#3 Build a MIDI controller with an Arduino: The DIY MIDI Controller Workshop 2.0

➡️ Making Music with Arduino: go.musiconerd.com/nerd-musici...
➡️ Curso Fazendo Música com Arduino em Português: go.musiconerd.com/fazendo-mus...
➡️ Download the code: go.musiconerd.com/diy-midi-co...
Hairless for Catalina: github.com/projectgus/hairles...
In this class you will learn:
🎹 How to upload the code in the Arduino.
🎹 How to adapt the code to your needs.
🎹 How to map your MIDI controller in any DAW.
PS: Choose the baud rate 115200 in your serial monitor, otherwise you'll see only some weird characters!
Where to buy:
➡️ Arduino Starter Kit: www.musiconerd.com/product-pa...
➡️ Arduino Uno: amzn.to/3d366JN
➡️ Arduino Leonardo: amzn.to/2VyJhbc
➡️ Arduino Micro: amzn.to/2XB7EGE
➡️ Arduino Pro Micro: amzn.to/2Vcz3Nz
➡️ Arcade Buttons: amzn.to/2Va5MTK
➡️ Wires: amzn.to/2xugvPF
➡️ Gikfun Solder-able Breadboard: amzn.to/2RD7Jpc
➡️ Rotary potentiometer b10k: amzn.to/3ckRKUY
➡️ Slide potentiometer: amzn.to/34IwFkD
➡️ Spacers M3 35mm: amzn.to/2z15BkN
➡️ M3 screws: amzn.to/2RHtfJw
➡️ Multiplexer CD4067: bit.ly/34K4d1N
In the DIY MIDI Controller Workshop, you will learn the first steps on how you can build your own MIDI controllers using the Arduino platform! The Arduino is a super low-cost, super powerful board, made for people, like you and me, without an engineering background. With an Arduino we can build an infinity of things, from robots to MIDI controllers! And... spending a fraction of the money you would spend in a factory MIDI controller. I promise it will be a game changer for you once you learn how to build your own equipment! So, if you are a DJ, VJ, music producer, audio engineer, multimedia artist, or any type of professional that works with music/visuals and a computer, you'll love this free course!

[@tyrelnorth]

These are the types of tutorials I search long and hard for. Everything is well explained, even seemingly complex things, without over-explaining. Keep doing what you're doing, bro.

[@NerdMusician]

Great to hear!

[@estebandiaz4405]

I spent probably one hour, hour and a half looking for a good, well-explained, and SIMPLE tutorial for doing MIDI with Arduino. Yours was the only one I felt good with, thanks a lot man!!!

[@ded-inside5904]

Mano, esses videos são exatamente o que eu tava procurando! O jeito que vc ensina e os recursos que voce usa são excelentes! Meus parabens e muito obrigado por fazer esses videos cara, voce absolutamente merece mais atencão, e espero que o algoritmo te abencoe pra que outras pessoas possam ver esse canal magnifico!

[@FPVHans]

Thank you for this great tutorial series!!! I just started yesterday building my own midi controller. Birdies like yours help a lot! Greetings from Germany 🤙🤙🤙

[@ricksflicks-]

I appreciate the time you took to really explain everything from top to bottom in this series. Thanks!

[@NerdMusician]

Hairless for Catalina: github.com/projectgus/hairless-midiserial/files/4476818/hairless-midiserial.app.64bit.zip

[@DAWless_TeaHouse]

The whole class is so intuitive and easy to understand, thank you so much for this effort. Really learnt a lot from your videos. Subbed and liked.

[@mollyellison5912]

IVE BEEN SEARCHING ALL DAY AND THIS IS THE BEST TUTORIAL OMGG

[@christophemagnan-bosse6313]

You're a boss, thx for your generosity! Can't wait to start working on my midi controller.

[@skiobaldo]

Que legal, Gsutavo! mandou bem demais demais demais! muito obrigado s2

[@andrealmeida3947]

conseguiu fazer download do codigo? o link nao funciona comigo :(

[@mikhailyakunkinakaslowmick1171]

Very catching! Thank You. Going to repeat it.

[@agnideva8814]

the code link is broken, can you upload it again?

[@ivanfaigenbom5300]

thanks for these series ♥♥♥

[@NerdMusician]

Glad you like them!

