MIDI Swiss Army Knife Built From An MSP430

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hvQUXcXlEg&w=470]

Hot off the heels of his web server for the TI MSP430, [Rob] shared a MIDI booster pack for the MSP430 LaunchPad, an exceedingly inexpensive and ever more capable microcontroller that is getting somewhat of a cult following.

[Rob]’s MIDI booster pack contains a MIDI in and out port as well as just about whatever MIDI manipulation apps his mind can dream up. So far, [Rob] has a MIDI arpeggiator, a harmonizer, an echo, filter, s MIDI monitor that displays incoming messages on a Nokia LCD, and a controller that interfaces with a light sensor or joystick to manipulate MIDI variables.

Back in the 80s (and 90s, and even into the aughts), a dedicated MIDI arp or harmonizer was a crazy expensive piece of kit, especially considering how simple the device is. Those dedicated rackmount boxes can now be replaced with a TI LaunchPad and [Rob]’s booster pack.

You can check out the arp and harmonizer in action after the break.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut4geK5aOvE&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hvQUXcXlEg&w=470]

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