PianoLED.Demo.mp4
PianoLux ESP32 is a straightforward web-based interface for controlling a WS2812 5V LED Strip with a USB MIDI Piano.Supports USB,Bluetooth & Wifi MIDI source. You can easily configure effects, colors, and parameters through a locally hosted web server on the ESP32 board.
Be part of the PianoLux Discord Server Community where you can connect with fellow users, ask questions, and share your experiences:
- ESP32-S2 dev board
- ESP32-S3 dev board YD clone boards of ESP32 S3 if you want to use usb host otg port on it!
- *Any WiFi capable ESP32 board can be used with MIDI over network
- Bluetooth MIDI currently supported on ESP32-S3 & ESP32
- WS2812 5V 144/m
- WS2812 5V 72/m (1:1 ratio)
- *88/76 Keys need 176 LEDs of 144 LEDs/m density, so more than 1m of strip is needed. Get a 2m strip and cut the excess (after the 176th LED).
- Any FastLED supported led strip with correct density(144/72) will work but you will have to modify the source code to do that, my releases support only WS281x, default color order is GRB but you can change to different one to match your led strip color order.
- Default: First time install Portal AP, after WiFi Network configure ESP32 board starts in STA_MODE(uses local network configured for connection).
- AP: Connecting pin 16 to GND pin sets ESP32 board to be used in Access Point mode, WiFi devices connect directly to this non-password protected WiFi AP. PianoLux web interface can be accessed using 192.168.4.1 IP Address after connecting to the AP WiFi. Useful if you want to have direct wifi connection to esp32 as well as connecting usb midi device to android phone usb port via usb otg adapter if you decided to go with non usb midi supported boards(esp32). On Android you can use MIDI Connector - RTP, USB, BLE App to route usb midi input as output rtpMIDI as midi input source for esp32 *Make sure your android phone doesn't have battery saving mode enabled - this disables the MIDI app to be able to run in the background!
- Portal AP: Connecting pin 15 to GND pin sets ESP32 to be back into setup WiFiManager Captive Portal, generally useful for deleting setup network and setting new network. Make sure you disconnect jumper wire to use default mode after finishing re configuring your network setup using this Portal AP mode!
Use Auto install page to automatically install PianoLux firmware on your board with one click.
- ESP32,ESP32-S2 & ESP32-S3 with 4MB/8MB/16MB flash memory supported
- Only Google Chrome and Edge are supported.
Manual Installation
- Install Arduino IDE 1.8.x and esp32 arduino core sdk(join discord server to get gdrive links for custom modified sdk's for esp32 s2/s3 if usb midi device doesn't work out of the box)
- Install needed libraries and plugins and use barebones or main ino code. You can use install_libs.bat/.sh for installing all libraries and esp32partitiontool needed on windows or linux PC
- *before uploading select port, select board type in board manager in Arduino IDE, if main ino code is used change partition scheme Huge APP and use ESP32 Partition Tool provided from install libs.bat script or find it on my github page.Use LittleFS for spiffs filesystem before uploading!
- Use barebones sketch to get to Elegant OTA page to use firmware and filesystem files
- *release bins are only to be used for updating withing the PianoLux menus. For advance users esptool can be used to flash merged bin from auto install branch at 0x0 offest or the release bins look at the offests used in creating merged firmware here merge commands file filesystem file is spiffs parition and firmware file is main app parition in commands file called PianoLux. Construct proper flash command for your board and use correct files. Or you could just use auto install page :). *Modify ElegantOTA.h file in this lib's src directory, change ELEGANTOTA_USE_ASYNC_WEBSERVER 0 to 1
After auto or manual installation. Connect to ESP32's Access Point WiFi. If your WiFi capable device didn't redirect you to WiFiManager's captive portal, go to it manually by typing 192.168.4.1 Once here click on Configure Network button and connect to your local WiFi network. If you you no longer see this AP and your leds show IP address, PianoLux is ready to be used. Simply access the web interface by IP or MDNS pianolux.local
Read IP from LED strip(default data pin 18) Follow this image to read your ESP32's IP address
You can also access the web interface of PianoLux by using MDNS hostname by typing pianolux.local instead of IP. MDNS might work depending on your network and devices. Most should be able to connect but you can always use IP route instead
OTA updates. Find the updates navigation button and check for updates, if there is any you can download firmware & filesystem files for your board and install them via Update button. Delete downloaded file after OTA update of PianoLux.