[@michaelbeers9775]

Thank you so much, this is awesome! I had so much fun building my little prototype, can't wait to get into something bigger now! Just a heads up - I had to close the SerialMonitor before hairless could receive the input from the Arduino. Took me a few minutes of head scratching, but great tutorial I really appreciate it!

[@mannytuzman3461]

PLEASE tell me if I can recieve midi data from another controller with the teensy or leonardo or uno? I imagine so but how?

[@robertmcdonald9249]

Great teacher!! thanks Gustavo

[@NerdMusician]

Glad you liked it!

[@chriskaprys]

In case it helps someone following along, I got garbage in the Debug (Serial) window until I changed the serial baud rate to 115200. Thank you, Gustavo!

[@NerdMusician]

Awesome! Thanks.

[@chriskaprys]

@@NerdMusician I put my email in at your site and I'm going to do your course once I get some potentiometers and sliders in the post. ✌️

[@bscblack100]

@@chriskaprys Thanks man! For everyone reading, he means change the serial baud rate in the serial monitor window. It's in the bottom right corner. Mine was defaulted to 9600

[@tooku4208]

Thank you!

[@itaimoscovitz184]

thanks man!!! it halped a lot!!

[@captainsolomartopitek71]

you are just awesome man. you are saving my life !!!!!

[@captainsolomartopitek71]

im now able to get throught my projects

[@NerdMusician]

Awesomeeee

[@bhavyadubey1445]

This was so helpful! Thank you man ❤️

[@NerdMusician]

Glad it helped!

[@bhavyadubey1445]

@@NerdMusician I'm going to start building it asap

[@jonkruth4157]

WOOOW BROOO YOU ARE SOOO AMAZING.....NICE EXPLAINING PLEASE KEEP UP YOUR WORK:::: I STAY FOR EVER YOUR STUDENT !!!!!

[@andypearce7442]

Brilliant!! Thank you

[@coningsivo]

Top zeer goed uit gelegd bedankt

[@kingmichaelcoy]

Thank you

[@matheuspamplona1850]

parceiro eu passei por varios problemas mas no final, graças a iteraçoes dos meus casos com o chat GPT, consegui montar o setup basico pra fuçar no VCV rack! muitissimo obrigado meu querido, ta de parabens pelo conteudo.. e pa gringo é mais caro kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

[@Calebjoyemusic]

Does the button code work the same for key switches? I definitely will be getting your course! Musicians definitely need to be making their own controllers! Awesome job and thank you!

[@avarofree414]

It is possible to decide wich exact cc number you want for each knob? Like for example having two knobs and giving the first knob the cc number 17 and the second knob giving it cc number 5?

[@metinkmusic]

hi, great video thanks, great for drums and control, can we play the piano, chord sound or multi trigger?

[@jeronimoolivavelez1299]

Hi, great video!! I was having a problem when I changed DEBUG 1 for ATMEGA328 1 and it was that in order to recognise the ATMEGA you must uncomment line 36

[@tynlap]

Thank you, you just saved my life 🙏 🙏 🙏

[@homy5753]

thanks man

[@dureoner]

HI gustavo! Nice job and thanks for share COuld you do something like this but with motorized faders?? THX

[@TheZahraLahrache]

Hi! Thanks for the tutorial. I've used the code, hairless, and put all my settings the same as you, but my Arduino midi will not play in Ableton live. Any tips on what I should be looking for or any solutions?

[@juliananthonyzufer]

Wow thanks man... Thanks for sharing your knowledge I was wandering if I can build a guitar pedal for amplitube.. And I sisdnt know how to. Thank you somuch again for sharing knowledge

[@NerdMusician]

Yes you can!! With this code you can build a midi pedal. Or check the complete course if you want something more fancy.

[@fratmete4209]

did you make it

[@carlossaraiva7968]

Great vídeos and great ideias. A question: my Akai mini Play is USB Midi Port. My Korg Volca FMuses the old fashion five pins Midi Port. Do they have the same protocol and electric levels meaning that I can put both to "talk" using only a cable with different connectors? Thums Up and another subscription Carlos, Guarujá, SP

[@lLucassFerreira]

Gostaria de tirar uma duvida seria possivel eu controlar o voluma do windows com ele? por exemplo , um apenas para o jogo, discord, internet e spotfy?

