Piezo buzzer keeps buzzing as soon as plugged in without action

I'm copying an arduino memory game from youtube for school and the issue lies within the piezo buzzer buzzing with a really high pitch as soon as i plug it in, i dont know if its the code since i tried switching it out with the small buzzer you'd put into the breadboard asnd it didnt have that high pitch background noise. my issue with that buzzer is that the volume is too low and the volume of the piezo buzzer would have been perfect if the high pitch background noise was gone. can anyone help?


#include <Servo.h>

#define NOTE_D4 294
#define NOTE_E4 330
#define NOTE_F4 349
#define NOTE_G4 392
#define NOTE_A4 440
#define NOTE_C5 523


#define CHOICE_OFF      0 //Used to control LEDs
#define CHOICE_NONE     0 //Used to check buttons
#define CHOICE_RED  (1 << 0)
#define CHOICE_GREEN    (1 << 3)
#define CHOICE_BLUE (1 << 1)
#define CHOICE_YELLOW   (1 << 2)

#define LED_RED     3
#define LED_GREEN   9
#define LED_BLUE    5
#define LED_YELLOW  7

// Button pin definitions
#define BUTTON_RED    2
#define BUTTON_GREEN  8
#define BUTTON_BLUE   4
#define BUTTON_YELLOW 6

// Buzzer pin definitions
#define BUZZER1  10
#define BUZZER2  12

// Define game parameters
#define ROUNDS_TO_WIN      12 //Number of rounds to succesfully remember before you win. 13 is do-able.
#define ENTRY_TIME_LIMIT   3000 //Amount of time to press a button before game times out. 3000ms = 3 sec

#define MODE_MEMORY  0
#define MODE_BATTLE  1
#define MODE_BEEGEES 2


// Game state variables
byte gameMode = MODE_MEMORY; //By default, let's play the memory game
byte gameBoard[32]; //Contains the combination of buttons as we advance
byte gameRound = 0; //Counts the number of succesful rounds the player has made it through

Servo myservo;

void setup()
{
  myservo.attach(11);
  //Setup hardware inputs/outputs. These pins are defined in the hardware_versions header file

  //Enable pull ups on inputs
  pinMode(BUTTON_RED, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BUTTON_GREEN, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BUTTON_BLUE, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BUTTON_YELLOW, INPUT_PULLUP);

  pinMode(LED_RED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LED_GREEN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LED_BLUE, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LED_YELLOW, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(BUZZER1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(BUZZER2, OUTPUT);

  //Mode checking
  gameMode = MODE_MEMORY; // By default, we're going to play the memory game

  // Check to see if the lower right button is pressed
  if (checkButton() == CHOICE_YELLOW) play_beegees();

  // Check to see if upper right button is pressed
  if (checkButton() == CHOICE_GREEN)
  {
    gameMode = MODE_BATTLE; //Put game into battle mode

    //Turn on the upper right (green) LED
    setLEDs(CHOICE_GREEN);
    toner(CHOICE_GREEN, 150);

    setLEDs(CHOICE_RED | CHOICE_BLUE | CHOICE_YELLOW); // Turn on the other LEDs until you release button

    while(checkButton() != CHOICE_NONE) ; // Wait for user to stop pressing button

    //Now do nothing. Battle mode will be serviced in the main routine
  }

  play_winner(); // After setup is complete, say hello to the world
  myservo.write(90);  
}

void loop()
{
  attractMode(); // Blink lights while waiting for user to press a button

  // Indicate the start of game play
  setLEDs(CHOICE_RED | CHOICE_GREEN | CHOICE_BLUE | CHOICE_YELLOW); // Turn all LEDs on
  myservo.write(90);
  delay(1000);
  setLEDs(CHOICE_OFF); // Turn off LEDs
  delay(250);

  if (gameMode == MODE_MEMORY)
  {
    // Play memory game and handle result
    if (play_memory() == true) 
      play_winner(); // Player won, play winner tones
    else 
      play_loser(); // Player lost, play loser tones
  }

  if (gameMode == MODE_BATTLE)
  {
    play_battle(); // Play game until someone loses

    play_loser(); // Player lost, play loser tones
  }
}

//-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//The following functions are related to game play only

