Published November 11, 2023 © GPL3+

DIY Simple Arduino Metronome

This is a simple beginner Arduino project with a great visual effect, but also a very useful tool when learning to play a musical instrumen

BeginnerFull instructions provided2 hours591

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino Nano R3

DIYables OLED Display 128x64 0.96 inch, I2C Interface

LED (generic)

Buzzer

Rotary potentiometer (generic)

Through Hole Resistor, 470 ohm

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)

Solder Wire, Lead Free

Story

A metronome is a device used in music to help musicians keep a consistent tempo or beat while playing or practicing. It produces a regular, steady sound, typically in the form of clicks or beats per minute (BPM), to aid musicians in maintaining the desired rhythm.

Metronomes come in various forms, including mechanical metronomes, electronic metronomes, and digital metronome apps.

The device presented in this video is actually a digital metronome that contains an array of LEDs that simulate the movement of a weighted pendulum.

The movement of the weight on the vertical rod has been replaced by a slide potentiometer, and the current beats per minute is displayed on a small OLED screen. The LEDs and the potentiometer are placed in such a way that the device looks very much like an original mechanical metronome.

Otherwise, the device is very simple to make, and consists of several components

Arduino Nano Microcontroller
8 LEDs
Slide potentiometer with a value of 10 to 100 kilohms
two active buzzers
SSD1306 OLED display
and a 470 Ohm resistor

If you want to make a PCB for this project, or for any other electronic project, PCBway is a great choice for you. PCBway is one of the most experienced PCB manufacturing company in China in field of PCB prototype and fabrication. They provide completed PCB assembly service with worldwide free shipping, and ISO9001 quality control system. Also, on their site there is an online gerber viewer where you can upload your gerber and drill files to render your board.

Considering that only one diode is always active at a time, instead of 8 resistors on each anode, I put only one resistor on the common cathodes to ground. In that way, the circuit is significantly simplified. Also for sound indicators, instead of one, I use two active buzzers, which have a negligible cost. On the other hand, we got a sharp clear sound, which is a basic requirement for this device, and there is also no need to complicate the code. I connect the buzzers directly to the D2 and D9 outputs. Also, the code is very simple and can easily be modified for a different number of LEDs. Of course the part with my logo and device name in the void setup section can be removed. Even for simplicity, the OLED display can be omitted, and then draw a BPM scale near the slide potentiometer.

Now let's see how the device works in reality. After switching on, in the first few seconds the previously defined logo appears as well as information about the device type. Then, conditionally speaking, the Pendulum starts moving at a speed that depends on the position of the potentiometer. When the potentiometer is higher, the oscillations slow down, and vice versa. The current BPM is displayed on the OLED display. The first and the last led are of different colors and indicate the moment of activation of the Buzzer. The movement of the diodes is actually a Knight Rider led effect, the speed of which is controlled by a potentiometer.

And finally, this is a simple beginner Arduino project with a great visual effect, but also a very useful tool when learning to play a musical instrument.

Code

Arduino code

/*

  For Loop Iteration

  Demonstrates the use of a for() loop.

  Lights multiple LEDs in sequence, then in reverse.

  The circuit:

  - LEDs from pins 2 through 7 to ground

  created 2006

  by David A. Mellis

  modified 30 Aug 2011

  by Tom Igoe

  This example code is in the public domain.