[@mblofeld]

Many thanks for this. Quick question/comment about using Hairless Midi (12:50 in your video). Not sure if this is a feature of the Windows version but I don't see data coming from the Arduino unless I select a MIDI out in the Hairless Midi screen (e.g. LoopBe Internal Midi). Is that correct or am I missing something?

[@calamityjaycantebrigge]

Hey @Nerd Musician. Awesome videos that have got me tinkering. Hairless Midi will not work on Big Sur 11.5.1 though, it says it needs to be updated by the developer and cannot be checked for Malware. I override gatekeeper and hairless.app opens, but not fully. It hangs and sits there 'not responding' until force quit. Last night I also downloaded the master code from the Hairless github, but I've no idea how to implement it as it wants to open in KICAD which I haven't figured out how to use yet, so I really am lost at this point. I'm neurodivergent so can and do get total brain blocks sometimes, but even after a good night's sleep I am still unable to get Hairless working. Any advice please? Secondly, unrelated directly to this controller. I have a couple of KORG 6p1 thermodiode nutube valves. Any suggestions on what to build with them

[@fkg360]

Muito bem!

[@diegocarvajal8237]

Hi, i´m a first year electronics student university, and my first proyect is about midi controllers then is when I discovered you, i love your work! Over my research and encoding finally get my prototype, but still not tested whit a software.(hairless troubles) but my question is... if Im using hairless with arduino uno, can i use garageband instead of ableton? Hope you can answer me, im looking foward to get the knowledge and set up my first midi controller. Greeting from Chile, Great videos and very well explained.

[@DjJageyedolon]

Thanks a lot! Have many problem with sending Midi from Nano to PC, many of the libs don't work

[@matheus3cbl]

outra coisa, consigo usar o arduino nano pra montar meu midi? ele tem tudo do arduino uno e tem mais portas analógicas

[@yashasvsal9015]

This is crazeeei! I have one question monsieur, how to create a toggle switch on these buttons?

[@pjforde1978]

Thanks for the excellent tutorial! While I patiently wait for my Teensy to arrive, I thought I would try to get things working on a MKR 1010 with the MIDIUSB branch. TL;DR: it compiled and uploaded fine, but no MIDI was generated. Uno version works great. Is there something obvious that I'm probably missing with an M0+ board that you can think of? Anyhow, I have signed up for the course and am excited to get started.

[@TheodoreNaiv]

Thanks for the great tutorial. The MIDI to Serial Bridge software is no longer supported for mac. is there any alternative software that i can use?

[@uzumakiruperto]

great video!! what about piezos?

[@giostechnologygiovannyv.ri489]

There should be tutorials like this one in Assembly language :'3

[@WorstViktorEU]

hey man, I want to change the code a bit so I can make a studiocontroller over midi (so mapping some monitoring plugins to control over midi). How can I change the output to midi cc and how would you fix it so the button would save the state upon next press (making it a on/off switch). Cheers for the vids, loving them!

[@NerdMusician]

Hey! All those things I cover in the complete course, you should take a look there. Lots of questions to answer in one comment here... nerdmusician.teachable.com/p/making-music-with-arduino

[@matheus3cbl]

pow mano, bota a legenda pra português ai, to querendo montar meu primeiro midi, e seus vídeos tem ajudado muito... sei que vc é br então vai entender. tmj

[@sonicallyretarded9647]

Would i be able to close the Hairless MIDI to Serial Bridge after the setting up the first time? I want to use my midi foot controller with a multi effect guitar pedal. Do i need to buy Arduinos with ATMEGA32U4 chip?

[@Vinny.013]

Show de bola 👏 👏👏👏 Se colocar piezos eletrônico no lugar dos botoes, funciona normalmente ? A indeia seria usar esse projeto para uma bateria eletrica

[@NerdMusician]

Não... Piezos têm que ser ligados nas entradas analógicas. Teria que fazer uma programação diferente pra eles!

