I've been researching midi bass pedals which most examples revolve around a 13 key keyboard taken from an old organ that is played with your feet. I've attached a picture of it. I currently have the Arduino Uno R3 but unsure if I should use it for the project. Here's why. I've read that in order to make the uno work with midi, you have to reprogram it such as by using the HIDUINO firmware, but I've also read that you can use a library instead. Also the limitation in pins that the uno has, has me a little skeptical.
The project's scope is to create the midi foot controller that will have up/down buttons for each of the following: program changes (changing synths), volume (0-127), 4 octaves and reading the key pressed via switch to output midi via USB, that will connect to a Raspberry PI 3 B+ (running samplerbox) receiving the midi that will hold a synth sound library that will output thru a USB DAC PCM2704 in stereo. I've read that the output quality is better using a PCM2704 but not at anything less than 3.3 VDC. The samplerbox details are here Make it! - SamplerBox that I plan on sending the midi to.
Given the fact that many of these projects I've reviewed took place back in 2011-2015, I'm unaware of any improvements that may have taken place in the arduino community that may simplify this project. I've been reading about the keyboard matrix, switch debounce, shift registers such as using the 74HC595 to scan the keyboard matrix and so on. This is something that if it works, I'd like to add as a permanent part to my band, and have it so that it's pretty rock solid. Obviously I can't play chords (more than one key at a time) with my feet, however I do plan on having certain patches for songs that will use one key to trigger a specific chord but all that will take place in the programming/patch section. I've seen examples of using piezo's as triggers but that may not work given the environment of a live setting with all the treble and bass on stage. Hopefully I've explained this in a detailed enough manner. I'm in the planning stage and am looking for the right direction to take for this endeavor so I can get started. Thank you for your time.
