💡iNara

Color Guide Device for Music Visualization

iNara Test using Scaler 2 on iPad to Trigger and Display Chords over Bluetooth Midi

Overview

iNara: After creating my first animation, I soon discovered midi-led-visualizers for piano using microcontrollers, led strips, and Arduino. With no prior experience in programming, I began to study C++ to create my own. In my first draft, I used a for loop in the main loop of the program. I eventually created switch cases for each midi note to make it more flexible. I later used the Blynk IOT platform to have the ability to program each note’s led at runtime to accommodate any instrument brand or choice. After exploring uses with mobile apps, I decided to create my own application to enhance its usage and purpose. (Melodic Dimension). Recent updates include Bluetooth MIDI and battery power.

For use with my MalletKat (Midi Mallet Percussion Controller) I used a led strip insert to make the light projection more smooth. It also happened to fit perfectly between the natural and accidentals for a seamless look. The original design consisted of individual pieces that can all be linked together for a more modular system. While this worked well for electric drum kits, using the entire strip for mallet instruments was ultimately better.