- Added waveform generic API to create waveforms, and use period instead of frequency in waveform (avoid division on MCUs)
- Introduced 'def' struct in ADSR API for reuse
- Multi-track MML parser and compilation
- Added some samples from https://electronicmusic.fandom.com/wiki/Music_Macro_Language
- Added scale.mml for testing
Increase the delay for detecting the buttons to account for power
supplies that may have a slower rise time. Otherwise the MCU thinks
there's no buttons present and ignores all inputs.
Rather than having "hit" and "release" events, we just monitor the
debounced button state. This is less likely to "stick" and is
sufficient for the job.
Years ago, and on MSP430 not AVR, I found that gcc produced tighter code
using `if` instead of `switch`. Thus, I found myself always using `if`
and never `switch` if I needed branching, since smaller code is faster
code, and we needed all the speed we could get.
Turns out, AVR does not have this problem, and we get better performance
using `switch`.
Rather than hunting for a free channel, just hard-code the button to the
channel. This gets polyphonics sort-of working: both notes are
out-of-tune which suggests the CPU isn't keeping up.
It seems when the NJM2113 is first powered up, it emits a pop noise.
Not much I can do about that. The thought was I should power down the
amplifier when it is not in use to save power.
The outcome is on each note, it would power the amp up, and it would
pop.
Solution: create a 1msec timer for general timing events, and use that
to count down one minute before powering off the amplifier. The toy
will pop on first power on, then if left alone for a minute, will pop
again on the first note, but will not pop so long as there's only short
gaps between notes.
Since the number of notes possible with this device is small… in fact,
it seems to only want to do monophonics, not sure why, we can bump the
amplitude up a bit more without risk of saturation.
This implements detection of the pressed buttons, with software
debouncing, and plays a note indefinitely until the button is released.
The corresponding LED's amplitude is modulated by the ADSR envelope.
The ATTiny85, as good as it is, has too few pins to really do a lot.
You can buy I²C GPIO expanders, but many cost more than programming an
ATTiny24A (which has more brains).
The nearest equivalent is the ATTiny861, it is basically the same core
as the ATTiny85, features the same PLL for high-speed PWM, but comes in
a 20-pin package. They cost ~AU$3 in individual quantities. (An
ATTiny85 costs AU$1.74, an ATTiny24A costs AU$1.57; thus you save about
20c and a lot of interfacing effort in going to the '861.)
Thus it can interface to 8 individual switches with ease.
The circuit here uses a 74374 D-latch to drive up to 8 LEDs with PWM and
two 4066s to isolate the 8 inputs. Idea being, when the GPIO_EN signal
is high, the 4066s are turned on and port A sees the 8 GPIO lines on the
other side of the 4066s.
4066s were used because I have 4066s up the wazoo… bought a box of
random ICs off eBay many years ago and it came with 5 (!) tubes of
MM74HC4066s with 25 ICs each (amongst other parts, some hard-to-find).
The bonus being these can be ADC inputs too if desired, allowing sensing
of piezo sensors.
When we want to switch which LEDs are turned on, we bring GPIO_EN low,
switch port A's pins to outputs, assert the desired LEDs, then bring
GPIO_EN high again. The 74374 latches those pins, and we are free to
put port A back to being inputs.
This happens with each sample from the synthesizer, alternating between
input and output. Thus the effective rate seen on the LEDs and inputs
is half the sample rate.
A spare GPIO is available for turning on and off an amplifier (I use the
NJR NJM2113D) to save power.
The 74374's nOE pin is connected to the PWM output for the lights, thus
using pull resistors, one is able to use the one PWM channel for all 8
lights. The lights are turned on in round-robin fashion, so effective
duty cycle is ⅛ and the refresh rate is ~500Hz.
This works by relying on a resistor ladder that is part-shorted-out by a
button to Vcc. The ADC detects the button pressed from the voltage seen
on the ADC.
There's some work to be done on this yet.