Stefan Vasic
Published © GPL3+

Unopad - Arduino MIDI Controller with Ableton

Tutorial for creating simple MIDI controller and usage of it in Ableton Live ( or any other DAW)

BeginnerFull instructions provided13,165
Unopad - Arduino MIDI Controller with Ableton

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino UNO
Arduino UNO
×1
Switch Actuator, APEM A01 series Illuminated Push-Button Switches
Switch Actuator, APEM A01 series Illuminated Push-Button Switches
×9
Jumper wires (generic)
Jumper wires (generic)
×1

Software apps and online services

loopMidi
Hairless MIDISerial Bridge
Ableton Live 10 Trial

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)
Soldering iron (generic)
Optional

Story

Read more

Schematics

Unopad circuit - without LED

Code

MidiDrumPad.ino

Arduino
#include "Buttons.h"

//------Notes-------------
#define NOTE_ONE 36
#define NOTE_TWO 37
#define NOTE_THREE 38
#define NOTE_FOUR 39
#define NOTE_FIVE 40
#define NOTE_SIX 41
#define NOTE_SEVEN 42
#define NOTE_EIGHT 43
#define NOTE_NINE 44

#define NOTE_ON_CMD 0x90
#define NOTE_OFF_CMD 0x80
#define MAX_MIDI_VELOCITY 127

//------------------------

int NUMBER_BUTTONS = 9;

Button Button1(4, NOTE_ONE);
Button Button2(3, NOTE_TWO);
Button Button3(2, NOTE_THREE);
Button Button4(7, NOTE_FOUR);
Button Button5(6, NOTE_FIVE);
Button Button6(5, NOTE_SIX);
Button Button7(10, NOTE_SEVEN);
Button Button8(9, NOTE_EIGHT);
Button Button9(8, NOTE_NINE);

Button *Buttons[] {&Button1,&Button2,&Button3,&Button4,&Button5,&Button6,&Button7,&Button8,&Button9};


int red_light_pin= 11;
int green_light_pin = 12;
int blue_light_pin = 13;


void setup() {
   Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  if (NUMBER_BUTTONS != 0) updateButtons();
}

void updateButtons() {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUMBER_BUTTONS; i++) {
      int state = Buttons[i]->getButtonState();
      
      //  Button is pressed     
      if (state == 0) 
      {
         midiNoteOn(Buttons[i]->Note,127);
      }
  
      //  Button is not pressed
      if (state == 1) 
  	  {
  		   midiNoteOff(Buttons[i]->Note,0); 
      }
  }
}


void RGB_color(int red_light_value, int green_light_value, int blue_light_value)
 {
  analogWrite(red_light_pin, red_light_value);
  analogWrite(green_light_pin, green_light_value);
  analogWrite(blue_light_pin, blue_light_value);
}

// Send MIDI note ON
void midiNoteOn(byte note, byte midiVelocity)
{
  Serial.write(NOTE_ON_CMD);
  Serial.write(note);
  Serial.write(midiVelocity);
}

//Send MIDI note OFF
void midiNoteOff(byte note, byte midiVelocity)
{
  Serial.write(NOTE_OFF_CMD);
  Serial.write(note);
  Serial.write(midiVelocity);
}

Buttons.cpp

Arduino
#include "Buttons.h"


Button::Button(int pin, short note)
{
  _pin = pin;
  pinMode(_pin, INPUT_PULLUP);
  _state = 1;
  _lastState = 1;
  Note = note;
}


int Button::getButtonState()
{
   int returnValue = -1;
   int state = digitalRead(_pin);
    
    if(state == _lastState)
      return 5;
   if(state!= _lastState)
   {
        if(state == 0)
         {
            returnValue = 0;       
         }
         else
         {
            returnValue = 1;
         }
   }

   _lastState = state;

   return returnValue;
}

Buttons.h

Arduino
#ifndef Buttons_h
#define Buttons_h

#include <Arduino.h>

//Button (Pin Number, Note Number)
class Button
{
  public:
    Button(int pin, short note);
    int getButtonState();
    int Note;
   
  private:
    int _pin;
    short _note;
    int _state;
    int _lastState;
};

#endif

You can download code from my Github

Credits

Stefan Vasic

Stefan Vasic

5 projects • 17 followers
Full Stack Developer. Big mobile development and Arduino enthusiast.

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