How to Make an Arduino MIDI Footswitch

I've been playing a lot more music during my time stuck at home due to the COVID outbreak. I realized that I can create loops to enable myself to play songs solo since I can't meet up to play with friends. However, I found it difficult to trigger loops when my hands were occupied playing instruments.

I decided to create this MIDI footswitch which connects to the audio software I use for live looping. It lets me trigger tracks and phases in the loop without having to touch the keyboard. It also only costs ~$50 (which is much less than other devices cost online)!

MATERIALS:

*Disclaimer*
The methods shown in this video should be used
as a guide only.

HACKER SHACK ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR
ACCIDENTS OR INCIDENTS ARISING FROM INDIVIDUALS
UNDERTAKING ANY OF THE TASKS DESCRIBED. IN
PARTICULAR, IF UNSURE YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONTACT
A QUALIFIED TRADESMAN BEFORE PROCEEDING.

[jagtone]

Nice project. You don't need separate ground leads for every footswitch, just wire them all together with a single ground lead to the board. Significantly reduces the spaghetti.

[jasonbrooks]

This project is something I was looking to do for myself because I'm cheap, but when you started channeling Pink Floyd in your demo, I was hooked.

[KanePat]

Nice Pink Floyd/David Gilmour inspired playing at the end of your video. Nice job !

[malzbiervonaldi]

YES finally!!!! I was trying to build something like this and couldn’t find that much information. THANK YOU!

[AGVersace]

That's very nice!!!
Is it possible to substitute the buttons with female jacks so that I can insert my favourite sustain pedal?
What would be the process of inserting an expression pedal input?

[stringwrshpleader]

This is exactly what I've been looking for!!! Do you think there would be a good way to integrate an expression pedal into the build? I've been wanting to buy a midi controller to use Ableton VSTs as a live guitar rig for practicing and use at church. I was also thinking about adding LEDs or maybe even small backlit LCDs to indicate what position the switches are and even what effect they're tied to. It would probably take some coding but it would be an awesome project. Your build is giving me a ton of ideas!!!

[Seansquatch]

So i found your channel because i started studying how to do this on my own. And of course there is a nerd world for this!! I think i found the area of expertise i wanna level up in. I’d love to make something just like your board. My controller is simple, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Melo Audio MIDI Commander by now, well, that thing has pcb switches.. but they’re the plastic flat button, and they’re pressed by the spring switch that looks more like the switches you have there, but it was quite deceiving.. anyway, i might just gut that thing and use the box.. but then again, I’d like a project box like yours.. man this is amazing.. I’m gonna use your video for reference 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎃

[Deebz]

Not bad for a rush job... Though I could see with the spacing of those footswitches you were lining yourself up for a miss-stomp... I would have mounted with wider spacing and used a long peddle-board chassis instead.

But does the Arduino/Teensy have an actual MIDI out/thru port, for direct operation - without requirement for a DAW - of other MIDI compliant signal processors?

[steveforwarduk]

about to tackle this. I need to make 10 but have 4 on top and bottom with the end two acting as different things, bank up/down. How would I add in LED's so I can have red LEDs and then say Green LEDs for the end two?

[cgonzt]

Wow you’re soldering skill, so clean. What’s the wattage of your soldering iron? I have 60w melts my wires 😆

[andolivo]

Can you add an expression pedal to the programing tutorial, plz?

[louizou]

Nice project !!
Teensy boards are fantastic for Audio and Midi

[Dan_f]

love your projects, really wish i had the creativity you do :D
really good inspiration

[kaiwheeler]

Thanks for that, mine is working fine. Now I need to figure out how to plug in an analogue expression pedal.

[TheAwesomeGuy]

Hello, what do you mean by header pins exactly? doing this project now and I'm confuse, you said to solder to each adjacent pins except what? or all? Apologies not much familiar with electronics, just a hobby, so what pins do I not need to solder adjacently? the Ground pins and 5V??

[WilsonALO]

great toturial, why do you think that my controller is sending multiple notes per press? Im using the Teensy LC

[zapz]

hello sr, nice biuld, one question, did you ever try to control vst pluggings, like guitar rig, bias fx etc? im wondering if building something like your midi pedal will work for controlling my ipads apps likebias fx, dreamfoot, ableton live on my computer as well as sunday guitar on mainstage.

[adinwalls]

Hey there have you figured out how to add banks to this?

[LuizFelipe-wues]

Hi! Im doing this exact project (just with less buttons, teensy 2.0 and a led) and I’m struggling with some problems:
- first of all when I press a button, it sends multiple midi messages at once (I tried messing with the debounce time but it doesn’t seem to help)
- second, when I press one button, my daw is receiving multiple notes ( I figured when I only press one, its like pressing 3/4 buttons at once)
-and last my led isn’t lighting up (I want it always on), does this mean I cant use led while programming in midi??
Can you please help?? Great video by the way!!!

[Just_lift_anyone]

Many thanks, very helpful video!

This works great for me with Live 10 but I cannot for the life of me get it to work with Reaper, or Bias FX 2 standalone.. nothing at all to do with the code or anything, I think it's the DAW and the VST being a funny buggar !