MIDI Solenoid Drummer

by Collin Cunningham

published September 09, 2018, last updated October 07, 2024

posted in Feather/ Feather Boards Feather/ FeatherWings Crickit

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Intermediate

Project guide

Code

We'll use the Arduino IDE for the drummer's code - download & install it if you haven't already.

If you're new to Arduino, check out the Getting Started with Arduino guide.

Along with Arduino IDE, we'll need to install the following two code libraries.

Connect your Feather to your computer and open up the Arduino IDE. From the top menu, go to Sketch --> Include Library --> Manage Library, search for MIDIUSB and install the latest version of the MIDIUSB library.

Next follow the same steps as above to install the Seesaw library …

Additionally, go to Tools --> Board: --> Board Manager and update the Adafruit SAMD boards library if you haven't already. Additional info for installing boards in the Arduino IDE is available here.

Upload code

Go to Tools --> Board, and choose Adafruit Feather M0. Then go to Tools --> Port and choose the corresponding port for your board.

Create a new sketch, copy the code you see below, and paste it into that new sketch.

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// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2018 Collin Cunningham for Adafruit Industries
//
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

/*  MIDI Solenoid Drummer
 *  for use with Adafruit Feather + Crickit Featherwing
 *  assumes a 5V solenoid connected to each of Crickit's four Drive ports
 */

#include "Adafruit_Crickit.h"
#include "MIDIUSB.h"

Adafruit_Crickit crickit;

#define NUM_DRIVES 4
int drives[] = {CRICKIT_DRIVE1, CRICKIT_DRIVE2, CRICKIT_DRIVE3, CRICKIT_DRIVE4};
int cym = CRICKIT_DRIVE4;
int kick = CRICKIT_DRIVE3;
int snare = CRICKIT_DRIVE2;
int shake = CRICKIT_DRIVE1;
int hitDur = 8; //solenoid on duration for each hit (in milliseconds)

void setup() {

  if (!crickit.begin()) {
    while (1);
  }

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_DRIVES; i++)
    crickit.setPWMFreq(drives[i], 1000);  //default frequency is 1khz

  test(); //test solenoids at start
}

void loop() {

  midiEventPacket_t rx = MidiUSB.read();  //listen for new MIDI messages

  switch (rx.header) {
    case 0x9:            //Note On message
      handleNoteOn(
        rx.byte1 & 0xF,  //channel
        rx.byte2,        //pitch
        rx.byte3         //velocity
      );
      break;
    default:
      break;
  }
}

void handleNoteOn(byte channel, byte pitch, byte velocity) {

  switch (pitch) {
    case 24:      //kick = C1/24
      hit(kick);
      break;
    case 25:      //snare = C#1/25
      hit(snare);
      break;
    case 26:      //shake = D1/26
      hit(shake);
      break;
    case 27:      //cymbal = D#1/27
      hit(cym);
      break;
    default:
      break;
  }
}

void hit(int drum) {
  crickit.analogWrite(drum, CRICKIT_DUTY_CYCLE_MAX);  //turn solenoid all the way on
  delay(hitDur);                                      // wait
  crickit.analogWrite(drum, CRICKIT_DUTY_CYCLE_OFF);  //turn solenoid all the way off
}

void test() {   //for debugging
  hit(cym);
  delay(400);
  hit(kick);
  delay(400);
  hit(snare);
  delay(400);
  hit(shake);
  delay(400);
}

// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2018 Collin Cunningham for Adafruit Industries
//
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

/*  MIDI Solenoid Drummer
 *  for use with Adafruit Feather + Crickit Featherwing
 *  assumes a 5V solenoid connected to each of Crickit's four Drive ports
 */

#include "Adafruit_Crickit.h"
#include "MIDIUSB.h"

Adafruit_Crickit crickit;

#define NUM_DRIVES 4
int drives[] = {CRICKIT_DRIVE1, CRICKIT_DRIVE2, CRICKIT_DRIVE3, CRICKIT_DRIVE4};
int cym = CRICKIT_DRIVE4;
int kick = CRICKIT_DRIVE3;
int snare = CRICKIT_DRIVE2;
int shake = CRICKIT_DRIVE1;
int hitDur = 8; //solenoid on duration for each hit (in milliseconds)

void setup() {

  if (!crickit.begin()) {
    while (1);
  }

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_DRIVES; i++)
    crickit.setPWMFreq(drives[i], 1000);  //default frequency is 1khz

  test(); //test solenoids at start
}

void loop() {

  midiEventPacket_t rx = MidiUSB.read();  //listen for new MIDI messages

  switch (rx.header) {
    case 0x9:            //Note On message
      handleNoteOn(
        rx.byte1 & 0xF,  //channel
        rx.byte2,        //pitch
        rx.byte3         //velocity
      );
      break;
    default:
      break;
  }
}

void handleNoteOn(byte channel, byte pitch, byte velocity) {

  switch (pitch) {
    case 24:      //kick = C1/24
      hit(kick);
      break;
    case 25:      //snare = C#1/25
      hit(snare);
      break;
    case 26:      //shake = D1/26
      hit(shake);
      break;
    case 27:      //cymbal = D#1/27
      hit(cym);
      break;
    default:
      break;
  }
}

void hit(int drum) {
  crickit.analogWrite(drum, CRICKIT_DUTY_CYCLE_MAX);  //turn solenoid all the way on
  delay(hitDur);                                      // wait
  crickit.analogWrite(drum, CRICKIT_DUTY_CYCLE_OFF);  //turn solenoid all the way off
}

void test() {   //for debugging
  hit(cym);
  delay(400);
  hit(kick);
  delay(400);
  hit(snare);
  delay(400);
  hit(shake);
  delay(400);
}

Click the Upload button and wait for the process to complete. Once you see Done Uploading at the bottom of the window, the Feather should automatically fire each solenoid to test your drumkit.