DIY MIDI Interfaces

This page is a mixture of beginner and advanced, DIY options covering MIDI in (receive), MIDI out (send), and USBMIDI to MIDI conversion for non-Arduino like microcontrollers.

Here are some other pages of interest:

• Ready-Made MIDI Modules – a range of modules for “ready to go” MIDI IN and OUT for both 5V and 3V microcontrollers.
• Arduino MIDI Interfaces – a range of DIY options for serial and USB MIDI IN and OUT for 5V microcontrollers.
• Arduino and USB MIDI – a complete summary of USB MIDI interface related projects.
• MIDI Connections Cheat Sheet – how to work out which pins to use for your MIDI connectors.

And remember the golden rule and warning: I strongly recommend using an old or second hand keyboard for your MIDI experiments.  I am not responsible for any damage to expensive instruments!

Kevin

MIDI Out for 3.3V Microcontrollers (Beginner)

Supported microcontrollers:

• Raspberry Pi Pico
• Adafruit Circuit Playground Express
• BBC Microbit
• Adafruit Feather

More details here: MIDI, MicroPython and the Raspberry Pi Pico.

MIDI In for 3V Microcontrollers (Beginner)

Supported microcontrollers:

• Raspberry Pi Pico
• Adafruit Circuit Playground Express
• BBC Microbit
• Adafruit Feather

More details here: MIDI In for 3.3V Microcontrollers.

USB to Serial MIDI Router (Beginner)

Supported microcontrollers:

• Any CircuitPython device, for example Raspberry Pi Pico, Seeed XIAO, Adafruit Trinket M0.

More details here: CircuitPython USB to Serial MIDI Router

3V3 MIDI Module (PCB)

Supported Microcontrollers:

• Any 3V3 logic level microcontroller with a UART.

More details here: 3V3 MIDI Module PCB – Part 2

Reversible MIDI Out for the Raspberry Pi Pico (Intermediate)

Supported microcontrollers:

• Raspberry Pi Pico

More details here: Raspberry Pi Pico Reversible MIDI Out.

MIDI In for the Raspberry Pi Pico (Intermediate)

Supported microcontrollers:

• Raspberry Pi Pico

More details here: MIDI IN for the Raspberry Pi Pico.

Universal Microcontroller MIDI Module (Intermediate)

Supported Microcontrollers:

• Any 3.3V microcontroller (Raspberry Pi Pico, Adafruit Circuit Playground Express, Adafruit Feather, etc).
• Any 5V microcontrollers (Arduino, etc).

More details here: Universal Microcontroller MIDI Module.

MIDI Pack for the Raspberry Pi Pico (Advanced)

Supported microcontrollers:

• Raspberry Pi Pico

More details here: Pi Pico PIO Poly Tone MIDI “Pack”.

MIDI for the Raspberry Pi (Intermediate)

Supported devices:

• Raspberry Pi v3 or v4.

More details here: Raspberry Pi, Clumsy MIDI and MT32-Pi.

PC USB to DIN MIDI In (Intermediate)

Parts list:

• Arduino Leonardo compatible board – I used the Beetle USB again.
• 2x 220Ω Resistors
• 5 PIN 180 DIN Plug
• Jumper wire
• An existing Arduino MIDI project for testing

For details, see: PC USB to DIN MIDI IN.