[@jeremiasconrero9331]

sopa de macaco

[@antoinenioi6863]

Top ! I discovered many things … so you can imagine a very big contrôleur for Ableton and control what you want ! However I want to know in the video about the midi fighter DIY the complete list of component to make this contrôler … Do you know where can I buy the box to make the midi fighter DIY thanks a lot

[@peteryu9866]

Great tutorial!! When will your starter kit be in stock again please? :)

[@NerdMusician]

Just put more! www.musiconerd.com/product-page/arduino-starter-kit

[@matthieugirardet1220]

Really nice videos, easy to understand, even for a French like me ^^ But the link for the code seems to be broken 😢

[@JackWebbMusicClub]

I'm having an issue running Hairless Midi on Mac OS X Big Sur, any alternatives?

[@noobguitar4252]

same

[@MorphOrchid]

Any info on utilising endless rotary encoders?

[@gaminggames7299]

Why do I have this in Hairless midi? for example: +35.061 - Error: got unexpected data byte 0x66.

[@udhayanan8443]

what midi library should i install for mega16u2 ?

[@Totalrandomness2011]

Is their a reolacement for Hairless Midi? It nolonger works on my mac. It says its out of date.

[@betov75]

Hi! Thank you for the tutorials. Where can I download the code? The link seems broken. Thanks!

[@bluemanfansam]

I know I’m a few years late but I’m making one with piezo midi triggers. Anything I need to change (I’m planning on using 9 triggers) also how do you import sounds/samples for your controller

[@atetraxx]

Ok but some pro micros require you to download sparkfun AVR library and you are not able to use the standard micro board. Would help if you added this.

[@brycereyes2383]

Is the Arduino Starter Kit still available for purchase?

[@cristianosilva8910]

Consigo adapitar uma entrada para pedal de expressão?

[@mohdashifkhan2858]

What changes I should make in your code for using multiplexer please help

[@zairyassine3492]

ohh yeah!

[@searmusic6969]

I am trying to run this, yet the Hairless app is incompatible with my version of windows. Could you maybe create a video on running serialmidi? Otherwise I'll have to get new Arduino (one that plug and plays) and that wouldn't help me with UNO, mega, etc..

[@guillainbarre3004]

Can i use it with amplitube and how do you connect it to pc?

[@alanishmael1460]

I'm using windows, I downloaded the LoopBe, I changed the output to it in Hairless and i made it the midi preferences in ableton but i'm not getting any sound out of it. I have the drumkit selected. I know the code is correct but i'm not getting anything out of the board. please help!

[@billylee8497]

Greetings and thanks for the knowledge. I can’t download the code, it redirects me to a page that says “this page isn’t live yet”. Can anyone help?

[@nandino]

I've created a MIDI controller with an Arduino and a potentiometer to control the volume of Voicemeeter. The problem I'm facing is that even though the MIDI values sent to Voicemeeter are correct and range between 0 to 127, the software doesn't seem to respond accordingly by adjusting the volume appropriately. I've verified the MIDI channel, control change (CC) number, and even tried different delays between the MIDI messages, but the issue persists. It seems like Voicemeeter is not fully following the MIDI values I'm sending. I would greatly appreciate any help or suggestions to troubleshoot and resolve this issue. Thank you!

[@AGVersace100]

it is fantastic!!! one Question: Can I use an expression pedal as a potentiometers? I wired it up like if it was a potentiometer, in fact it is, but the behaviour is erratic. it only goes from 87 to 127.

[@NerdMusician]

Thankss! You can use a potentiometer as an expression pedal for sure. I don't know exaclty what's going on but you can map this value using the "map" function. Like: newPotVal = map(potVal, 87, 127, 0, 127);

[@AGVersace100]

@@NerdMusician after a few days of tinkering I got it working!!! My pedal is a one size fits all pedal with a switch that toggles between yamaha and common wiring. With one setting it behaved erraticly, with the other the arduino shut itself down. The wiring were correct though. In the end I flipped the VCC and the analog pin with the setting that previuosly shorted the arduino. Having VCC on the TIP, the RING connected to the analog pin, and the sleeve to ground. Works like a charm now and I'm planning of adding a few more pedals to the rig. They are so useful when playing live. I just want to thank you very much for those classes and for the sketches provided. They made my day=)

[@beastbeatsgamers6065]

aye could you help me? i'm not using any pots only 4 buttons to switch profiles in my guitar amp software but the Analog is always sending data is there a way to disable pots? thank you if you respond :)

[@suzvuky]

what could I do when the HAIRLESS MIDI bridge doesn't have update for -macOS Monterey version 12.2.1 :/ ?? I din't find any alternative that would fork for my computer...any tips?

