Code for an Arduino-based breath-controlled instrument using Wii Nunchuck controllers
This sketch is for a breath-controlled MIDI musical instument controller with the following features:
- Uses a pressure sensor to detect the player's breath. The values from the sensor are output as MIDI Breath Controller messages. MIDI Note/On messages are sent when the breath pressure exceeds/falls below a configurable threshhold value. Note and breath controller data is sent on MIDI channel 1.
- Uses a Wii Nunchuck controller to control performance metadata. The Nunchuck buttons (two of them) are configured to send two different MIDI notes on MIDI channel 2, and a third note is sent when both buttons are held and released. These three notes can be mapped, respectively, to Ableton Live's previous scene, next scene, and scene launch controls.
- Uses the Nunchuck's accelerometers to detect pitch and roll, and maps those values to MIDI continuous controller data sent on MIDI channel 1.
- Uses the Nunchuck's joystick to select one of 9 different MIDI notes. This allows the performer to choose which MIDI note sounds when the breath sensor activates.
Requirements:
- As written, the code expects to run on a PJRC Teensy microcontroller (www.pjrc.com), which supports USB over MIDI. The code can be adapted to an Arduino platform without USB MIDI support by replacing the calls to usbMIDI.* with calls into another MIDI library. You will also need to add a MIDI interface to your Ardiuno.
Future Ideas:
- Utilize a second Nunchuck controller. This turns out to be difficult since every Nunchuck has the same I2C bus address. It may be possible on a microcontroller platform with more than one I2C bus. NOTE: this work is partially complete now. I found a replacement i2c library which can utilize the second i2c bus on the Teensy 3, so I'll soon be adding support for the second Nunchuck.
The BlowChuck.ino file is licensed with a BSD-style license. The WiiChuckTeensy3.h file is based on work found on the Internet,and is not covered by the BlowChuck.ino file's license.