// Play the regular memory game
// Returns 0 if player loses, or 1 if player wins
boolean play_memory(void)
{
  randomSeed(millis()); // Seed the random generator with random amount of millis()

  gameRound = 0; // Reset the game to the beginning

  while (gameRound < ROUNDS_TO_WIN) 
  {
    add_to_moves(); // Add a button to the current moves, then play them back

    playMoves(); // Play back the current game board

    // Then require the player to repeat the sequence.
    for (byte currentMove = 0 ; currentMove < gameRound ; currentMove++)
    {
      byte choice = wait_for_button(); // See what button the user presses

      if (choice == 0) return false; // If wait timed out, player loses

      if (choice != gameBoard[currentMove]) return false; // If the choice is incorect, player loses
    }

    delay(1000); // Player was correct, delay before playing moves
  }

  return true; // Player made it through all the rounds to win!
}

// Play the special 2 player battle mode
// A player begins by pressing a button then handing it to the other player
// That player repeats the button and adds one, then passes back.
// This function returns when someone loses
boolean play_battle(void)
{
  gameRound = 0; // Reset the game frame back to one frame

  while (1) // Loop until someone fails 
  {
    byte newButton = wait_for_button(); // Wait for user to input next move
    gameBoard[gameRound++] = newButton; // Add this new button to the game array

    // Then require the player to repeat the sequence.
    for (byte currentMove = 0 ; currentMove < gameRound ; currentMove++)
    {
      byte choice = wait_for_button();

      if (choice == 0) return false; // If wait timed out, player loses.

      if (choice != gameBoard[currentMove]) return false; // If the choice is incorect, player loses.
    }

    delay(100); // Give the user an extra 100ms to hand the game to the other player
  }

  return true; // We should never get here
}

// Plays the current contents of the game moves
void playMoves(void)
{
  for (byte currentMove = 0 ; currentMove < gameRound ; currentMove++) 
  {
    toner(gameBoard[currentMove], 150);

    // Wait some amount of time between button playback
    // Shorten this to make game harder
    delay(150); // 150 works well. 75 gets fast.
  }
}

// Adds a new random button to the game sequence, by sampling the timer
void add_to_moves(void)
{
  byte newButton = random(0, 4); //min (included), max (exluded)

  // We have to convert this number, 0 to 3, to CHOICEs
  if(newButton == 0) newButton = CHOICE_RED;
  else if(newButton == 1) newButton = CHOICE_GREEN;
  else if(newButton == 2) newButton = CHOICE_BLUE;
  else if(newButton == 3) newButton = CHOICE_YELLOW;

  gameBoard[gameRound++] = newButton; // Add this new button to the game array
}

//The following functions control the hardware

// Lights a given LEDs
// Pass in a byte that is made up from CHOICE_RED, CHOICE_YELLOW, etc
void setLEDs(byte leds)
{
  if ((leds & CHOICE_RED) != 0)
    digitalWrite(LED_RED, HIGH);
  else
    digitalWrite(LED_RED, LOW);

  if ((leds & CHOICE_GREEN) != 0)
    digitalWrite(LED_GREEN, HIGH);
  else
    digitalWrite(LED_GREEN, LOW);

  if ((leds & CHOICE_BLUE) != 0)
    digitalWrite(LED_BLUE, HIGH);
  else
    digitalWrite(LED_BLUE, LOW);

  if ((leds & CHOICE_YELLOW) != 0)
    digitalWrite(LED_YELLOW, HIGH);
  else
    digitalWrite(LED_YELLOW, LOW);
}

// Wait for a button to be pressed. 
// Returns one of LED colors (LED_RED, etc.) if successful, 0 if timed out
byte wait_for_button(void)
{
  long startTime = millis(); // Remember the time we started the this loop

  while ( (millis() - startTime) < ENTRY_TIME_LIMIT) // Loop until too much time has passed
  {
    byte button = checkButton();

    if (button != CHOICE_NONE)
    { 
      toner(button, 150); // Play the button the user just pressed

      while(checkButton() != CHOICE_NONE) ;  // Now let's wait for user to release button

      delay(10); // This helps with debouncing and accidental double taps

      return button;
    }

  }

  return CHOICE_NONE; // If we get here, we've timed out!
}

// Returns a '1' bit in the position corresponding to CHOICE_RED, CHOICE_GREEN, etc.
byte checkButton(void)
{
  if (digitalRead(BUTTON_RED) == 0) return(CHOICE_RED); 
  else if (digitalRead(BUTTON_GREEN) == 0) return(CHOICE_GREEN); 
  else if (digitalRead(BUTTON_BLUE) == 0) return(CHOICE_BLUE); 
  else if (digitalRead(BUTTON_YELLOW) == 0) return(CHOICE_YELLOW);

