[OT]pic/midi programming

[Pete Lancashire]

> The end goal is to create an electronic bagpipe. Yes, I know I can buy
> one, but I'd like to build it.
>
> So it has 8 switch inputs and outputs notes depending on which switches
> are pressed.

Ah ok .. a PIC or ARM are good and cheap. do a google search lots of
free designs. I've built MIDI -> 'stuff' devices in the past. Where
stuff has been anything from banks of lights to solenoids hitting
5 gallon plastic buckets. I've never done a switch -> MIDI.

> So my initial thought was to use a PIC microcontroller to read the
> switches and then either output to a MIDI synth chip, or generate
> the notes with the PIC and a D to A.
>
> Now for those unfamiliar with bagpipes they actually have 4 reeds
> in total so I would need 4 DAC's ( I think )

The major building blocks

1. switch contact to MIDI
2. MIDI to instrument
3. instrument to analog output

You have two choices for the instrument, sampled or synthesizer.

The output from the "instrument" can be summed into one digital
output then sent to a single DAC/filter/amp. A clean DAC/filter/amp
is not easy but there are a lot of designs that can be copied.

With all the distortion a bag pipe puts out, I'd hate to see the
DSP code :-).

check out

http://www.ucapps.de/index.html

click around, i think there is a switch->MIDI somewhere in there

and

http://ask.metafilter.com/57144/How-to-get-started-with-MIDI-on-the-cheap














>
> Dave
>
> On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 1:12 PM, Phillip Mills
> <phillip.mills1-HInyCGIudOg at public.gmane.org>wrote:
>
>> ----- Message from davec-zxk95TxsVYDyHADnj0MGvQC/G2K4zDHf at public.gmane.org ---------
>>
>>
>>  How to use a MIDI chip to output sound
>>>
>>
>> Since I'm not familiar with "PIC" there's a fair chance that I don't
>> understand the question, but....  Typically MIDI is strictly data and
>> has no
>> intrinsic sound.  It can get sent to some kind of sound-producing device
>> that interprets it and makes sound based on the MIDI instructions.
>> There
>> are integrated devices that do both, I guess, but I think of them as
>> sound
>> modules that happen to understand MIDI.  :-)
>>
>> Is it some specific device that you're trying to program or just
>> anything
>> that accepts MIDI (or GM)?
>> --
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>

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