Arduino Sequencer

Date: 01/08/2019
Location: Rotterdam (NL)

For some decades I’m fascinated by mechanisms that create rhythms. My first sequencer was written in Flash 4. At the art academy they introduced me to Maxmsp and created both Lightbox Sequencers. Now I’m getting familiair using Arduino’s. Big artworks or installations usually start small so why not write a sequencer using an Arduino!

Free to download, with a list of all ingredients, ready to cook this fine recipe for guaranteed and endless hours of rhythmic pleasures.

The step sequencer is one of the fundamentals in todays electronic music

Ingredients

To create this touchscreen Arduino step sequencer I’ve decided to use three of the shelf products which can be mounted very easily without any hardware skills.

Music Maker FeatherWing
https://www.adafruit.com/product/3357
TFT FeatherWing – 2.4″ 320×240 Touchscreen
https://www.adafruit.com/product/3315
and a Adafruit Feather 32u4 Basic Proto, but I guess any other Feather will work
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2771

Arduino source code

The code can be found at Github: https://github.com/JonasVorwerk/Arduino-Sequencer

Install all needed libraries as described here and here. Close the midi jumper on the bottom of the music featherwing and upload the sketch and guaranteed hours of pleasure.

The code is generic, meaning that the column and rows can be expanded easily. Instruments, colours, tempo (Beats Per Minute) and many other variables can be changed.

Update

Now it’s also possible to change instruments per track on the fly, and even multiple patterns are build in. Your beats should definitely rock right now!

Having fun? Let me know 😉