therefore, which pins in one DC B will be able to work with another DC B card without damaging anything?

* DC B = Boarduino card

Thanks for any information that would lead to my success.

Accordion Vlad

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

If you have a diagram of your system it might be more clear. From what I understand, you need to have more than 17 inputs in a compact space. There are a few ways you could do this with a second DC Boarduino. Probably the simplest would be to have the two Boarduinos communicate via SoftwareSerial or I2C. The second Boarduino would transmit input events to the first Boarduino to forward to the MIDI sound module.

AccVlad
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by AccVlad »

Hi Arduwino,

Thanks for response. I don’t know but I think that communicating by the software serial would stop the first MIDI card to send signals to MIDI Sound Module. I do not understand what 12C means, and which card would handle the software, and which pins will be used for it. Could you point me to more information on it?

The MIDI accordion is nothing more that sophisticated “burglar alarm in the big mansion with plenty of doors and windows,” however, here the MIDI Sound Module is what makes that needed sound. This might answer the need for the diagram. As far as the diagrams, the first you have to build are two matrix; one for the treble side that takes care of the treble notes, and another matrix on the bass side that serves 12 bass notes and 12 chord notes. It’s the same like making a diagram for the billionaires mansion with 12 doors do the house, 12 to outside buildings and switches with magnets to 41 windows.

Anyway, somewhere in between those two matrix would be a place for the second DC Boarduino card that would care of extra features that enhance the sound send by the first DC Boarduino card.

Those notes written in software are introduced through action of magnets and reed switches. All have to be synchronized. They must work in unison, and I’m afraid that the one card would block the signals from another card when using the serial software. Those signals must merge, and be send always together as the blocks of data. That’s what I think, so before the software, I must deal with making sure those cards work smoothly together.

The software, must be adjusted many, many times, when the MIDI card is already installed in order to get that thing working without a glitch. It’s really a tedious process to make that thing work. Introducing the second card into the process would be more trouble, but I’m ready for it.

I would be interested in other ways in synchronizing the work of two cards, even if this is harder that the 12C serial communication. See, in the MIDI accordion the response of the MIDI Sound Module has to be very, very fast, since it sends those multiple sounds at once to the amplifier. When playing the song, the notes follow each other in milliseconds, so the human ear doesn’t catch even a minute discrepancies.

Well, this was already done on other Arduino clone, but I’m seeking the way how to do it with Boarduino, since this is very small card and could be used with much better use of space that those wide Arduino Mega.

So, please disclose more of your suggestions, what other things you have in mind. Together, we might find some solution to make two DC Boarduino cards working in unison as far as the MIDI accordion with 120 bass is concerned.

Best Regards,
AccVlad

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

The SoftwareSerial library permits you to create additional serial ports on any two pins. This would let the two boards communicate at the same time as the MIDI communication. I2C is another type of serial communication protocol that works over analog pins 4 and 5.

The Arduino implementation of I2C operates at 100Kbits/s. This should allow you to transmit all the inputs of a Boarduino in under 1 millisecond. I2C is also a bus topology, so it would permit you to expand to 3 or more Boarduinos in the future if needed.

AccVlad
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by AccVlad »

Hello Arduwino,

I’m still working on installation of magnets and other switches on the treble and the bass side at 41 Treble keys and 120 bass buttons (actually 12 bass notes and 12 chord notes) in piano accordion. I have almost all sketches completed that will be compiled to make the total Communication Sketch that will let me play treble and bass side together in combinations of some extra features like Program Change +1, - 1, and +10, -10 that will use jumping from one to another sound sample in my Korg MIDI Sound Module. MIDI Sound Module which will be attached to the accordion through output MIDI cable.

I have lots of experience of doing that but only on 25 treble keys and 12 bass in small accordions. I do not need any communications between two sections of accordion that use two BoArduino cards. Now, I have cards ready and I got them uploaded with programs and work on them in my spare time to complete the job.