  return(CHOICE_NONE); // If no button is pressed, return none
}

// Light an LED and play tone
// Red, upper left:     440Hz - 2.272ms - 1.136ms pulse
// Green, upper right:  880Hz - 1.136ms - 0.568ms pulse
// Blue, lower left:    587.33Hz - 1.702ms - 0.851ms pulse
// Yellow, lower right: 784Hz - 1.276ms - 0.638ms pulse
void toner(byte which, int buzz_length_ms)
{
  setLEDs(which); //Turn on a given LED

  //Play the sound associated with the given LED
  switch(which) 
  {
  case CHOICE_RED:
    buzz_sound(buzz_length_ms, 1136); 
    break;
  case CHOICE_GREEN:
    buzz_sound(buzz_length_ms, 568); 
    break;
  case CHOICE_BLUE:
    buzz_sound(buzz_length_ms, 851); 
    break;
  case CHOICE_YELLOW:
    buzz_sound(buzz_length_ms, 638); 
    break;
  }

  setLEDs(CHOICE_OFF); // Turn off all LEDs
}

// Toggle buzzer every buzz_delay_us, for a duration of buzz_length_ms.
void buzz_sound(int buzz_length_ms, int buzz_delay_us)
{
  // Convert total play time from milliseconds to microseconds
  long buzz_length_us = buzz_length_ms * (long)1000;

  // Loop until the remaining play time is less than a single buzz_delay_us
  while (buzz_length_us > (buzz_delay_us * 2))
  {
    buzz_length_us -= buzz_delay_us * 2; //Decrease the remaining play time

    // Toggle the buzzer at various speeds
    digitalWrite(BUZZER1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(BUZZER2, HIGH);
    delayMicroseconds(buzz_delay_us);

    digitalWrite(BUZZER1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(BUZZER2, LOW);
    delayMicroseconds(buzz_delay_us);
  }
}

// Play the winner sound and lights
void play_winner(void)
{
  setLEDs(CHOICE_GREEN | CHOICE_BLUE);
  winner_sound();
  setLEDs(CHOICE_RED | CHOICE_YELLOW);
  winner_sound();
  setLEDs(CHOICE_GREEN | CHOICE_BLUE);
  winner_sound();
  setLEDs(CHOICE_RED | CHOICE_YELLOW);
  winner_sound();
}

// Play the winner sound
// This is just a unique (annoying) sound we came up with, there is no magic to it
void winner_sound(void)
{
  // Toggle the buzzer at various speeds
  for (byte x = 250 ; x > 70 ; x--)
  {
    for (byte y = 0 ; y < 3 ; y++)
    {
      digitalWrite(BUZZER2, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(BUZZER1, LOW);
      delayMicroseconds(x);

      digitalWrite(BUZZER2, LOW);
      digitalWrite(BUZZER1, HIGH);
      delayMicroseconds(x);
    }
  }
}

// Play the loser sound/lights
void play_loser(void)
{
   myservo.write(0);
   
  setLEDs(CHOICE_RED | CHOICE_GREEN);
  buzz_sound(255, 1500);

  setLEDs(CHOICE_BLUE | CHOICE_YELLOW);
  buzz_sound(255, 1500);

  setLEDs(CHOICE_RED | CHOICE_GREEN);
  buzz_sound(255, 1500);

  setLEDs(CHOICE_BLUE | CHOICE_YELLOW);
  buzz_sound(255, 1500);

 
}

// Show an "attract mode" display while waiting for user to press button.
void attractMode(void)
{
  while(1) 
  {
    setLEDs(CHOICE_RED);
    delay(100);
    if (checkButton() != CHOICE_NONE) return;

    setLEDs(CHOICE_BLUE);
    delay(100);
    if (checkButton() != CHOICE_NONE) return;

    setLEDs(CHOICE_GREEN);
    delay(100);
    if (checkButton() != CHOICE_NONE) return;

    setLEDs(CHOICE_YELLOW);
    delay(100);
    if (checkButton() != CHOICE_NONE) return;
  }
  myservo.write(90);  
}


