MIDI for the Arduino - Build a MIDI Input Circuit

In this installment we are going to assemble a Midi Input Circuit and connect it to your Arduino UNO.

[greggreno]

This worked the very first time I built it - thank you! I used the same recommended optocoupler (6N138). I've seen posts that you can use the 6N137, but you shouldn't connect pin 7 and you should use 10k ohm resistor between pins 6 and 8. But I haven't tried it.

[emirlie]

You're doing an excellent job.. Thank you for your time and effort.

[sceic]

The PC957L optocoupler may be an alternative solution. It has a maximum propagation delay time of 0.8μs and eliminates the need for the resistor at pin 7.

[johantibbelin]

Nice video. Seems easier than reverse engineer the drivers for my old midi usb interface.

[VRYGD]

Kindly give an instructional on how to add "midi in" & "midi out" to an existing midi controller. We all understand why this may not be possible. Be a problem solver and go beyond the untapped potential. Take the opportunity to show how to add a midi in and/or midi out to an existing midi controller. Thank you for your upload. Very innovative.

[eross]

do you have any video on how to build a 16 pad piezo midi drum module?

[killervic]

Very good, the first to congratulate you for the information you provide, the question is the following; If I connect the output of the RX pin to make a MIDI-THRU to the output pin 5 and a resistance of 220 Ohms to pin 4 (with 5v) of the midi connector would work?

[toreeriksson]

Very good video clip!

Would it be possible to replace the 6N138 with a PC817 plus most any small signal NPN transistor? I was thinking of a BC547B or so.

[jkbaron]

What if I have a 6N136 instead 135? This is the last thing i need for my midi drums

[michaelqueen]

I am sure it must be something in the code but how do I go about compiling the MIDI data to USB to send to a computer? Pretty much I am trying to make this into a MIDI to USB interface. can this be done with this? if So How? I have checked all over online and I have heard it can be done but found no one actually showing how to do it within the code. This is for a class Final that is due next week.

[JOELwindows]

Bought wrong optocoupler. PC817 is 4 pin.

[midnightskate]

Your steps for these synthesizer tutorials are very clear and allow me to build the circuits with ease, but I'm new to electronics (obviously, or I wouldn't need tutorials like this) and I'm constantly frustrated that you never explain why you're connecting "this" to "that". You're making assumptions about your viewers knowledge and not really helping anyone understand why they're doing the things they're doing, which is the most important part of ANY learning experience. So...I'm happily going to be your first thumbs down. Sorry. For instance, what kind of information is being passed through each of the 5 pins on the midi jack? What are the functions of each of the pins octocoupler in this instance? What IS an octocoupler? I get that you probably want to make your videos brief, but it's far more important to cover all of the details.