Can you make an Arduino Pedalboard controller?

[suncrush]

An idea--A pedalboard controller that remotely switches a loop controller, and which allows for user presets.  Individual loop switches could override presets, so you could, for example play your Iron Man sound, but add in your chorus pedal.

I know this can be done with a Raspberry Pi, but doing it with an Arduino would be cheaper.  I don't have a whole lot of experience with Arduino.  Could it do this?

[slacker]

Yes, an Arduino could do this, it's pretty much ideal for it a Raspberry Pi would be massive overkill. It's probably a pretty good project for starting out with an Arduino, connect some buttons to some pins and some LEDs to others to simulate the loops. Then program it to make the buttons turn the LEDs on and off however you want the controller to function. There's loads of info out there on how to do all of that sort of stuff. You could do all the experimenting you want with just that simple set up including figuring out how to save presets. Then once you're happy with that look into how to do the actual switching of loops using relays or whatever you choose.

[R.G.]

... or a $2.00 PIC.   

[suncrush]

... or a $2.00 PIC.   

This is true, though I'd have to figure out how to program a PIC.

[Mbas974]

an ATMEGA chip is equal and cost the same than the pic, also with Arduino NANO you get a programmable platform with usb for less then $3.

[karbomusic]

It's way easier to just use an Arduino unless you are already versed in programming PICs IMHO. You can even get Nano's without header pins for three or four bucks which makes them pretty tiny. It's funny to see this thread, I grabbed a couple of wireless modules (smaller than a quarter) for my Arudinos and was just sitting here realizing I could theoretically have pedals that communicate with each other. 

Edit: Yea, the thread before mine already said that.

[greaser_au]

I reckon that an Arduino is 'Duplo' compared to the 'Meccano' of using a standalone microcontroller device.   It is an excellent platform to get you started, but some more imaginative users will advance beyond the limitations of the general-purpose base-with-shield concept very quickly and start looking for more capacity/capability. Further, if you have no experience you still have to learn to program (though there are a lot of existing code sketches for Arduino out there).

I'd expect you'd have an excellent chance of success with it.

I doubt a project like this will stretch the platform, but will be unused hardware on the board, once you have it up and running. Potentially you might get it going on the board, and then engineer something that will allow you to use another '328 with bootloader in some sort of standalone arrangement (if you include an ISP header, you can still make changes to it).

david

[GibsonGM]

It's way easier to just use an Arduino unless you are already versed in programming PICs IMHO. You can even get Nano's without header pins for three or four bucks which makes them pretty tiny. It's funny to see this thread, I grabbed a couple of wireless modules (smaller than a quarter) for my Arudinos and was just sitting here realizing I could theoretically have pedals that communicate with each other. 

Edit: Yea, the thread before mine already said that.

How about having your whole pedal board wirelessly send signal data to your PC, where you can view the wave forms in near-real time?      THAT would be cool! 

For Arduino/most any MC out there...latching relays seem like they might have a ton of success here. "Set and forget".  They could provide the actuation...just thinking out loud.    I've imagined a few uses for them where you could bring in parallel circuits - dist. and OD, say - and just as easily step them out again...

[slacker]

...and then engineer something that will allow you to use another '328 with bootloader in some sort of standalone arrangement (if you include an ISP header, you can still make changes to it).

Exactly this, the Arduino can be used to program a bare 328 via ISP giving you a $2.00 solution.

[suncrush]

Instead of using the Arduino to program the microprocessor, there must be some way to use the Pi to do it......

Then I don't have to buy an Arduino.

[suncrush]

Googled.  You need level converters.  Pain.  Buying the Arduino the better option.