Introduction: Simple Arduino Monome

By jdeboi.com
About: maker, programmer, teacher, activist

Overview

This Instructable is the simple version of the MaKey MaKey Monome, an electronic music instrument designed to be easy for kids and beginners to reproduce (and iterate upon!). For more information, feel free to check out my website.

Materials (for the 4x4 monome)

  1. Arduino
  2. 8 jumpers
  3. double-sided conductive copper tape
  4. non-conductive tape
  5. an LED

Get the Arduino code

  • All of the code can be downloaded from my GitHub profile.
  • Download the Arduino folder - we're specifically interested in "simple_arduino_monome"
  • simple_arduino_monome.ino needs to be uploaded to the Arduino

Get the Processing code

  • In the same GitHub repository, download the Processing directory.
  • at the top of the monome.pde sketch, change the variables "numRows" and "numCols" to 4 and 4 (making a 4x4 monome)

Step 1: The Grid

  1. Lay 4 columns of copper tape
    (or however many columns you'd like to use; make sure to adjust the code accordingly)
  2. Lay clear tape over the columns everywhere that the columns will intersect with rows
    (rows and columns need to be electrically isolated)
  3. Attach a jumper to each row and each column of copper tape (I just used copper tape to make the connection) and to the Arduino
  4. Stick an LED in pin #13 on the Arduino.

NOTE: Make sure the pin mapping in the Arduino code corresponds to the mapping of the pins to the copper tape (i.e. they're in order from left to right, top to bottom, or vice versa)

NOTE: Unlike in the MaKey MaKey Monome version, you do not need to touch ground in order to trigger a key. Just touch the intersection of a row and a column with you hand.

Make sound!

Once the Arduino code is uploaded to the board and the board is plugged into the computer, you can run the Processing monome.pde sketch and make sound! Check out the other MaKey MaKey Monome tutorials for additional information about the sketch.