This project supports MIDI over a local network, enabling the use of MIDI devices on your PC with no latency. For Windows, use rtpMIDI software, and use ESP's IP and port 5004. Ensure the ESP is in non-AP mode to use MIDI over the network. Supports sending & reciving MIDI data betweeen ESP32 board & rtpMIDI capable device like PC using rtpMIDI application.
To get started with PianoLux on the ESP platform, you have few options: TLDR:
- Any WiFi capable ESP32 board for connecting usb midi devices with mobile phone's usb port with usb otg adapter in AP or Default mode
- Any Bluetooth capable ESP32 board for connecting with bluetooth capable pianos(most portable - but very experimental)
- Any USB OTG capable ESP32 single or dual port (S2 & S3 - S3 is prefered) Clone S3 dev boards are recommended but official devkit dual port boards will also work depending on your midi device
- Create a DIY USB OTG/Female USB cable.
- Connect this DIY cable to pins on the ESP32-S2 as follows:
- USB - ESP32-S2 Board Pins:
- Red Wire - 5v Pin
- Black Wire - GND Pin
- White Wire - 19 Pin
- Green Wire - 20 Pin
- LED STRIP - ESP32-S2 Board Pins:
- Red Wire - 5v Pin
- White Wire - GND Pin
- Green Wire - Data Pin (default 18
- USB - ESP32-S2 Board Pins:
This is more of a plug & play setup. Depending on whether your board has pre-soldered pin headers and USB-OTG pads soldered, you might have to bridge the USB-OTG pads.
Use Bluetooth or rtpMIDI for MIDI source. You can use PianoLux in AP mode with midi app and any wifi capable esp32 board. Follow pictures above on how to connect your usb piano to your android phone.(Users on iOS might need to search for similar midi app). rtpMIDI can be used in Default mode as well but AP mode gives you direct connection between mobile device and esp32 skipping router of your local network but it might work as well in default mode as well. Bluetooth connection is an option as well, start pairing on your bluetooth capable piano and esp32 will connect to it automatically.
- Some boards need to have usb otg pads soldered to get usb midi to work, some boards need in/out pad soldered to change 5v ESP32 pin from voltage in to voltage out so leds work, some need both or none of these changes all depends on your board
To power esp32 and indirectly led strip you either have to use spare usb port labled COM in s3 case or use any available usb port on your esp32 board if your usb midi connetion is done with direct pins. As for more power leds should be powered from different 5v source with good amount of Amps(3A or 3000mA is optimal I wouldn't push it more) just keep in mind ground should be shared between two 5v sources, ideally you can power both led strip and esp32 from direct 5v pin but I'm not sure if ESP32 boards can handle those currents. I suggest keeping power setup simple from usb port you have free on your board. USB MIDI Devices do not provide 5V so ESP32 can't be powered from USB MIDI device alone, in some cases you even have to provide 5v to USB MIDI devices that aren't selfpowered(MIDI controllers).
External 5v powered strip diagram:
ESP32 5v powered strip diagram:
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Default Mode 🎹:
- Plain HSB colored playing LEDs.
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Splash Mode 💦:
- Splash effect from played MIDI notes.
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Split Mode
↔️ :- Split playing LEDs into two with adjustable colors.
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Random Mode 🎲:
- Random hue changes with each triggered MIDI note.
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Velocity Mode ⚡:
- LEDs react based on MIDI note velocity.
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Animation Mode 🎥:
- Static looping LED animations with 10 options.
- MIDI input is ignored in this mode.
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Color Control Sliders 🌈:
- Adjust hue, saturation, and brightness.
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Fade Length ⏱️:
- Control the duration of the fade effect.
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Background Light 💡:
- Toggle and adjust background LED lights.
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Board Config Parameters ⚙️:
- Set max current, LED strip data pin.
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Piano Size Configuration 🎹:
- Button to configure piano size.
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MIDI to LED Map Ratios 🎵:
- 1:2 and 1:1 mapping options.
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Visual Representation 🎨:
- Full 88-key piano keyboard for visual aid
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FX LED 🔀:
- Shift LEDs at certain solder joined points on the strip
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BG LED 🌌:
- Toggle background light LEDs.
- Adjust color and brightness separately.
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Update BG Color 🔄:
- Apply HSB color adjustments to background light.
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RV LED 🔁:
- Reverse LED strip direction for added flexibility.
This project is licensed under the MIT License.