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.

 

 

	MIDI DRUM LEDS ITEM#: MIDIDRUMLEDS PRICE:  €35.00

The MIDI Drum Analyser unit utilizes:

• A Miduino kit including a suitable pre-programmed Atmega168,
• A 2.1mm power socket, and associated LED, 
• Select MIDI channel at power-on, in programme mode, 
• Pre-select MIDI drum choices in programme mode, 
• A MIDI 5-pin DIN input socket,
• A MIDI 5-pin DIN output socket,
• The circuit schematic is available,

 

 

The MIDI Drum Analyser also requires:

• A 9v battery or equivalent DC power source

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

 

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..

 

Assembly:

The assembly is straightforward and well documented. This design does not include a USB chip, it is designed to use a FTDI USB 232-TTL cable to program the microcontroller.  However since the cable plugs directly into the Miduino, you can use this one cable for multiple projects.

   

MIDI Wiring:

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.

 

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 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.

 

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