  https://www.arduino.cc/built-in-examples/ForLoopIteration

*/
#include <SPI.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>
#define SCREEN_WIDTH 128 // OLED display width, in pixels
#define SCREEN_HEIGHT 64 // OLED display height, in pixels
#define OLED_RESET  -1
#define SCREEN_ADDRESS 0x3C
Adafruit_SSD1306 display(SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT, &Wire, OLED_RESET);
int timer = 0;           // The higher the number, the slower the timing.
int bpm = 0;
const unsigned char zmaj [] PROGMEM = {
  // 'zmaj7 60x60, 128x64px
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x80, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x7f, 0xff, 0x7f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfe, 0x80, 0x00, 0xbf, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfd, 0x00, 0x00, 0x5f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x04, 0x00, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x0c, 0x00, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x00, 0x00, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x00, 0x00, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x00, 0x00, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x80, 0x00, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x40, 0x00, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x80, 0x60, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x80, 0x30, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xe2, 0x3f, 0xfa, 0x80, 0x0f, 0xcf, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xed, 0xbf, 0xf4, 0x80, 0x00, 0x2f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xd9, 0x3f, 0xe9, 0x80, 0x00, 0x5f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xa2, 0xff, 0xd3, 0x00, 0xff, 0xbf, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x85, 0xff, 0xa6, 0x01, 0x00, 0x7f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x85, 0xff, 0x4c, 0x02, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x85, 0xfe, 0x98, 0x03, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x85, 0xfd, 0x30, 0x02, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x82, 0x02, 0x60, 0x02, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xa1, 0xfc, 0x80, 0x01, 0x0f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xd0, 0x41, 0x80, 0x00, 0xf7, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xe8, 0xbe, 0x00, 0x04, 0x0b, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf4, 0x40, 0x00, 0x0b, 0xc3, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x00, 0x00, 0x05, 0x23, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x00, 0x00, 0x47, 0xcf, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x00, 0x00, 0x87, 0x8f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfd, 0x00, 0x00, 0x8b, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfc, 0x80, 0x00, 0x97, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x4c, 0x01, 0xaf, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xa6, 0x03, 0x5f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xd3, 0x04, 0x7f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xe9, 0x8c, 0x7f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf4, 0x88, 0x7f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x90, 0x53, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x90, 0x3d, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf8, 0x8a, 0x05, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf8, 0x87, 0x02, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfa, 0x01, 0xff, 0x7f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf9, 0x00, 0x81, 0x7f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfc, 0xff, 0x9f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x5f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 
  0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff
};
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
  // use a for loop to initialize each pin as an output:
  display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, SCREEN_ADDRESS);
  display.clearDisplay();
  display.drawBitmap(0, 0,zmaj, 128, 64, WHITE); // display.drawBitmap(x position, y position, bitmap data, bitmap width, bitmap height, color)
  display.display();
  delay(2000);
  display.clearDisplay();
  display.setTextSize(2);
  display.setTextColor(WHITE);
  display.setCursor(22,10);
  display.println("mircemk");// Print text
  display.setCursor(10,40);
  display.println("METRONOME");
  display.display();
  delay(2000);

  for (int thisPin = 2; thisPin < 10; thisPin++) {

    pinMode(thisPin, OUTPUT);

  }
}

void loop() {

 int sensorValue = analogRead(A0);
 byte timer = map(sensorValue, 0, 1023, 20,125);

 bpm=map(timer, 20 ,125 , 160   , 60);
 Serial.println(bpm);

    display.clearDisplay();   
    display.setTextSize(3);
    display.setTextColor(WHITE);
    display.setCursor(35,5);
    display.println("BPM:");
    display.setCursor(15,40);
    display.println(bpm);
    display.setTextSize(2);
     display.setCursor(73,45);
    display.println("/min");

    display.display();
 
   // loop from the lowest pin to the highest:

  for (int thisPin = 2; thisPin < 10; thisPin++) {

    // turn the pin on:

    digitalWrite(thisPin, HIGH);

    delay(timer);

    // turn the pin off:

    digitalWrite(thisPin, LOW);

  }

  // loop from the highest pin to the lowest:

  for (int thisPin = 9; thisPin >= 2; thisPin--) {

    // turn the pin on:

    digitalWrite(thisPin, HIGH);

    delay(timer);

    // turn the pin off:

    digitalWrite(thisPin, LOW);

  }
}

Credits

Mirko Pavleski

119 projects • 1174 followers

DIY Simple Arduino Metronome

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Schematics

Schematic diagram

Code

Arduino code

Credits

Mirko Pavleski

Comments

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DIY Simple Arduino Metronome

DIY Simple Arduino Metronome

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Schematics

Schematic diagram

Code

Arduino code

Credits

Mirko Pavleski

Comments

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