About the workshop
In this workshop participants will be learning how to make a MIDI controller/digital interface. The skills participants will learn in this workshop can be utilized for creating a musical instrument, an interactive sculpture, or interactive wearable device among many other things. MIDI is a protocol language that is used in music, robotics, lighting and has many other applications.
We will be taking a Teensy 3.6 micro controller and programming it to act as a MIDI device that can be used with any music software or hardware that recognizes MIDI. We will learn about different kinds of sensors, including Force Sensing Resistors (FSRs), Potentiometers, button switches and toggle switches. We will learn how to create simple circuits on a breadboard that will enable us to get sensor data into our Teensy, and how to wire an LED to be controlled by our Teensy.
We will then learn how to get the data from the Teensy into a computer using interactive software called Pure Data. MIDI data from a Teensy can be used to control a synthesizer, play audio, control a lighting board, control a robot or any other device of software that is compatible with MIDI. Other topics we will cover are some basic principles of electronics, the purpose of some electrical components like resistors, and how to solder.
No previous knowledge is required to attend this workshop, but experience with electronics, soldering, or programming in Max or Pure Data software would be helpful.
Some videos highlighting this project:
About the Instructor
Nick Demopoulos is a performer, musician and instrument builder based in Los Angeles. In his performances as Smomid (which stands for String Modeling Midi Device), he only utilizes instruments he has designed and built to perform interactive computer music.