How can I create an Instrument with a Makey Makey?

This XP focuses on setting up your Makey Makey to build an instrument.

Think About

How do I want my instrument or interface to work?

What type of music would I like to create with my instrument or interface?

Getting Ready

What do I need to use a Makey Makey for musical engagement?

Wires/alligator clips for connecting objects to act as triggering devices (up to 10)
Conductive objects such as (people, fruits & vegetables, copper tape, soft graphite etc.)
Mini USB Cable
Laptop with USB Input
An application that lets you assign sounds/music to computer keys (i.e. Soundplant, Scratch, or Ableton Live)

Getting Started

How do I set up the Makey Makey to make music?

1) Interact with this basic set up to get started (from Makey Makey)

2) Watch the following video (start at 1:00 for a focus on setting up)

3) Watch this explanation from 0:00 – 2:24 about how the Makey Makey works with completing a circuit:

4). If you haven’t already done so, use the resources in the guides and videos to set up your Makey Makey and see what it can do.

Going Further (optional)

Take a look at this more in-depth setup guide with explanations and additional information (from SparkFun)
Follow the directions in the guide and see what you can do with your Makey Makey

Share What You Learned

Upload a short video demonstrating how you set up and connected your Makey Makey.

Connect Objects to the Makey Makey to Trigger Keys

Adapted from original photo by jayahimsa via Flckr

1) To use the top part of the Makey Makey (Space bar and arrow keys) you can use alligator clips

Photo adapted from original photo by jayahimsa via Flckr

MaKey MaKey Deluxe Kit by SparkFun — Photo by The Marmot via Flckr

These are alligator clips

Photo by jayahimsa via Flickr 2) To use the bottom part of the Makey Makey (letter keys and more) you will need wire such as jumper wires (you can find them at many online vendors including Amazon, SparkFun, AdaFruit etc.)

Photo by jayahimsa via Flickr

These are jumper wires.

Photo by Oomlout

Connecting a Music Application to Makey Makey

Once the Makey Makey is set up you can use it to trigger the letter, arrow, and space bar keys, you will need to set up a music application to connect the letter key with sound or musical content.

Very Basic: Web-based Apps

The following web-based apps simply require you to plug in the Makey Makey and access the dedicated site to make music immediately:

Makey Makey Bongos

Makey Makey Piano

Makey Makey MK-1 Sampling Keyboard

Chamber Music Piano with Accompaniment

Sampulator (you can access some of the sounds)

Basic: Using SoundPlant

Download SoundPlant

Soundplant turns your computer keyboard into a versatile, low latency sound trigger and playable instrument. Via drag-and-drop, easily assign sound files of any format and length onto 72 keyboard keys, creating custom soundboards that put hours of instantly-playing audio at your fingertips with no extra hardware needed. . . Soundplant was designed to do one thing and do it well: to trigger sounds from the computer keyboard with maximum speed, efficiency, and ease of use.

A detailed explanation of how to use Soundplant with a Makey Makey:

Basic: Using Scratch

Once you have the Makey Makey set up to send the key letters to the computer, all you have to do is open and run a scratch instrument to make it work.

It is as easy as:

Set up your Makey Makey (resources above)
Open a scratch instrument (resources below)
Run the scratch instrument (click the green arrow to start or green flag if you were “seeing inside” with the code)

Have fun playing the Scratch instrument with the Makey Makey!

Need additional information about the Scratch instrument?

Check out the “instructions” area of the scratch environment in the top right corner.

Curious about how the Scratch instrument is built?

Click the “See inside” button to see the code and play around with it.

Learn more about how to make music with Scratch here.

Some Scratch Instruments

Studio for Makey Makey Scratch Instruments

More Advanced: Using Ableton Live

Suggestions for using Makey Makey with Ableton Live

The following clip is very clear and outlines how the Makey Makey works and how to set it up from 0:00 – 4:48
At 4:48 the video demonstrates how to use keyboard mapping function of Ableton to map Ableton to computer keyboard letters, which the Makey Makey could trigger.

To learn more about some of the specific aspects addressed in the above tutorial, see the following video:

From 0:56 – 3:00 = information on key mapping and issues you might encounter
How to insert MIDi effects randomizer
- NOTE: Make sure you make a midi clip in a blank cell by double clicking
- 2:33 – 8:16 = how to work with the MIDI scale effect (the example is if you are creating music with the piano roll editor but the concept still applies for using with a Makey Makey)
8:20 = discussion of the random MIDI effect

NOTE:

In this video, the person creates a pattern in the MIDI clip
If you want the Makey Makey to trigger a pattern being played use this approach
If you want the person playing the Makey Makey to create their own rhythms/content include one short or long duration in the MIDI clip rather than an entire pre-set pattern