How to Add Midi Port to a Keyboard

Turn any cheap keyboard into a MIDI keyboard!

This is a tutorial for adding a MIDI port to a keyboard without one, so that you can use to interface with various programs such as FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cubase, Garage Band, Pro Tools, and more.

Also works with Synthesia!



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Materials used:
1 Arduino Uno
2 Serial-parallel register
6 10k ohm resistors
1 220 ohm resistor
1 Prototype board
1 Female midi port
1 Male pin header

All can be had on eBay for approximately $10 USD.

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Final Arduino code:

Pull-up resistor version:
https://github.com/evankale/ArduinoMidiPiano/blob/master/MidiPiano_PullUp/MidiPiano_PullUp.ino

Pull-down resistor version:
https://github.com/evankale/ArduinoMidiPiano/blob/master/MidiPiano_PullDown/MidiPiano_PullDown.ino


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Here's some useful links:

Shift Registers rundown:
http://arduino.cc/en/tutorial/ShiftOut

Pull-up/pull-down resistors:
http://www.resistorguide.com/pull-up-resistor_pull-down-resistor/

Installing Arduino:
http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage

Arduino language tutorial (although the code used in this video is pretty self-explanatory):
http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/HelloWorld

MIDI note table:
https://www.finalemusic.com/UserManuals/Finale2012Mac/Content/Finale/MIDI_Note_to_Pitch_Table.htm