MIDI Controller

I built an Arduino-based MIDI Controller that works with Rekordbox DJ and helps me add a third track to my mixes. I have used the controller in some of my live performances and it worked surprisingly well.

Background

Producing and mixing deep house music is my hobby. I own a basic Pioneer DJ controller which provides 2 channels to mix music, which means I only have quick access to a couple of tracks at a time. To add a third layer to my mixes, I built a controller that mapped perfectly with the Rekordbox software. In the past, I have developed analog synthesizers and a framework to code music sequences as a course project. My interest in music and hacking led me to make this controller which I later used for my live performances.

Process

I used Arduino Uno, 6 potentiometers, 6 LED light bulbs, and 6 push buttons to create a MIDI controller that could not only play the third track but also trigger Hot Cues, Pad FX, Slicer, and Sampler. To map my device to the software, I used Hairless MIDI. The casing of the controller is wooden and has enough space to fit the electronic circuit.

Result

This project was not only an opportunity to tinker with Arduino and Hairless MIDI, but I was able to build a product that I actually used for my live performances.

One of the most interesting parts of this exercise was mapping the controller to Rekordbox. The process of mapping depends on the audio software. With Ableton software, it is done by selecting what you want to map the controller to, for example pressing the button or rotating potentiometer and selecting the effect, sound, etc. Mapping what you want where you want is completely up to you as there are no restrictions except, of course, the input format from the hardware.