MIDI Hand: Manual

Equipment list

  • 1 Micro:bit
  • 1 prototyping system for the Micro:bit
  • 1 extra breadboard
  • 1 anti static glove
  • 4 buttons
  • 1 potentiometer
  • 1 battery kit
  • 1 MIDI to USB cable
  • 2 resistors (10 ohm and 330 ohm)
  • 1 MIDI PCB Mount DIN
  • 4 Male to Male (M/M) and 11 Male to Female (M/F) leads
  • 1 tape roll
  • 1 velcro roll

Estimated time to build: 10 – 30 mins (based on your experience)

Step 1 : Strap the breadboard to the palm side of the glove (fig 1). Add four buttons to the breadboard (fig 2) (tip: wear the glove when strapping it and try to reach each button ccomfortably before going to the next step).

Optional: Attach the portable battery to the micro:bit (fig 3).

  • fig 1
  • fig 2
  • fig 3

Step 2: Connect the right terminal of the button with a M/F lead to the pin 5 of the micro:bit prototype and the left terminal of the button with a M/M lead to the edge of the glove’s breadboard.

Add a M/F lead from the glove’s breadboard to the 0V pin of the micro:bit (fig 5).

NOTE: one button is upside down in (fig 4). Click on the image to expand.

  • fig 4
  • fig 5
  • fig 6

Step 3: Repeat step 2 for each other buttons (A = pin 5; B = pin 11; C = pin 1; D = pin 2).

  • fig 7
  • fig 8
  • fig 9

Step 4: Add the potentiometer to the prototype’s breadboard (fig 10). Connect the potentiometer left terminal to the 3v pin, middle terminal to pin 3 and right terminal to the 0V pin.

Note: To use pin 3, the LED screen must be turned off. More info in the code documentation or the micro:bit pins documentation.

  • fig 10
  • fig 11

Step 5: Connect pin 0 of the breakout board to the row connecting the MIDI connector pin 5, and insert the 10 ohm resistor between them. Connect the 3V pin of the breakout board to pin 4 of the MIDI connector, with the 330 ohm resistor between them. Ground your circuit by connecting the 0V pin of the breakout board to pin 2 of the MIDI connector.

Source: Lab 1, Build a MIDI OUT circuit, IAM, University of York

Note: Click on (fig 12) to expand the view and see more details of the MIDI connector pins.

  • fig 12 (credits: University of York)
  • fig 13
  • fig 14

Step 6: Connect the MIDI to USB cable to the MIDI connector and to the computer, and strap the micro:bit to the arm of the user.

Note: It is easier to have two people to help to strap it around the user’s arm correctly.

TADAAAAAAAAA!

Download (GitHub)
Documentation

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