48-72 Note Midi Marimba (Related to April Discussion from timisaberry)

Using Arduino Project Guidance
#1

(As timisaberry and GoForSmoke discussed back in April)

Hi, I am also a newbie in the process of building a Midi Marimba, and I was wondering if I could get some advice. Here are the basics of my project so you will have a rough idea of where I am currently at with this project.

• Currently have 16 Piezo analog inputs working properly into my Arduino Mega2560 and MIDI into Garage Band, and I have 2 main questions. (Code attached) (Note that I have also reached out to timisaberry directly about this since he is also doing this project)

Questions:

  1. I am looking to get a faster response from the piezo/arduino for drum rolls etc
    Note: I am currently going Serial USB to Mac Desktop/Hairless Midi/Garage Band
    Note: I think the MAX tempo I can currently play is around 250
  2. I now want to go with 48-72 keys total or more, so I am trying to determine my best options.
    Option 1 - I add (3- 5) 16 Channel Multiplexers, 16 Channel Multiplexer - COM-00299 - SparkFun Electronics
  • This would take up (3-5) Analog inputs and (12-20 Digital for Control) I think
  • My concern is that I won't be able to play more that one note at a time through each.
  • My son plays with 4 mallets, so multiple notes is very common
    Option 2 - I connect my piezo sensors to Digital Inputs which GoForSmoke says is possible
  • Even if that is possible, don't I lose the "touch" aspect when using digital?
  • For example, playing softly and playing loudly
  • Even if I went digital, I think I would still have the single note per Multiplexer issue?
  1. Once I am done, I will eventually want to replace my MacPro (Currently attached Serial/hairless) with an iPAD. I am assuming that the best way for me to do this is to add a MIDI port to my Arduino Mega and then buy a MIDI to Lightning Adapter like:
    http://www.amazon.com/Griffin-Technology-GC17134-MIDIConnect-iPad/dp/B0088N78Y2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1446655385&sr=8-2&keywords=ipad+midi
    or
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/ik-multimedia-irig-midi-interface?pfm=sp

Thanks for an advice. And as I said, I am new at this, so I would love responses to be as non-technical as possible. I am more than happy to do a lot more hard work, but would like to make sure that I am heading in the right direction overall.

Thanks!

Justin

Thanks!

Justin

#2

Code Attached Now

Arduino_Marimba_Script_11_4_2015.pdf (28.7 KB)

#3