Standalone DIY MIDI Sequencer Controlling Nintendo NES

A simple single-channel, 8 step standalone step sequencer that is controlling a Nintendo running a MIDINes cart.

I ran out of pots, that is why there are only 8 notes (instead of my desired amount of 16). The pots on the right are the 8 notes. The top right one is note 1, the bottom right one is note 4, the top left one is note 5 and the bottom left one is note 8.

On the left are the pots that control the following functions (from top to bottom):

1. the length of time between two notes
2. the octave
3. the length of a note
4. the length of the loop
5. the duty cycle of the NES' pulse wave

The sequencer always plays in A minor (the white notes on a piano keyboard).

Arduino code and a better photo of it all can be found at: http://little-scale.blogspot.com/2007/06/standalone-midi-sequencer-nes.html

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http://little-scale.blogspot.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• little
• scale
• littlescale
• adelaide
• seb
• sebastian
• tomczak
• electronic
• music
• sound
• arduino
• MIDI
• MIDInes
• nintendo
• sequencer

[ZogDawg]

This is really cool!

However, your info needs A MINOR correction (pun intended)...

A minor is only the white notes starting on A and ending on A. If you start and end on C while only playing white keys it's C major, if you start and end on D it's D Dorian Mode, and each other white key note has it's own different scale or mode that you get from starting and stopping on it while only playing the white keys.

[littlescale]

Yes this is obvious. But I'd like to point out that the scale in the microcontroller literally goes for an octave from an A followed by a B, then C D E F G and then the octave A above. The octave doesn't start on a D or a C, it starts on an A :)

[reclusivesage]

It's looks so easy: some pots, a couple breadboards...what's the catch?

[littlescale]

What do you mean?

[TEMPHUiBIS]

-]. Legendary, I still love this .[-

[littlescale]

hey, thanks man! hope you are going well.

[Dragoony12345]

Man, that's some awesome peace of work, you're showing here!!!

I'm about to build an Arduino-based 8 step sequencer right now (almost finished, just need to wire things together) which is pretty similar to yours, but man: How do you connect the whole thing to the NES anyway? Via Midi-Input? Would you share this great peace of work (how to let the sequencer playing the soundbank of the NES)?

That would be awesome, dude.

I will post a video of mine, too, when it's finished. ;)

[sbtrctd]

Hey, as a MIDI controller, does it matter what resistance the pot is? Or can I define the values with the Arduino regardless of ohmage?

[kibjohn]

awesome!

[brittttney]

hi, this is great!

was looking for a simple midi sequencer

was hoping for PIC based one tho

what kind of arduino board is it?

[nordemoniac]

How about rearranging the buttons... And voila, you have a Nintendo Synthesizer with one arpeggio;)

[TEMPHUiBIS]

-]. yeah man, im sending u an e-mail soon, stay online .[-