MIDI Shield for Arduino

With the MIDI shield, you can add the power of the MIDI protocol to your Arduino projects. MIDI protocol and asynchronous serial interface has many similarities, so users can use the micro-controller UART pin to send MIDI event information. This is a MIDI shield which allows Arduino like boards to receive and send MIDI messages. The shield allows direct wiring of up to 5 piezzo sensors and a keyboard (with buttons and serial resistors) making it ideal for drums projects.

• Connections:
• MIDI - IN
• MIDI - OUT
• MIDI THRU
• Can be installed directly on top of the Arduino board

• MIDI-IN, MIDI-OUT and MIDI-THRU connectors
• 5 Piezzo sensors can be connected to the solder points at the edge of the shield for drum implementation
• Keyboard for piano implementation
• Works with the Arduino MIDI library
• Works with both 3.3V and 5V Arduino-like boards

• Connects MIDI - IN/THRU to Arduino hardware RX pin, connects MIDI - OUT to TX.

• The onboard switch lets you program the board without having to remove the shield by flicking the switch to OFF when you want to program. This is useful because the MIDI code uses the same pins that the Arduino uses for serial communications which are needed to program the board.
• Comes fully assembled and soldered

• Dimensions: 5.74 x 5.31cm

Sample Arduino Code:

/*
 MIDI note player
 
 This sketch shows how to use the serial transmit pin (pin 1) to send MIDI note data.
 If this circuit is connected to a MIDI synth, it will play 
 the notes F#-0 (0x1E) to F#-5 (0x5A) in sequence.
 
 The circuit:
 * digital in 1 connected to MIDI jack pin 5
 * MIDI jack pin 2 connected to ground
 * MIDI jack pin 4 connected to +5V through 220-ohm resistor
 Attach a MIDI cable to the jack, then to a MIDI synth, and play music. 
 */
void setup() {
  //  Set MIDI baud rate:
  Serial.begin(31250);
}

void loop() {
  // play notes from F#-0 (0x1E) to F#-5 (0x5A):
  for (int note = 0x1E; note < 0x5A; note ++) {
    //Note on channel 1 (0x90), some note value (note), middle velocity (0x45):
    noteOn(0x90, note, 0x45);
    delay(100);
    //Note on channel 1 (0x90), some note value (note), silent velocity (0x00):
    noteOn(0x90, note, 0x00);   
    delay(100);
  }
}

//  plays a MIDI note.  Doesn't check to see that
//  cmd is greater than 127, or that data values are  less than 127:
void noteOn(int cmd, int pitch, int velocity) {
  Serial.write(cmd);
  Serial.write(pitch);
  Serial.write(velocity);
}