Comments on: Converting an old organ to MIDI http://www.cibomahto.com/2010/01/converting-an-old-organ-to-midi/ building making designing dreaming Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:12:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: mahto http://www.cibomahto.com/2010/01/converting-an-old-organ-to-midi/comment-page-1/#comment-100812 mahto Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:12:35 +0000 http://www.cibomahto.com/?p=737#comment-100812 It's possible to do with an Arduino UNO or Mega 2560: http://arduino.cc/en/Hacking/MidiWith8U2Firmware However, it might be easier to find a cheapo USB to MIDI converter instead. Something like this might work: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Converter-Music-Keyboard-Window/dp/B0017H4EBG You can also use the USB on the Arduino as a regular serial port, and run a program on your PC that converts it to MIDI, but that usually ends up being a pain. Good luck!! It’s possible to do with an Arduino UNO or Mega 2560:
http://arduino.cc/en/Hacking/MidiWith8U2Firmware

However, it might be easier to find a cheapo USB to MIDI converter instead. Something like this might work:
http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Converter-Music-Keyboard-Window/dp/B0017H4EBG

You can also use the USB on the Arduino as a regular serial port, and run a program on your PC that converts it to MIDI, but that usually ends up being a pain.

Good luck!!

]]> By: Andre Zan http://www.cibomahto.com/2010/01/converting-an-old-organ-to-midi/comment-page-1/#comment-100676 Andre Zan Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:35:35 +0000 http://www.cibomahto.com/?p=737#comment-100676 Hi there! First , congrats for the project! Im starting to build one from an old broken organ, and would like to know if it'd be possible to serial out from arduino into a pc usb virtual midi using arduino uno's usb interface instead of real midi out interface on pin 13. My intention is to hook up the organ into my pc via usb (pc has no midi interface), and then i'll control virtual instruments via organ keys. Hi there! First , congrats for the project!
Im starting to build one from an old broken organ, and would like to know if it’d be possible to serial out from arduino into a pc usb virtual midi using arduino uno’s usb interface instead of real midi out interface on pin 13.
My intention is to hook up the organ into my pc via usb (pc has no midi interface), and then i’ll control virtual instruments via organ keys.

]]> By: mahto http://www.cibomahto.com/2010/01/converting-an-old-organ-to-midi/comment-page-1/#comment-94351 mahto Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:28:35 +0000 http://www.cibomahto.com/?p=737#comment-94351 Hi Terry- You won't need the I/O inputs if you don't have too many things you want to monitor. The Uno has 13 digital input pins (one of which is used for midi out), plus 6 analog ones that can also be used for input, so you could hook up 18 different inputs without needed an expander. Hi Terry- You won’t need the I/O inputs if you don’t have too many things you want to monitor. The Uno has 13 digital input pins (one of which is used for midi out), plus 6 analog ones that can also be used for input, so you could hook up 18 different inputs without needed an expander.

]]> By: Terry http://www.cibomahto.com/2010/01/converting-an-old-organ-to-midi/comment-page-1/#comment-94172 Terry Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:37:29 +0000 http://www.cibomahto.com/?p=737#comment-94172 Nice job! I wonder if my project would need the I/O expander chips. I have an Arduino Uno board and some organ bass pedals I want to turn into MIDI pedals so I can trigger sounds while I play my guitar or bass. Any suggestions? Thanks, Terry Nice job! I wonder if my project would need the I/O expander chips. I have an Arduino Uno board and some organ bass pedals I want to turn into MIDI pedals so I can trigger sounds while I play my guitar or bass. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Terry

]]> By: mahto http://www.cibomahto.com/2010/01/converting-an-old-organ-to-midi/comment-page-1/#comment-53793 mahto Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:25:52 +0000 http://www.cibomahto.com/?p=737#comment-53793 Hi Paddy! Thanks! Sorry for the late reply. The barebones kit comes with just the parts to put together the board. I had to add a breadboard, keyboard electronics, and (most importantly) a usb-to-serial cable to get it to talk to the computer. The barebonesboard worked well for me since I had it connected to an actual MIDI device. If you are going to have it permanently attached to a computer, you'll need a way to get the MIDI data into the computer. I'd recommend getting a board with a built-in USB converter, so that you can connect to it using usb. Here are a couple i've used, one from seeed studio: http://www.nkcelectronics.com/seeeduino-fully-assembled--arduino-compatible.html Or maybe, if you want to put it together, the freeduino: http://www.nkcelectronics.com/freeduino-arduino-diecimila-compatible-board-complete-kit.html Of course, the regular Arduino is only around ~30, so you don't save much using these ones :-(. Hi Paddy! Thanks!

Sorry for the late reply. The barebones kit comes with just the parts to put together the board. I had to add a breadboard, keyboard electronics, and (most importantly) a usb-to-serial cable to get it to talk to the computer.

The barebonesboard worked well for me since I had it connected to an actual MIDI device. If you are going to have it permanently attached to a computer, you’ll need a way to get the MIDI data into the computer. I’d recommend getting a board with a built-in USB converter, so that you can connect to it using usb. Here are a couple i’ve used, one from seeed studio:

http://www.nkcelectronics.com/seeeduino-fully-assembled–arduino-compatible.html

Or maybe, if you want to put it together, the freeduino:

http://www.nkcelectronics.com/freeduino-arduino-diecimila-compatible-board-complete-kit.html

Of course, the regular Arduino is only around ~30, so you don’t save much using these ones :-( .

]]> By: Paddy http://www.cibomahto.com/2010/01/converting-an-old-organ-to-midi/comment-page-1/#comment-53357 Paddy Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:22 +0000 http://www.cibomahto.com/?p=737#comment-53357 That is really cool! I haven't heard of these Arduino clone boards before. I was always under the impression that if I wanted to write embedded code I had to buy expensive PIC stuff. Do you get everything required (not including your external circuitry of course) with that barebones kit? It's impressively cheap!!! I hope I can get them in New Zealand =) I'm gonna be writing some Linux games to run at my kids' playcentre and kindergarten, and I love the idea of making a real cheap MIDI keyboard to make a musical game. Thank you for your post. It's exactly what I was hunting for. That is really cool! I haven’t heard of these Arduino clone boards before. I was always under the impression that if I wanted to write embedded code I had to buy expensive PIC stuff.

Do you get everything required (not including your external circuitry of course) with that barebones kit? It’s impressively cheap!!! I hope I can get them in New Zealand =)

I’m gonna be writing some Linux games to run at my kids’ playcentre and kindergarten, and I love the idea of making a real cheap MIDI keyboard to make a musical game. Thank you for your post. It’s exactly what I was hunting for.

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