MIDI Drum to LEDS

This unit utilizes MIDI Note ON/OFF data from a MIDI drum player, mapping the Roland TD20, to switch ON/OFF  LEDS, corresponding to the pre-selected MIDI drums. (Other drum machines can be mapped to the LEDS if required). So  by watching the LEDs, which can be attached beside real or practice drums, you can follow, practice and learn MIDI drum patterns.

 

 

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MIDI DRUM LEDS ITEM#: MIDIDRUMLEDS PRICE:  €45.00

 

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The MIDI Drum to LEDs unit utilizes:

• An Arduino board  including a suitable pre-programmed Atmega microcontroller,
• A 2.1mm power socket, and associated LED, 
• Select MIDI channel via 4-way DIP switch, 
• Pre-selected MIDI drum choices,
• A MIDI 5-pin DIN input socket,
• A MIDI 5-pin DIN output socket,
• The circuit schematic is available,

 

 

The MIDI Drum LEDs  also requires:

• A 9v battery or equivalent DC power source

• Up to 16 Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and associated resistors

 

MIDI IN/OUT Wiring:

 

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The MIDI IN and OUT connectors use  5-Pin 180 degree DIN sockets. Note that the MIDI IN/OUT wiring is polarised and the correct pins should be used.

 

 

Normal Mode:

The unit detects the incoming MIDI data and if the MIDI channel corresponds to the correct MIDI channel setting, when a corresponding Note-on is detected, (to the pre-set MIDI channel 10 drum selection), the corresponding output LED is switched on (+5 Volts) and stays on until the corresponding note-off is detected and the output is switched off (0 Volts). This allows each output LED to operate independently. 

 

Operation: 

The MIDI drum analyser unit can be operated live in real time from a drum machine or a MIDI keyboard or from a hardware/software sequencer with pre-programmed MIDI Note on/off data. The outputs can be used to switch on LEDs for each selected drum so that you can 'see' as well as hear a drum pattern being played, allowing you to copy and learn that pattern..

   

Download:

Open the  source code file and copy and paste it into the Arduino programme and save it as a .PDE file.

 

MIDI Specification: 

Generally, MIDI drums are normally recorded/transmitted on MIDI channel 10. The LED outputs are switched ON via MIDI 'Note-On' commands and OFF by MIDI 'Note-off' commands. These MIDI commands are all channel (1-16) dependent. Also, the outputs will switch off if  a correct MIDI Note On with a velocity of 00  is received. The unit also works in MIDI Running Status mode. 

 

Power Supply: 

External  power can come either from an AC-to-DC adapter  or battery. The adapter can be connected by plugging a 2.1mm center-positive plug  into the board's power jack. Leads from a battery can be inserted in the Gnd and Vin pin headers of the POWER connector. .

 

The board can operate on an external supply of 7 to 20 volts. If supplied with less than 7V, however, the 5V pin may supply less than five volts and the board may be unstable. If using more than 12V, the voltage regulator may overheat and damage the board. The recommended range is 7 to 12 volts.

 

Expansion:

The MIDI to 16 output units can be combined/expanded by connecting the MIDI OUT of one unit to the MIDI IN of the following unit. 

 

Demonstration:

There is a Video demonstration of the drum to LEDS working at:

Video Demonstration

 

and a discussion of the circuit design on V-drum Forum at:

Drum Discussion Forum