XIAO ESP32-C3 MIDI Synthesizer – Part 6

Expanding on my previous posts, I thought it might be interesting to see how I might be able to add some additional IO to the MIDI Synth. This is an exploration of some options there. Part 1 - Getting started and getting code running. Part 2 - Swapping the ESP32-C3 for a SAMD21 to get USB … Continue reading XIAO ESP32-C3 MIDI Synthesizer – Part 6 →

XIAO USB Device to Serial MIDI Converter

Having recently revisited the CircuitPython USB to Serial MIDI Router as part of XIAO ESP32-C3 MIDI Synthesizer – Part 2 it reminded me I didn't really have a simple Arduino USB device to serial MIDI for the XIAO. So this is filling that gap. Warning! I strongly recommend using old or second hand equipment for your experiments. … Continue reading XIAO USB Device to Serial MIDI Converter →

XIAO ESP32-C3 MIDI Synthesizer – Part 4

In Part 2 I looked at how to add USB MIDI to the XIAO MIDI Synthesizer and in Part 3 I looked at some of the properties of the SAM2695 synth chip itself. This post combines the two into a relatively simple, but playable, synth. Part 1 - Getting started and getting code running. Part 2 - Swapping … Continue reading XIAO ESP32-C3 MIDI Synthesizer – Part 4 →

Selecting Microcontrollers for Music

I was browsing some of the newer ATtiny chips the other day and started to make a note of some of their properties and it made me realise I actually have quite a few different microcontrollers at my disposal and many more I could be having a look at. But having committed to not attempting … Continue reading Selecting Microcontrollers for Music →

Arduino Audio and MIDI Frameworks

I've been collecting bookmarks for interesting Arduino audio projects for a while now, and having now played with the XIAO SAMD21 I started looking back over my list for other things to try. One thing that occurred to me is that there are a now a number of more powerful audio frameworks available for a … Continue reading Arduino Audio and MIDI Frameworks →

XIAO SAMD21, Arduino and MIDI – Part 8

This post brings together some custom PCB designs for use with a Seeedstudio XIAO SAMD21. Other parts in this series: Part 1 - Introduction to the XIAO SAMD21 and some projects to get started. Part 2 - Looking at accessing additional serial ports and using them for MIDI. Part 3 - Mozzi FM synthesis using … Continue reading XIAO SAMD21, Arduino and MIDI – Part 8 →

XIAO Pi USB MIDI Device PCB – Part 2

Here are the build notes for my XIAO Pi USB MIDI Device PCB. Warning! I strongly recommend using old or second hand equipment for your experiments. I am not responsible for any damage to expensive instruments! These are the key tutorials for the main concepts used in this project: XIAO SAMD21, Arduino and MIDI 3V3 … Continue reading XIAO Pi USB MIDI Device PCB – Part 2 →

XIAO Pi USB MIDI Device PCB

One thing missing from a MiniDexed build is USB device support. The Raspberry Pi will act as a USB host to USB devices, but the MiniDexed can't be plugged into another USB host. Some versions of the Raspberry Pi (notably the zero and 3A+) support USB On The Go (OTG) which means they can act … Continue reading XIAO Pi USB MIDI Device PCB →

XIAO MIDI Synth Board PCB – Part 2

Here are the build notes for the XIAO MIDI Synth Board PCB. Warning! I strongly recommend using old or second hand equipment for your experiments. I am not responsible for any damage to expensive instruments! These are the key tutorials for the main concepts used in this project: XIAO SAMD21, Arduino and MIDI 3V3 MIDI … Continue reading XIAO MIDI Synth Board PCB – Part 2 →

XIAO MIDI Synth Board PCB

This is a synth IO board based on my XIAO MIDI Proto PCB for the Seeed Studio XIAO series of microcontrollers. It can support four or eight potentiometers, depending on the XIAO board being used. Build Guide: XIAO MIDI Synth Board PCB – Part 2 Warning! I strongly recommend using old or second hand equipment for … Continue reading XIAO MIDI Synth Board PCB →