Hi Everyone!
I'm currently doing my dissertation for a degree in audio engineering at SAE London and after using this forum for my initial research regarding a 16-step midi based sequencer. I decided to create this post to possibly gather some directly related information that could help me secure certain objectives for the project.
Hardware used to date:
Arduino Mega 2560
[THESE TWO DEVICES WERE BOTH USED TO TEST MIDI SYNC FUNCTIONS]
Roland TR-707 (to send midi clock to drive the 16 step LEDs.)
or
Lexicon audio interface with midi out (allowing Logic Pro to send midi clock to the Arduino.)
The main functionality of the sequencer should be as follows;
- External MIDI-Clock sync (responding to Start-, Stop-, Continue- and Clock-signals)
[Most preferably MIDI-Clock generated by a DAW (i.e. Logic Pro) - Output of MIDI Notes
- For each step one note can be chosen by a potentiometer (1 hardware-potentiometer for each step)
- A shuffle rhythm function
As i am still in the prototyping stage i have been using the code and followed the wiring schematic from the link found below.
5) LEDs indicate the actual step (1 LED for each step)
The wiring i have done for the MIDI and potentiometers is identical to the one in the example. Apart from the fact that i have 16 push-encoders to choose notes and each LED of the 16 steps has a toggle button. As i would like to be able to use these as a gate function to turn certain steps on and off.
So far i have been able to debounce each individual button and get all 16 LEDs to turn from HIGH to LOW. But i haven't been able to get a sequence sync'd to external clock. I also haven't been successful in sending MIDI note messages to a Yamaha DX100.
I can include the code that ive been working with till now. But i must admit it's mainly an adaptation from the code in the link above. As im not very competent in programming and don't fully understand the functions or arguments that are stated in the code below.
If anyone could maybe point me in the right direction or part with some gem of knowledge, then i'd be very grateful!
Also just as a side note, as i would love to install this function!
Does anyone know how i would go about having micro-tonal control over each 16 step via the use of a slider to choose a variable of tone steps-per-octave.
Maybe it's best to highlight a relevant example to exactly what i mean.
Take a look at this old EML 401 sequencer
http://www.vintagesynth.com/eml/eml400.php
Cheers
Nick
i also have a fritzing schematic if anyone needs to see that as well.