// Notes in the melody. Each note is about an 1/8th note, "0"s are rests.
int melody[] = {
  NOTE_G4, NOTE_A4, 0, NOTE_C5, 0, 0, NOTE_G4, 0, 0, 0,
  NOTE_E4, 0, NOTE_D4, NOTE_E4, NOTE_G4, 0,
  NOTE_D4, NOTE_E4, 0, NOTE_G4, 0, 0,
  NOTE_D4, 0, NOTE_E4, 0, NOTE_G4, 0, NOTE_A4, 0, NOTE_C5, 0};

int noteDuration = 115; // This essentially sets the tempo, 115 is just about right for a disco groove :)
int LEDnumber = 0; // Keeps track of which LED we are on during the beegees loop

// Do nothing but play bad beegees music
// This function is activated when user holds bottom right button during power up
void play_beegees()
{
  //Turn on the bottom right (yellow) LED
  setLEDs(CHOICE_YELLOW);
  toner(CHOICE_YELLOW, 150);

  setLEDs(CHOICE_RED | CHOICE_GREEN | CHOICE_BLUE); // Turn on the other LEDs until you release button

  while(checkButton() != CHOICE_NONE) ; // Wait for user to stop pressing button

  setLEDs(CHOICE_NONE); // Turn off LEDs

  delay(1000); // Wait a second before playing song

  digitalWrite(BUZZER1, LOW); // setup the "BUZZER1" side of the buzzer to stay low, while we play the tone on the other pin.

  while(checkButton() == CHOICE_NONE) //Play song until you press a button
  {
    // iterate over the notes of the melody:
    for (int thisNote = 0; thisNote < 32; thisNote++) {
      changeLED();
      tone(BUZZER2, melody[thisNote],noteDuration);
      // to distinguish the notes, set a minimum time between them.
      // the note's duration + 30% seems to work well:
      int pauseBetweenNotes = noteDuration * 1.30;
      delay(pauseBetweenNotes);
      // stop the tone playing:
      noTone(BUZZER2);
    }
  }
}

// Each time this function is called the board moves to the next LED
void changeLED(void)
{
  setLEDs(1 << LEDnumber); // Change the LED

  LEDnumber++; // Goto the next LED
  if(LEDnumber > 3) LEDnumber = 0; // Wrap the counter if needed
}




on the back of the buzzer its reads '3-24V DC'

heres the exact one i bought: 4216 Piezoelectric Buzzer | 3-24V Piezo | Active Electronic Tone Buzze – Makerlab Electronics (the 4216 variation, not the active buzzer)

and the buzzer is connected to the microcontroller through female to male cause the wire itself was too loose to connect to the microcontroller, i have it attached to the jumper cable with electrical tape

thanks for the help!


I copied this image exactly (except for the buzzer wires connected to female-to-male jumper cables)

I also tried to run this program in tinkercad and it has that same problem so im thinking i have to change the code

  • Place the speaker across the power supply to confirm it is not active.

  • Never connect inductive loads to the Arduino 5v pin.

  • Why is the speaker between two GPIOs ?

FYI

thank you, ill take note of this and have a power supply for my motor

as for the buzzer issue, ill try to find an alternative tutorial, thanks for your help!

It's the wrong device. You want a transducer/speaker, not a "buzzer".

It's an "active buzzer".

...Sometimes it's not clear what they are selling and sometimes the seller gives it the wrong name but in this case there are clues in the description:

Active (it has active electronics inside.)

Input Type: DC (You give it DC power and it makes a sound.)

Frequency: 2.8kHz (A single frequency, not a frequency range.)

Operating Mode: Single Tone (Obvious clue.)

I'm sorry, im not really familiar with most of these terms since im a beginner, but ill try to communicate the best i can-

-how do i do that? the only way ive been testing my little contraption is by connecting it to my laptop

-what should i change for it to be the correct way?

-im sorry im not really familiar with what a GPIO is

this makes so much sense because the tiny buzzer works perfectly (apart from the volume issue)

how do i fix this and which is the right piece for my project?

-how do i do that? the only way ive been testing my little contraption is by connecting it to my laptop

  • Connect the speaker between arduino GND and 5v.
    If it is active, it will make a sound by itself.
    Also, confirm the resistance of the speaker with an Ohmmeter.

-what should i change for it to be the correct way?

  • Placing a Piezo speaker between a GPIO and GND or 5v is normal.
    The schematic offered you, gives the speaker ~ twice the volume.
    Your circuit can increase the volume but it needs 2 Arduino pins.

-im sorry im not really familiar with what a GPIO is
general purpose input output, pin

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