• When you’re livestreaming, it can be tempting to fire off all kinds of wacky sound effects like you’re a morning radio DJ back in the heady days of 1995. • If that’s who you want to be,you might like this soundboard project from [Biker Glen]. • The build is based around an RP2040 microcontroller. • It’s paired with an I2S digital-to-analog converter for sound output, which in turn feeds a small amplifier hooked up to a speaker or a line output. • The RP2040 is programmed to respond to MIDI commands by playing various sounds in response, which are loaded off a microSD card. • It’s able to act as a USB MIDI host, which allows it to work seamlessly with all sorts of off-the-shelf MIDI controllers like the MIDI Fighter or the Novation Launchpad.
Article Summaries:
- A new DIY soundboard uses the RP2040 microcontroller to play audio triggered by MIDI commands. The board couples the RP2040 with an I2S DAC, a small amplifier, and a speaker or line‑out jack. Sound files are stored on a microSD card, and the RP2040 acts as a USB MIDI host, allowing it to interface with common MIDI controllers such as the MIDI Fighter or Novation Launchpad. The project offers a low‑load hardware alternative to software‑based soundboards on streaming rigs, potentially easing CPU usage during video uploads. Design files and code are available on GitHub for replication.
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