(final-project)=
# Final Project - Modular midi keyboard with falling notes display

## Introduction

I really like playing the piano but I currently can't find time to learn notes properly (and actually when I was a teenager it prevented me from learning it).\
But recently I started playing it again but tried a different approach. I just learn with below videos and found out with those, what series of notes sounds good to me and is fun to play. And so I continued to learn with those videos and also try and error my self to find fitting note-combinations and just learn the physical skill to play the piano. And this approach keeps me going, I continue to sit on my keyboard and play stuff, that comes to my mind.\
But learning this way is not that great, I need to pause the Youtube videos, look whats played, rewind, etc.\
There is also software like [Synthesia](https://synthesiagame.com/) which simplifies this process but a hardware-implementation would be the nicest solution to learn.

## What is does

1.   Modular midi keyboard -> assemble as many octaves as you need
2.   Falling notes display for showing the notes of a loaded midi-file to learn keyboard without needing to learn the notes

So the hardware-implementation of this:

<iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; height:auto;width: 100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WJ3-F02-F_Y?si=PuzHiURBFjZ-qt9C?mute=1&autoplay=0" title="Piano Tiles" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Here are some software-tools for learning:

-   [Synthesia](https://synthesiagame.com/) - A software to use above visualisation approach to learn playing
-   [Linthesia](https://github.com/linthesia/linthesia) - The open-source fork of Synthesia
-   [Piano Booster](https://www.pianobooster.org/) - A software which taught notes sequentially while playing


Also I can try to come up with a solution to combine this learning approach with learning notes. \
One idea would be an integration in [Piano Booster](https://www.pianobooster.org/) or maybe also a hardware-module.

## Target Group

For everyone who:
-   want's to learn playing the piano but don't really have time to learn the notes (learning the skill is hard enough)
-   want a compact, modular keyboard they can extend as they need

## Design-Sketch

With modular I meant that I can choose, how many octaves I need, can transport it easily in my backpack and extend its use with additional buttons/modules.

So designed like this [Kickstarter project](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/348684291/kombos-modular-keyboard) I took inspiration from.

Here some first sketches:

:::{figure-md}
![First Sketch](../media/final_project_midi_keyboard_dark.png){align=center width="100%"}

One module from all sides, Units in mm\
Made with [LibreCAD](https://librecad.org/)
:::

## Project Plan

I've split the project into 4 spirals:

1. MIDI keyboard

    **Goal**
    -   create one module with a functioning mechanical keyboard which sends and works with usual MIDI-software (e.g.: [Fluidsynth](https://github.com/FluidSynth/fluidsynth))
2. Modular MIDI keyboard

    **Goal**
    -   build another module and connectors and program them to work together no matter which one is connected to the PC
3. MIDI Keyboard with LED Display

    **Goal**
    -   build the LED Display module, load the MIDI file on to the keyboard, play it, show and react on key presses
    -   (a big spiral)
4. Modular MIDI keyboard with LED Display

    **Goal**
    -   build multiple of those modules and program them to work together


```{toctree}
    :maxdepth: 2

    Design <./final_project_design.md>
    Production <./final_project_production.md>
    Programming <./final_project_programming.md>
    Result <./final_project_result.md>
```