[@ph0sphor_burn_in736]

gah i got to the very end of this tutorial only to discover that the Hairless Midi to Serial Bridge is no longer supported by Mac! I've been scouring the net looking for an alternative but not coming up with much else... Anyone have any suggestions???

[@VictorFranco6]

Hi! Can you use this code to later convert the device to midi through hiduino? excellent videos brother, greetings!

[@NerdMusician]

Yes you can. Wtach my third Traktorino video.

[@yodycastro]

Help. Hairless Midi is not having a version for Mac any longer. Is there any alternative? Thanks!!!

[@kirikudr]

cool video! but I have a question. I want to get rid of third-party serial-midi conversion software on my computer. So that arduino is immediately recognized as a midi controller. Tell us more about this? is it possible to flash the microcontroller so that it immediately imitates a midi device?

[@NerdMusician]

Yes! If you use an Arduino Pro Micro, Micro, or Leonardo, you can install the MIDIUSB library and chose "Atmega32U4" where you selecte the board in the code. The code is already set up for that.

[@kirikudr]

@@NerdMusician thank! I will try

[@kristof3131]

Any idea to replace hairless application. It doesn't work with last osx

[@daddydanny5588]

gr8 vid .. let me try my 1st arduino midi cotroller .. :)) but i want to make atleast 16 pontentiometre cotroller wtih 16 faders ... The thing is that i don't know how...:)

[@luisorozco7236]

I'm trying to do the same thing, have u figured out how to do it?

[@daddydanny5588]

not yet..lol

[@samdmaiomusic]

What happens if i have big sur? Cant use hairless

[@carrrmen16]

Hi thank you for the wonderful tutorial, this is exactly what I was looking for! I'm almost there, just have one "last" problem to overcome. Hairless keeps giving me error messages such as "+2.951 - Error: got unexpected data byte 0xa." I used your code and made only the mentioned adapations (Windows 10, Arduino Uno, LoopBe1). Gustavo do you have any idea what the problem could be? I would appreciate any help or tip :)

[@luqueichon]

I have the same problem, im gonna copy past your comment and see if we get a solution

[@guidosturla]

Hey man great work! I'm having trouble with adding a third potentiometer to the breadboard. Pots 1 and 2 work fine but Pot 3 starts moving up and down and giving values without actually touching it. Do I have to make some changes in the code? Or this is a problem with my Arduino Uno? Thanks so much 🙏 ❤️

[@NerdMusician]

You can look the variable varThreshold and increase that number. Sometimes, in breadboards the reading gets extra jittery.

[@conors8117]

Most likely the breadboard. I had the same issue but then I moved the potentiometer to different pins and it worked a lil better.

[@guidosturla]

@@NerdMusician Thanks man!

[@brickmansion-ev9yo]

I am getting a weird error called bad CPU type in executqble can you help plees

[@andrealmeida3947]

Nao consigo abrir a pagina onde transfere o código! e preciso urgente para trabalho da faculdade 😥😥

[@jeremycastillo4759]

I'm so close but I'm stuck. I get this error when trying to upload the code: MIDI.sendControlChange(cc + i, midiCState[i], midiCh); // cc number, cc value, midi channel exit status 1 'MIDI' was not declared in this scope

[@conors8117]

uncomment line 36 below include midi.h. I don't think that was mentioned in the video but I got the same error and that fixed it.

[@jeremycastillo4759]

@@conors8117 Thank you, kind sir!

[@NerdMusician]

Thiiiissss

[@andrewdover8965]

@@NerdMusician I have the same problem, what do I do.

[@julienscookingshow5030]

@@conors8117 That helped me too, thanks!

[@evaaicrag]

Hairless MIDI is not compatible with my M1 Macbook. Is there any other way? I purchased your couse btw.

[@greenvalleymusic3368]

If u use multiplexer like 74HC4051 how to change the code?

