Stepper motor music

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By Collin Cunningham
Posted 2009/06/23 @ 4:12 am
Category Arduino, Electronics, Music

Michael put some stepper motors to work playing back MIDI tracks by way of Arduino -

The data for the music is taken from a MIDI file I made. The code for interpreting the data and moving the motors was written by me over the course of a few days.

The sound you’re hearing is coming entirely from the motors. The motors are screwed into some pieces of aluminum from an old project to help them resonate. I’m taking requests for other songs to play.

Currently, the information for the song is stored on the Arduino. Plans for implementing a realtime MIDI stream are underway. Eventually I’ll be able to plug in a keyboard and play the motors as though I were playing piano.

Quite awesome. You can see video the project’s earlier version here. [via Adafruit]

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6 Responses to Stepper motor music

vivi on June 23rd, 2009 at 12:16 pm said:

I *knew* it was going to be Super Mario Bros. even before the video started playing … Try to get a little more imaginative, I’m sure there are plenty other pieces with only 3 voices of polyphony. With their little flags the motor mounts do look a little bit like the Mario castles, however.

His other music thing “pipe dream” looks much more promising.

Reply ↓
- Mike on June 23rd, 2009 at 1:09 pm said:
  
  The Super Mario Bros theme is something that lots of people recognize. It was chosen both because of popularity and because I had already put the MIDI file together. More music will follow.
  
  The Pipe Dream was a great idea, but providing a quiet compressed air source turned out to be too much of a hassle. Plus, the solenoid valves I had were too loud and too slow. Sadly, that machine has been disassembled. Recognize the stepper motors?
  
  That’s a project I might try again in a few years when I have the money.
  
  Reply ↓
  
  Collin Cunningham on June 23rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm said:
  
  Nice to know the motors found new life.
  I’m particularly digging this project as I’ve recently been doing something similar w/ relays – gotta love those machine sounds!
  
  Reply ↓
  
  Bill Sherman on March 5th, 2010 at 10:54 am said:
  
  I would like to learn more your project using relays. I built Percussus, the drum machine.
  http://home.comcast.net/~botronics/percussus.html
  This drum machine use relays and Midi to make percussion sounds.
  
  Reply ↓
MB on June 23rd, 2009 at 1:39 pm said:

Video doesn’t work. Says “invalid parameters.”

Reply ↓
Anonymous on May 5th, 2011 at 4:30 am said:

Hi Michael, stepper motors to work playing back MIDI tracks is an excellent work. Thanks to know about this information…

_______
Mark.

CheapCarInsurance.org.uk

Reply ↓