I’m curious about preventing possible problems from the start when I join all the wires together.
I want to solve the following problem that bothers me. It might be problem or it might not to be. It might work the way it should be, therefore, I want an opinion about the “Arduino Software Serial Interface” and the sketch that I copied from that page. The sketch was created on Aug. 15, 2006 by Heather Dewey-Hagborg.

Heather’s sketch has to be combined with my accordion’s sketch that will stay on main BoArduino card that will be installed inside the treble side. It must communicate with another BoArduino card that will have accordion bass sketch . It will be located in the bass section of accordion.

1. The both sketches compile nicely as separate entities and they also compile nicely on the treble side. When I upload Arduino Communication sketch to the BoArduino, by itself to check it, the Red Led light remains still active forever and emits dimmed light after the Arduino Uploader tell me that sketch was successfully uploaded.
2. When I upload combined two sketches together they compile very nicely. I worked on it for a while till achieved that stage, but after I upload it to the BoArduino the Red Led emits even brighter light and its stay the same as on the Communication Sketch.
3. When my own sketch is uploaded, the Red Led emission stops, and it shows at the beginning by blinking 1-2-3 that the power is on.
4. When I remove the line from the sketch in following section:

The sketch is the same as the Heather’s. I use define Serial 1 as:

byte rx = 19 // use as pin 5
byte tx = 18 //us as pin 4.

The rest of that sketch is the same

void setup() }
pinMode(rx,INPUT);
pinMode(tx,OUTPUT);
digitizedWrite(tx,HIGH);
digitizedWrite(13,HIGH); // Do, I really need this line for sending and receiving communication signals?

*/*********************
digitizedWrite(13,HIGH);
*/

When I removed, or blocked that line, I have no more permanent emission of Red Led.

The Red LED emission will be no longer there, and the sketch is uploaded to the BoArduino card. There is nothing wrong with BoArduino cards. They work perfect with different sketches of mine.

Since , I never worked with Arduino Communication Interface before, I want to know if this behavior of the RED LED emission is normal when the DC current is flowing and the Serial Interface does the job, or is there something else that might make RED Led showing that the serial interface is ready for the next series of signals?

Best Regards,
AccVlad

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

The red LED is tied to pin 13 - just as in a regular Arduino. You can use use pin 13 just as any other digital I/O pin in your sketch, but the LED will be on whenever the output is high.

If you don't like this, you can just not install the red LED when you build the board.

AccVlad
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by AccVlad »

Hi Arduwino,

Thanks for the suggestions. I wish to know the above before. Anyway, it's easier for me to control uploading of sketches when the red led is hooked permanently.
I also use green led which I place in drilled 1/4" deep hole outside in the body of accordion to monitor activity of DC current. I do that already on other projects.

I solved the problem with the permanent emission of the red led light. Since combined sketches cannot have two (2) "void setup(), I changed this line to "void midiThru()" and placed this "Communication sketch" at the beginning of combined sketch as the first part. After that an "Accordion sketch" follows.

So far compiling proceeds smoothly, and the red led do not emit light after the uploading is done. While the compiling is going on the red led behaves the same as during the uploading of all sketches that worked for me perfectly before I embarked on this project.
After, I put together everything, the real test shell begin, and then, I might have to do more adjustments. We'll see. It's slow and tedious work doing that kind of projects. Constantly checking, probing and rechecking elements that already were checked , but eventually, I will get to the end of it. That's why MIDI accordions costs thousands of dollars if somebody has an urge to buy it. My project will not have as many features, but it's good enough for all the music that MIDI and combined accordion sounds are suitable for. It's perfect for any entertainment that I do for myself and those who invite me to cheer them up.

void setup() } // change first line "void midiThru() } " to gets rid of permanent red led emission.
pinMode(rx,INPUT);
pinMode(tx,OUTPUT);
digitizedWrite(tx,HIGH);
digitizedWrite(13,HIGH);

Best Regards,
AccVlad

AccVlad
 
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Making MIDI Accordion and retrofitting it with BoArduino cards as the MIDI CPU controller

Post by AccVlad »

Hello,

Somebody removed this posting placed separately. It’s very important matter for me, so I’m placing that with all my posts referring to “Making MIDI Accordion and retrofitting it with BoArduino cards as the MIDI CPU controller”

I have found many problems with retrofitting full size Piano Accordion to the full glory using only 17 pins Arduino clones. It’s not only BoArduino, but all of them.