[@seanadoyle]

Where can I find the code? The link keeps sending me to sign up page

[@roccanto86]

Hi gustavo! i saw when you test your buttons that works as a latched switch, i mean: when you push it turns ON and another push turns it off, how can I configure the buttons as momentary? I want to make this project to midi control a Headrush gigboard, and this devide, requieres this feature. Thanks in advance

[@NerdMusician]

In the code they are momentary, not toggle...

[@roccanto86]

You are totally right, I apologize!

[@Harindu101]

helppp.... the cord works at ' debug ' after putting ATMEGA328 I got an error, 'MIDI' was not declared in this scope how to solve this error

[@prasannakataria8717]

Sir is there any way connect your this diy to WINDOWS

[@homy5753]

Hi, How can i made toggle button instead? Example: Button to turn on/off solo button in DAW

[@NerdMusician]

Ableton automatically makes the solo, arm, Rec, toggle buttons, so you don't need to change anything in the code.

[@minkloco619]

Will this work with Logic Pro?

[@skybeats9902]

i am using atmega 328. if i leave the MIDI_CREATE_DEFAULT_INSTANCE function as a comment, arduino ide gives me an error like 'MIDI' was not declared in this scope. but if i make active the instance function , i see unreadable values like this :?< ?= ? on my serial monitor. does anyone know about this ?

[@PierreWapata]

Hi ! Do you know that we can't download the code ? It's written : This page isn't live yet If you are the owner of this domain you need to publish your site before you will see it here.

[@mikhailyakunkinakaslowmick1171]

MacOS Catalina demands for 64 bit Hairless Convertor. Is there any solution for this problem? Thank You.

[@calamityjaycantebrigge]

Hey Mikhail, did you solve this? I can't get HAIRLESS working on Big Sur

[@mikhailyakunkinakaslowmick1171]

@@calamityjaycantebrigge Jay sorry for delay with my reply. So: no progress at my side. For a pair of last months I was busy with music recording :o) May be return to Arduino a bit later, if there is still some steam in my turbines.

[@fran95lp]

The link for the code is not working :C

[@mirkosicuranza1915]

how can i add some multiplexer? can i? I wanna do this with arduino mega, i should make like 130buttons... pls help me

[@luisorozco7236]

I'm also trying to add a multiplexer, have you figured it out yet? This is the first controller I try to build, I'm new in the Arduino

[@gulping-garfield]

I did everything you said and put it in debug but when I go into serial monitor it senses when the buttons are pressed but it comes with .?,!+;@‘dj and symbols like that HELP PLZ

[@zachcurrie4258]

These videos are superb! But dude, you HAVE to make a video about rotary encoders. Include a rotary encoder section in your code. You've only covered 2 of the 3 main controller components.

[@mannytuzman3461]

PLEASE tell me if I can recieve midi data from another controller with the teensy or leonardo or uno? I imagine so but how?

[@tarkkaanalemdag]

can ı use for bias fx 2

[@mannytuzman3461]

PLEASE tell me if I can recieve midi data from another controller with the teensy or leonardo or uno? I imagine so but how?

[@NerdMusician]

You can. The MIDI libraries have function for MIDI read, that's what you need to do. I do teach how to MIDI read inside the Making Music with Arduino course.

[@androvisuals6863]

Great tutorial it just falls flat for me as a windows user when I have to use hairless Cataline. I installed midiloop to create a virtual midi port which is visible to ableton and hairless, I just cannot get any midi to appear in hairless from my arduino uno... I changed line 31 from #define DEBUG 1 //this works fine in serial mode to #define ATMEGA328 1 Which doesn't work with hairless getting midi, I have the arduino software closed and the serial monitor closed as well I have Midi Library version 5.01 by francois Best and USBMIDI version 1.1.6 by Blokas installed. I do miss things like what version number of libraries that you installed and other info in your videos as tech changes and updates roll out. Either way great work with putting the videos out. If you or anyone else has any suggestions on anything I can try I'd love to hear it.

[@dusteye1616]

uncomment MIDI_CREATE_DEFAULT_INSTANCE(); under #ifdef ATMEGA328 like this: // if using with ATmega328 - Uno, Mega, Nano... #ifdef ATMEGA328 #include // by Francois Best MIDI_CREATE_DEFAULT_INSTANCE();