MIDI Control Using Serial
Communication, Max 6/ Max For
Live, Touch OSC + Arduino
Bobby Fata
CC Lab
How it’s used now
Audience:
Performance, DJ/VJ
Production
Pro’s/Cons
Pros:
-Awesome Designs (sometimes)
-Well Manufactured (also sometimes)
-Easy setup with software
-You can buy them online or at your local store
Cons:
-Expensive: they can range between $50 for the most basic controllers
up to 700-800 and even $1000 for high end products.
-Layouts can be bland and generic
-No real customization
Why I Want to make my Own
1. Cost: I’m going to make my MIDI controller cost less than $100
2. Customization: Now I can choose the types of buttons and sensors I want
and also how they’re laid out. In this case, I’m going to start simple, but can
develop into a really personal product that will be suited to the needs of the
user (in this case me).
3. Learning experience: I’ve never had any real experience with Pcomp or
making electronics until this program so I think it’ll be a good learning
opportunity. It would involve learning about Arduino, Serial
Communications, MIDI, and all the physical aspects of making the
controller such as soldering, making an enclosure, as well as choosing the
layout, types and numbers of buttons and sensors.
Parts
- 4x4 Button Pad
- Button Pad PCB
- 2 Potentiometers
- 16 LED’s
NOT!
MIDI? More like WTF
- Serial  MIDI
- Other software required for conversion
- Working with Ableton Live
-Code
-MIDI CC, debouncing, baud rate, arrays, bytes
Dumber than previously
imagined…
Isolating switches on a keyboard
matrix??
A New Approach
Explore options for Arduino  Max
- MIDI OX
- Pure Data
- Firmata
- Serial MIDI Converter
- Hairless MIDI
- MIDI Yoke
- Maxuino
Software
Ableton Live 8 Suite
Arduino
Max 6
Max For Live
Touch OSC
Step 1
Load Serial Communication
example provided with the
software.
Create variables for
buttons/sensors you want to attach
and make sure it writes to Serial.
In this case, 2 Analog and 1 Digital
Step 2
- Write a Max 6 Patch to read Serial Communication from Arduino and convert to
MIDI Control messages…
Step 2
Step 2
Step 3
Setup Ableton Live 8
Suite WITH Max For
Live to receive input
from Max
Step 4
Map MIDI Controls
in Ableton Live
Step 4
Step 4
Testing other sensors: Softpot + Flex Sensor.
Results: Crap
Step 5
Set up Touch OSC
with Live Control.
All Together Now!
What I Learned
Hardware Failure
- Goals too ambitious. Beyond my programming ability.
- MIDI Control Commands difficult to program directly into hardware.
Software Success!
- Bypassed Maxuino
- Serial instead of Firmata
- Custom Max 6 Patch and Instrument in Max For Live
- First time Touch OSC, Arduino and Max have been used concurrently
in Ableton Live?
Next Iteration
-Fully develop Serial Communication
alternative to Maxuino
-Write back to Arduino to control LED’s and
Servo’s
-Use variety of sensors
-Physical MIDI Controller incorporating
Arduino + Touch OSC (iPad)
-Website
-Perform using hardware/software

Thank You
fatab513@newschool.edu
Bobbyfata@gmail.com