Mini Drum Machine

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GrooveAxe - Mini Drum Machine by nmcclana on February 12, 2009

Table of Contents intro: GrooveAxe - Mini Drum Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Parts list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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How to Play It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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How it Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 1: IC Socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 2: Wire Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 3: Resistors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 4: Capacitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 5: LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 6: Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 7: Battery Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 8: Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8

step 9: Fit The PICAxe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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step 10: Test it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

intro: GrooveAxe - Mini Drum Machine Percussion in your pocket. Feel the tiny boom! With your GrooveAxe, the beats will always be with you, so you'll never feel lonely again. The GrooveAxe was designed by Brian McNamara. You can get the kit from Gadget Gangster. It comes with everything and is pre-programmed. But, if you'd like to gather the parts yourself, you'll need the following.

Parts list Resistors, 1 each of : 1k, 3.3k, 100k 3 x 10k Resistors & 2x 330 Resistors Gadget Gangster project board (half board) 10 uF Cap 8 Pin Dip Socket 3xAA battery holder (and batteries) 5x Tactile Switches Micro Speaker 22Ga Hookup wire Green LED And a programmed PICaxe 08M. You can get the Source Code off Gadget Gangster You'll also need a soldering iron, solder, and wire cutters. Here's a little video demonstration

Video

How to Play It The GrooveAxe is a basic rhythm machine that plays a loop of 4 different LoFi drum noises. When you turn the unit on you can start pressing the four corner buttons, which will make sounds. When the unit loops around, it will keep playing the sounds in the order you pressed them over and over. You can keep building up the pattern by pressing more and more buttons. Apart from the sound buttons, the button in the middle at the left controls the tempo. By tapping this switch twice at the speed you want the pattern to play you can set the tempo.

How it Works The GrooveAxe is based around the Picaxe 08M micro-controller. The 4 different sounds are played using the four outside switches (S2 to S5). When a switch is pressed, it puts a resistor of a unique value into a voltage divider that produces a voltage proportional to the resistor value. The voltage is sensed by the ADC (analog to digital converter) on pin 6 of the Picaxe and is converted into one of 5 values in the program (4 for sounds and 1 for tempo). The sound command is then used to output the correct sound to the speaker. Once a sound is play it is stored in memory so that it can be replayed when the pattern is played next. When the tempo switch is pressed twice it sets a variable used by a pause command in the main pattern loop.

http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

step 1: IC Socket Place the 8pin IC Socket on the top side of the PCB, with pin 1 on G16 of the PCB and pin 8 on J16 of the PCB. Solder into place.

Image Notes 1. G16 2. J16

step 2: Wire Links Solder the wire links to the top side of the board at coordinates: A20 to Q20 B4 to B5 B9 to B10 B14 to B15 D18 to F18 E16 to F16 E21 to M21 i11 to J11 K11 to K18 L16 to Q16 P4 to P6 P9 to P11

http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

Image Notes 1. B4 - B5 2. P4 - P6 3. P9-P11 4. k11-k18 5. L16 - Q16 6. A20-Q20 7. E21 - M21 8. D18 - F18 9. E16 - F16 10. B14-B15 11. B9-B10 12. i11-J11

step 3: Resistors Resistors: Place the resistors on the top of the PCB at the following coordinates: R1; C10 to I10 330R R2; I6 to O6 1K R3; C5 to I5 3.3K R4; I9 to O9 10K R5; C15 to I15 100K R6; A17 to F17 10K R7; D19 to E19 330R R8; L18 to Q18 10K

http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

Image Notes 1. c10 - i10 (330) 2. i6 - o6 (1K) 3. C5 - i5 (3.3K) 4. i9 - o9 (10K) 5. L18 - Q18 (10K) 6. A17 - F17 (10K) 7. d19 - e19 (330) 8. C15 - i15 (100K)

step 4: Capacitor Solder the 10uF Capacitor to the top side of the PCB, with the positive leg at L19 and the negative leg at N19.

http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

Image Notes 1. L19 (Pos) - N19 (Neg)

step 5: LED Fit the LED to the top side of the PCB with the positive leg (long) at B19 and the negative leg (short) at B18. Solder in place.

Image Notes 1. B19 (Long) - B18 (Short)

step 6: Switches Place the switches on the top of the PCB at the following coordinates, and Solder in place. SW1; C6, E6, C9 and E9 SW2; M1, O1, M4 and O4 SW3; C1, E1, C4 and E4 SW4; M11, O11, M14 and O14 SW5; C11, E11, C14 and E14

http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

Image Notes 1. M1 - o1 - M4 - o4 2. C1 - E1 - C4 - E4 3. C11 - E11 - C14 - E14 4. M11 - o11 - M14 - o14 5. C6 - E6 - C9 - E9

step 7: Battery Box Solder the Red wire on the battery box to M22 on the top side of the PCB. Solder the Black wire to Q22 on the top side of the PCB.

Image Notes 1. Q22 2. M22

http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

step 8: Speaker Cut 2 pieces of wire about 2 long, strip both ends and solder one end of each wire to each terminal of the speaker. Solder the two wires to P19 and Q19 on the top side of the PCB. Bend the wires to place the speaker in the place were you want it.

step 9: Fit The PICAxe Fit the Picaxe to 08M to the 8pin IC socket on the PCB.

step 10: Test it Fit the 3AA size batteries to the battery box. Turn the GrooveAxe on and check for sounds by pressing each of the four sound buttons (S2 to S5). To check the tempo function press the Tempo button (S1) twice to set the tempo you want. That's it! If you buy this kit on Gadget Gangster, the PICaxe will come pre-programmed. there's also a PDF with schematic to download and the source code.

http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

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Comments 6 comments

Add Comment

kwiknkrafty says:

Mar 3, 2009. 10:38 PM REPLY

this is too cool. any way to play it through an amp?

nmcclana says:

Mar 4, 2009. 4:52 PM REPLY

Yeah, it's pretty easy, instead of connecting the speaker, route to the RCA jack; Instead of running the wire to P19, go to J23 The other wire should go to I23. If you buy the kit and add a note during checkout, I'm sure you'll get an RCA jack.

thepelton says:

Feb 15, 2009. 12:15 PM REPLY Fascinating machine! In the video, it appeared that all the action was being done on the four outside keys, and the one in the center wasn't even touched. What does it do?

thepelton says:

Feb 15, 2009. 12:17 PM REPLY Oops, I just realized after reading the directions that there were only four switches to begin with. I saw a black thing in between two switches, and assumed it was another switch. My bad. 8>)> Excelsior!

nmcclana says:

Feb 15, 2009. 1:13 PM REPLY No - there are 5 keys! The key in the middle sets the length of the pattern. Push it once to start the timer. Push again to stop it. What I do is make the tempo really slow, do a complex pattern and then reset the the tempo. Here's a sample (wma)

thepelton says: Oh, OK.

http://www.instructables.com/id/GrooveAxe_Mini_Drum_Machine/

Feb 15, 2009. 8:53 PM REPLY