Midi-Control

[Fedo]

Hi everybody,
I would like to write a program that I could use to control my Virus with a micro-controller (or at least with a PC) . Now the problem is I don't know how the midi-communication works or where I could find something about it.
Can anybody help me, plz?
Fedo

[Hollowcell]

You might be able to get some information here http://www.harmony-central.com/MIDI/Doc/doc.html

Welcome to the forum by the way.

[AjmaGard]

This could also come in handy :)

http://www.waf80.de/virus/controller.html

[Fedo]

Thank u guys, that's what I can start with. I'll put a documentation of my controller as soon as I've finished with it.

[Juho L]

A micro controller? We are talking about small CPU chips here?

[Fedo]

Yes, we do. Once I've learned something about the midi-communication, it is no problem for me to realize the programs I write on a PC or a micro controller.
Because of using my virus live on stage I'd like to build a small control-station for it - so I could swich between the sounds faster and do other stuff that I can do with sound-diver.

[Juho L]

That's nice. I've coded a MIDI knob box with Atmel AVR chip. I found one page with comprehensive MIDI info but unfortunately I can't find it again. But basicly MIDI is just asynchronous 31.25 kbaud UART line with one stop bit. Just get your hands on a MIDI data chart and off you go.

[Reyman]

Hello!

What programming language do you use?

C++, ASM :D ?

[Juho L]

I think ASM is a very good choice in a simple MIDI application. Fairly short code and the code is compact. But making a LCD UI is pretty akward with ASM. An extensive UI is pretty tricky even with C. Last year summer I worked in Elektrobit as a trainee and made a multipoint temperature measurement system with Zilog Z8 Encore! chip. I programmed the whole thing in C and the UI alone had way over 500 lines of code. I shudder even to think what it would been with ASM.

[jasedee]

I think ASM is a very good choice in a simple MIDI application. Fairly short code and the code is compact. But making a LCD UI is pretty akward with ASM. An extensive UI is pretty tricky even with C. Last year summer I worked in Elektrobit as a trainee and made a multipoint temperature measurement system with Zilog Z8 Encore! chip. I programmed the whole thing in C and the UI alone had way over 500 lines of code. I shudder even to think what it would been with ASM.
Guys....this is an english forum. please stop talking in Finnish or whatever :)

[Fedo]

Well it's great that u guys are so interested in microcontrollers.
I've also been thinging whether I shoud do it in C++ or ASM and I decided to try it with C++ first then I'll translate it in ASM. You're right, Juho L, it's really hard work to implement a LCD UI with Assembler, but all I have to do is only taking my old programcodes and change them.

Fedo

[Juho L]

I've also been thinging whether I shoud do it in C++ or ASM and I decided to try it with C++ first then I'll translate it in ASM. You're right, Juho L, it's really hard work to implement a LCD UI with Assembler, but all I have to do is only taking my old programcodes and change them.

If you have the structure ready then there should be no problem. What controller are you going to use? And what kind of MIDI device you planned to make? Just a basic program changer?