MIDI BLE Tutorial

Contributors: MTaylor

Resources and Going Further

Once you've figured out the basics, the nRF52832 can be deployed directly to a device to build a MIDI instrument or controller.

Checkout some of the details of the circuit described in the post:

If you're interested in building your own MIDI system, we have some products to help you get started.

• If you want to build your own MIDI device, you can start with the Arduino-compatible MIDI Shield. The hookup guide for the shield has several example sketches.
• The Tsunami Super WAV Trigger includes a MIDI port that can be wired to accept TTL Serial, and is a super easy way to may audio files play when keys are pressed.
• The Teensy series can produce synthesized audio through either the onboard DAC or through the Audio board and is quite powerful. It can be directly connected to the nRF52832 to create a BLE MIDI synth.
• If the shield is overkill, we've also got the raw MIDI connector.
• Dr. Bleep added MIDI to the second revision of the Bleep Drum.

For more information about MIDI and BLE protocols, check out the information listed below.

• MIDI.org is the official website of the MIDI Manufacturer's Association. Here you can find the original MIDI standard as well as the MIDI BLE standard.
• www.bluetooth.com offers full Bluetooth specifications including common GATT characteristics, declarations, descriptors, and services.
• The FortySevenEffects Arduino MIDI library is extremely user friendly and configurable, making a great layer to handle serial MIDI data.
• MIDI devices have long been a mainstay of DIY microcontroller projects. The MIDIbox is a platform for building a wide variety of MIDI devices.
• The MIDI Article at Wikipedia.
• If you're really serious about MIDI, you might want a printed copy of the Complete MIDI 1.0 Detailed Specification.