HP48 Graphing Calculator as MIDI Keyboard
by Peter Kirn
It’s hard to write the first line of this, because in this case any reference to Kraftwerk’s “Pocket Calculator” is wildly redundant. This is a calculator. He is the operator. This is a real, working HP48 graphing calculator playing MIDI events. You can go, like, graph stuff with it afterwards, do some Calculus. And we can thank a few people responding in a mobile music poll on this site for making it happen.
Andrew Turley, who has previously built a microfiche MIDI machine (thus making his way through arcane academic equipment as MIDI controllers), describes the project:
This is a demo of a project I built so that I could use my HP 48 to play a MIDI keyboard. The calculator is running a program that sends data to a Parallax Stamp Basic microcontroller over the built-in serial port whenever I press a button. The microcontroller is running software that converts the message from the calculator into a MIDI noteon or noteoff message that is then sent to the keyboard. This is a response to a createdigitalmusic.com poll in which a (small) number of users said they wanted the site to cover more calculator music.
Brilliant work, Andrew. And I have to say, now that you’ve done it, it’s a pretty practical little object to us as a controller.
Other calculator work, anyone?
Peter Kirn
Jaymis Loveday
James Grahame
Primus Luta
michaeluna
Kim Cascone
Ben Long
Tom Whitwell
John Jacobus
Chris Stack
Marsha Vdovin
Markus Schroeder
Matt Earp
Kristin Trethewey
oooh. how cool!
the hp48 was so great. i loved mine very much, until i left it with my luggage in a train. used to use it as a beatcounter with delaytime-output, for djing, too. very nice calc..
Nice work on the HP48, but the microfiche-to-midi idea is pure genius!
About 2 years ago, I've seen a youtube video demonstration of a similar Russian programmable calculator Elektronika – which was used to control an Ableton project. I will try to find the link.
[...] wondered if anyone else had used calculators as music controllers. The answer? But of course. Here’s a classic Russian calculator model controlling arrangements in [...]
Hey, guess what I use for a MIDI keyboard? It's something strange and unusual, you'll never figure it out…. I use a MIDI keyboard!
Oh yeah. I like that cat!