Fluxamasynth Shield possible features

[grgtrpp]

I have the Fluxamasynth Rev. 1 and love it. I would also be interested in a Fluxamasynth Arduino shield. You mentioned that you'd like suggestions for added features for the shield.

I would like to see the shield with midi jacks.
Midi In - Would allow Arduino to input Midi, transform it, and play it on the ATSAM2195.
Midi Thru - Would allow Midi originated from the Arduino to go onto the Midi bus.
Midi Out - I don't don't think this would be as useful as the Arduino outputs Midi to the ATSAM2195.

[oz]

Well you got some of your wishes. We've got the Arduino shield in the works. It's got stereo audio out - same as Fluxamasynth but not the midi jack. We discussed it but somehow it got dropped. One issue is that the midi jack is fairly large - and may need some physical support that was not forthcoming from anyplace we could see.

With the size of the jacks - a midi in / through / out arrangement (kind of standard on midi equipment eh?) would need some serious real estate. Maybe another add on daughter board that would allow flexible mounting in a box. I'm not sure if we've looked for right - angle midi jacks either - they might solve the problem in an elegant way. Send part numbers if you've got a line on the goods!

Shawn Wallace, my partner since July, has been developing the flux products so I don't know the absolute answers, to most of these questions. Hope my answers are partly true. I'll get him to post some more if he thinks I missed the mark to much.

Paul

[grgtrpp]

Yeah, those 5 pin Midi connectors are big. If I wanted Midi Out/In/Thru capability with the Fluxamasyth shield, I could probably use something like this Midi breakout shield: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9598. As long as the Fluxamasyth shield had those long pinned headers (or not have the headers installed) that could be done.

Would the Fluxamasyth shield require a separate power jack as does the Fluxamasysth board? Will it have the serial pin jumper that the Fluxamasysth board has?

In any event, it's great to hear that the Fluxamasyth shield will be made.

[oz]

It has a jumper and runs fine off the Arduino power. We'll have photos up this week

Paul

[Vlad]

Hello,

I know what you mean. I want the same think in Fluxamasynth what you wish to have it. Whatever it might be called – Internal MIDI Sound Card, or Internal MIDI sensitizer, or Fluxamasynth, it must do the work without struggling for a year with nothing to show for it.
It should be simple task to employ this gadget as an electronic sound and music maker. Just make a connection to my MIDI Output inside my Hybrid MIDI accordion (hybrid accordion means MIDI and acoustic together), so the Fluxamasynth would receive and process MIDI signals send to it by the Miduino, Boarduino, Arduino, or Sanguino cards, since it has a library of fonts from at least 64 polyphonic instrument. After processing the signals, it should finish the job by putting processed MIDI output to Internal MIDI amplifier. It would make the instrument very light and easy to carry around without other additions.
I was the original fellow who was exited about the Fluxamasynth, but so far what I see there is nothing as yet that would work for me.
Hopefully, after Paul talks to Tom Scarff – the professor of MIDI Robotics in DIT in Ireland, we shell hear more positive story. I believe that Tom is most capable person to program such a thing for Arduino clones using Open Computer Language in C++, then I will volunteer to be the first to test it in my MIDI accordions. It could be useful for the MIDI guitar, and other instruments.

Best Regards,
AccVlad

[Vlad]

Yeah, those 5 pin Midi connectors are big. If I wanted Midi Out/In/Thru capability with the Fluxamasyth shield, I could probably use something like this Midi breakout shield: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9598. As long as the Fluxamasyth shield had those long pinned headers (or not have the headers installed) that could be done.

Would the Fluxamasyth shield require a separate power jack as does the Fluxamasysth board? Will it have the serial pin jumper that the Fluxamasysth board has?

In any event, it's great to hear that the Fluxamasyth shield will be made.

MIDI OUT and MIDI IN or MIDI THRU connectors are just another product that is not solving the problem of Fluxamasynth. All Arduinos and clones provide already Output for the MIDI signals that have to be send for processing to MIDI Sound Module. Just find internet web pages of professor Tom Scarff from Ireland, and see how he shows the picture of it, and especially how to get the MIDI Out signals send from the Boarduino to the sensitizer. Just straight two wires soldered to the 2 pin female, or male headers will send the MIDI out to the external MIDI Sound Module if you’re using the proper program. etc.

My problem with Fluxamasynth is the one, that I cannot play saxophone or other instrument using Fluxamasynth as the sensitizer. It look likes nobody is getting what he/she likes to have in Fluxamasynth as so far. Any one who has such a program that is reliable and works, please sell me it, or help me how to do it. I’m waiting too long for good outcome of reliable Fluxamasynth that I cold incorporate its use in the MIDI accordion as an internal sensitizer. That’s what I wish to have till I’m still around.

[oz]

Vlad,

I'm still confused about the chain of what you want to do.
Maybe make a chart like this

Accordion -> Arduino -> (Midi Commands) -> Fluxamasynth -> Audio Amp

Where is the chain breaking? Maybe it's in the programming of the Arduino?

Paul

[Vlad]

Hi Paul,

<<“I'm still confused about the chain of what you want to do.
Maybe make a chart like this

Accordion -> Arduino -> (Midi Commands) -> Fluxamasynth -> Audio Amp”>>

Paul, It looks that you’re not confused at all. That’s what I want what you wrote above:

Accordion – Arduino with accordion MIDI program and its commands (my responsibility) - Fluxamasynth - Audio Amp. (Modern Devices responsibility.)


