Acrylic MusicBox with 8bit-AVR

last update 2015/5/7

fabrication period：2014/10/21～10/31

This is an electronic music box by using AVR 8 bit micro controller.
I used acrylic boards, which I love, as the box.

It makes beautiful sounds as if it is a real music box because it is used WaveTable technique. The original source code was written by ChaN; Wavetable Melody Generator.

Story

I wanted to make beautiful sounds like not electronic tone color but real tone color by using just one micro controller.

I knew a precedent, ChaN’s WaveTable Melody Generator, but I couldn’t understand his assembly code, then I had not touched this project in the end even though I wanted to try it.

One day, for some reason, it really made me want to make it. I searched about technique again and then I found wonderful movies “AVRでオルゴール作ってみた(I made a music box with AVR)” on Niconico. He uploaded not only the movies but also source code, some documents and related programs. He must be a god for me.

Actually, I had enough information to make. I got some parts when I visited Osaka and then the preparation was complete.

material and tools

Tools/Softwares

Jw_cad
KitMill RD300/USB CNC
MIDI converter（some software and documents by ちらたき）

Parts

AVR ATMEGA32u4
a speaker（SS-30-802W）
acrylic boards
paper phenol substrate
button battery
micro switch
some other electronic parts

Making

The process step was usual. Basic experiment, drawing circuit, design the box, making circuit board, milling the box parts, soldering, and assembling.

basic experiment

Anyway, I am nervous when I use a micro controller for the first time. Is it correct pin connection? Can I write program to the micro controller? Isn’t my setting the fuse wrong? … something like that.

To tell the truth, I spent several hours in vain because of the pins connections.　(ﾉ∀`)ﾀﾊｰ

It didn’t work at all…