So far, I have tried many solution to make communication between two DC BoArduino. Nothing positive happened as yet, despite that two end of accordion work very good but only as a separate units. The only feasible solution at this moment is to send complete MIDI signals from two DC BoArduino CPU-s, or for that matter other Arduio clones to the MIDI Sound Module, that must be done by the way of MIDI Merge box or small card with two MIDI Inlets, one from each DC BoArduino, and one MIDI Outlet from the MIDI Merge to the MIDI Sound Module. I hate to see too many cables wrap around the body. One is enough.

I have seen some ready made MIDI Merge small boxes, but they all are way too large for internal placement inside the accordion. MIDI Solutions has a few for different purposes, but all of them are much too wide to match the BoArduino card and fit in crowded place inside the accordion box.

I wonder, if the Adafruit engineers have future plans to do something about it, and design, provide and sell a little matching card for those who work with using the DC BoArduino CPU for making MIDI accordions, organs, or do refitting other acoustic instruments with the MIDI. There are lot of people like me, who need staff like that. Such a card must be also very narrow, so both DC BoArduino and MIDI Merger card would fit in very narrow space up to 1.5”, and also not too long for that matter.

Using something like MIDI Solution is the last resort for me and others, since those boxes have to be carried around as a separate gadgets.

Best Regards,
AccVlad

AccVlad
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by AccVlad »

Hello Everybody,

My troubles with Sanguino are over. I make it work. It works like a champ. All my Arduino sketches will work on it as the one which I installed today. It’s sketch for 41 key 120 bass piano accordion with Program Change +1 -1, +10 -10, volume, modulation and the pitch bend. That many features is plenty enough for the best accordion player. I’m only a hobbyist. I will work now on installing MIDI CPU to full size accordions also doing that as a hobby. Prior to that, I could do only treble side of accordion with Arduino 17 I/0 pin cards and all other clones like Miduino, BoArduino also with 17 I/0 pins.

The problem that I described in postings was not in my sketches, and in the hardware, but in the two editions of software that has to be merged with the Arduino software to make it boot correctly. Main thing is not to mix the older and newer additions which look identically as the text files, unless you try all combinations of that software.

I put this posting, so other people will know that my initial apprehension was premature. Sanguino is a way to go to those folks who need more than 17 I/O pins for their projects.

PS. Thanks Jack for suggesting to me to check if the "blinking program works." It worked and after that ather things come about.

Best regards,
AccVlad

AccVlad
 
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Re: Looking for the small internal MIDI sensitizer card

Post by AccVlad »

Now, I’m looking for a very small internal MIDI Sound Module card (sensitizer), similar in size to Boarduino, could be little bigger, that would respond to the MIDI signals send by the MIDI controller to the sensitizer. I want to have a user friendly and not too expensive thing, yet not bare bone kit, that I would have to work on its programming for a year.

The Modern Device has something similar what I want, but its not user friendly as yet.
Presently, I use external MIDI Sound Module Box (sensitizer) that I use. I would like to have everything in one piece, so I wouldn’t have to take all equipment with me.
The amplifying the sound of the internal audio could be added very easily if the internal sensitizer card has the proper MIDI Out connection.
Thanks for attention. I surely will appreciate your efforts for sending for me helping information.

Best Regards,
AccVlad

poly
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by poly »

HELOW I have a interest in make midi my father acoustic bad old acordeon to midi . I am a musicians and a elctronic technicians. You have a custom kit for sale or simple are is posible share the idea.

Poly
From Puerto rico
Thanks anticipate

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Francoki
 
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Re: Making 120 bass MIDI accordion with DC Boarduino cards

Post by Francoki »

Hello Accvlad, I am interested in this project for 120 bass accordion.
you can have the arrangements and schetc for Arduino?
Thank you
Franc
[email protected]

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