So I am using the Grove Heart Rate Sensor: and wanted to be able to control MIDI with the incoming data.
Do I need to actually use a midi port like in this tutorial here , or can I use something virtual to control the midi?
Do I need to actually use a midi port like in this tutoria
No.
can I use something virtual to control the midi?
Yes you run an application called Hairless on your computer. It converts incoming serial data from the Arduino into a virtual MIDI port for the applications on your computer.
P.S. Never look at Instructables unless you can spot the errors that are included for free in almost every electronic project.
Are you planning on controlling a MIDI instrument/keyboard, or your computer (with the computer running a MIDI application)?
Do you have a MIDI keyboard/instrument or a computer interface with a MIDI connector like that?
If you have MIDI piano/keyboard with a connection like that, and you want to automatically play the keyboard from the Arduino, yes, that's the kind of interface you need.
Like Mike says, on a computer you can use USB and many (most?) modern MIDI keyboards have USB-MIDI (and possibly also the traditional round MIDI serial connector).
...I don't know if Hairless will work with a USB connection to automatically play a MIDI keyboard or if it only works with the computer.
DVDdoug:
Are you planning on controlling a MIDI instrument/keyboard, or your computer (with the computer running a MIDI application)?
I am trying to control a MIDI Application
DVDdoug:
Do you have a MIDI keyboard/instrument or a computer interface with a MIDI connector like that?If you have MIDI piano/keyboard with a connection like that, and you want to automatically play the keyboard from the Arduino, yes, that's the kind of interface you need.
No, I'm only interested in using the data to control MIDI in virtual spaces
DVDdoug:
Like Mike says, on a computer you can use USB and many (most?) modern MIDI keyboards have USB-MIDI (and possibly also the traditional round MIDI serial connector)....I don't know if Hairless will work with a USB connection to automatically play a MIDI keyboard or if it only works with the computer.
Pretty much The Heart sensor will be going into arduino > computer. Will Hairless work with that set up to send the data to software?
Will Hairless work with that set up to send the data to software?
If the software is expecting a USB HID MIDI device then yes.