I do not need any MIDI IN or MIDI Out special card for the Fluxamasynth. Two headers: female or male pins wires for MIDI Out (from the MIDI CPU Controller) to the Fluxamasynth and MIDI Out from Fluxamasynth to Audio should do the job if the Fluxamasynth is able to do processing of those commands on the same or similar level as the external MIDI Sound Module, and after that send the processed sound, Program Change +1 – 1, +10, -10, and the note bend if needed to the Audio.

I spend so much money on various electronic experimentation, that I’m afraid to buy the Fluxamasynth, after reading about it, and thinking that it might not work for me.
In the case if this shield doesn’t works as expected, is the return option possible?
I just have no time to bother with writing some other software. My accordion software works flawlessly with the external General MIDI Sound Module(sensitizer).

If you say that it will work according to the chain that is outlined by you above, I will try one unit and if this works, I will be the one of many prospective customers who will be buying this card for every hybrid MIDI accordion that I made or other people did.
There is hundred of possible uses for this card if this really would work as the internal MIDI Sound Module (sensitizer.)

I hope that those who MIDI-fy guitars will do the same. There is plenty of empty space in those instruments to install such a card, even though, I would like to have a card much narrower that would fit in crowded spaces. This one like other Arduino cards do not fit between the wall of accordion and the reed block, that’s why I’m using narrower Arduino clones for my projects, but I would try to place it somewhere in the bellows in the hanging in between set up.

I will call you about this privately to talk more about Fluxamasynth. Thanks for your response. I hope that we finally clear up some misconceptions about workability of Fluxamasynth shield card. If this works according to the above flow, it will be a very good news for me. I hope that I better explained my concerns this time.

Best Regards,
Vlad

[oz]

We've had some other requests for Midi jacks too. One issue is that they tend to be huge - but the board could get a bit larger.

We've also had more requests for the stand alone version - so maybe the midi jack with go on the stand alone feature, if we can find a reasonably priced pcb mount jack.

Paul

[Adleys]

I must say it's a great decision to get this. This will prove good for you.

[kdkdhhff]

OK I've heard the nag, and will see if I can get the RSS mod installed. I've had some practice on modding the forum since I had to put in the anti-spam registration question. It was a simple little mod that took about half hour to modify five files or so, and then three hours to find the fact that I had to "empty a cache" to make it work.



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Lunettes De Soleil

[Phitar]

Well I see from looking at post dates that the most recent for this topic was just under three years ago. Amazing how time flies!
Well I'll open some old issues here and hopefully not any old wounds....

First off I think the Flux is awesome.... It closely fills the needs of something I have been seeking for quite some time. I've been looking for something that I could tap into or access the full features of the older Yamaha or Roland GM/GS wavetable synthesis of their enhanced add-ons to some of the early era sound card or music modules.

The Flux comes very close.

My understanding is that Atmel no longer produces or supports this chip and that it is now totally controlled by Dream.fr and that has even been replaced by a newer version on their end.

QUESTION: Will the Fluxamasynth continue to be produced and are there any new/improved version releases planned?


If you happen to be looking for active inputs for improvement here a couple of my requests:

1. Would like to see this chip in a actual breakout board, smaller, non-Arduino shield without all the wasted space. While I find the extra space for sensors included on the board a nice thought this is not really something I'm looking for at this point.
2. The board needs mounting holes at least on two corners!

I originally installed the stackable headers on my board but later removed them because they wasted so much space and I honestly found controlling the output via Arduino IDE programming to be tedious and boring. My current Flux setup is 2 pins for power and two pins for RX/TX. Using a midi breakout board and a small midi keyboard controller that is able to send most CC messages I'm able to access practically every feature of this synth chip. I've only had the Flux board for about two weeks now so I'm sure I'll be able to access the remaining sound banks and effects with more time.

Bottom line is I like this damn thing! Thanks for making it happen. BTW thanks for not adding MIDI DIN jacks..... The options are too great (In, Out, Thru ?; One two, three or more?) and take up lots of space. I prefer to do my midi connects separately and in the configuration I prefer or need at the time. Just look at Sparkfun's midi breakout board to get an idea of what I mean.... It provides In, Out and Through but the through jack is 90 degrees out from the IN and OUT so it would have to be corner mounted in an enclosure (and also the board format is a sudo Arduino shield type with no mounting holes)

[MarinyhaKiz]

I checked all the links quickly, all or legit, so I dont think hes a bot. Although I havent read it, the post is too long, is there something I missed?

[Remilqdmv]

I checked all the links quickly, all or legit, so I dont think hes a bot. Although I havent read it, the post is too long, is there something I missed?

[Cool Games]

Paul,
If you are reading these suggestions I would like to get Fluxamasyth V3.0 working
as a
USB MIDI Device
with my Arduindo Duo Rev 3 which has the ATmega16U2-MU.


I can't see the pin outs on the sch dated 12/3/15 file using R1 /R2
but think that somehow it could work on UNO R3 which replaced FDTI with Atmega16U2.

I think I see MIDI IN to the SAM2695 are not TX / RX but separate pin 4 somehow with warnings from Feb 12, 2012 in Github library.

pgrmchnge.h

Code: Select all

/* Program Change: Band 0 */

BAND0 ?

is also redefining many

Code: Select all

BANK0

because the progam names are the same in SAM2695.pdf tables at

www. dream. fr/pdf/Serie2000/SAM_Datasheets/SAM2695.pdf

I was able to use

Code: Select all

Serial.print()

and

Code: Select all

Serial.println()

for debug
using

Code: Select all

Serial.begin(115200);

and SAM2695 reacted as expected at non-MIDI speed.
May not work if anything MIDI was connected to the DIN5.