The new Code-a-Key Backpack! Bringing the Makey Makey and the BBC micro:bit together for more invention fun!

Introducing New Plug-and-Play Apps

September 24, 2021

To celebrate the launch of our new Craft + Code Booster Kit and Get Up + Go Booster Kit, we have also launched new apps that will let you have a full plug-and-play Makey Makey experience!

Craft and Code Booster Kit

Get up + Go! Booster Kit

The NEW Makey Makey Piano App

The new Makey Makey Piano App is the culmination of years of learning and play at JoyLabz. We took our tried-and-true piano app that was created when Makey Makey was first introduced, and we took it up a level. The new Piano App has a number of cool features we think you'll like!

 

 

New Piano App Features

  • Selectable Instruments : Yes! You can choose from a number of different instruments now instead of just a piano. Why not a trumpet piano? Piccolo?
  • Octave Choice : Adjust this slider to pick the octave you want to play music in.
  • Number of Piano Keys : Want more keys? Or less? You can change the number of keys on your piano by adjusting this slider.
  • Scale and Starting Note : Want to start with a different note? Not a problem!
  • Want to use different key presses? Select the piano key and adjust to a different key press in the control panel.

We designed the new Piano App to give you more flexibility when building musical instruments with the Makey Makey. We wanted an app that still works with Makey Makey right out of the box and that inspires you to jam out and to create an entire band of Makey Makey instruments.

We just made designing your own musical instrument even easier!

Project idea: Tilting Piano

 


Makey Makey Counter

One of our favorite Makey Makey projects is this exit ticket / data collector project. Now you can focus on building your physical device and use our new Makey Makey Counter App for plug-and-play functionality right away!

Another great project that would work great with this app is the Basketball Bounce Pass featured in this Carnival Sized STEM Day post.

Need more buttons? Want to use different inputs? No problem! Just adjust the sliders in the control panel to make the Counter App do what you need.

 

Launch the Counter!

Makey Makey Buzzer App

Want to make a Jeopardy-style quiz show for your classroom or maybe have a trivia night at home? With our new Buzzer App, you can easily build your own custom switches. Our app does all the work to see who buzzed in first!.

This app is designed to emulate a game show style buzz-in system. The “host” or leader of a game can “start” a session and then each individual participant can “buzz-in” by pressing the key assigned to them. Try creating Stomp Switches rather than a basic button for your buzzer. Participants can jump to buzz in first!

Just connect each Stomp Pad to the defined key for that participant in the Buzzer App and start buzzing in! Now you can be the next contestant in your own game show.

 

Go to Buzzer App!

 

Makey Makey Make-a-Sketch App

The Make-a-Sketch App is what it looks like. It is a digital version of your tried-and-true childhood magnetic doodling toy!

 

The Makey Makey Make-a-Sketch App is designed to work with Makey Makey right out of the box. Our app is mapped to the Makey Makey arrow keys (UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT), so just plug in your Makey Makey, and you can start drawing in the app right away.

If you want to get fancy (and we hope that you do!), you can open up the control panel by clicking on the lock button in the upper right of the app window and adjust the pen thickness or even adjust the color of the pen! To reset, don't shake your computer! Instead just press the spacebar input on your Makey Makey!

If you're looking for some fun in the choice of color, you can also use the Makey Makey "W" key to change the color to a random one. If you want to erase your drawing, click on the Reset button in the app by pressing the space key. It is as simple as that!

Might we suggest creating a hula hoop controller and drawing with your feet!?

Now, let's see if you can level up your drawing skills. As an inspiration, check out what our 12 year old artist in residence created…

 

Doodle on the NEW Make-a-Sketch App!


Makey Makey Timer

The Timer App is pretty straightforward. It uses two key presses: one that triggers the timer to start and another to trigger the timer to stop. You can adjust how the time is displayed in the Options menu.

For a basic timer, choose a single timer and the “Stopwatch” mode. We recommend using “MM:SS:CS” for your time format if you are using two stomp switches for a single participant, start/stop “beat the clock” type race. If you are using the single timer the keys for start and stop are LEFT (start) and UP (stop). To reset the timer use the SPACE key.

The Timer App is perfect for the STEM in the Gym Challenge! Students might make a bongo relay race, hula hoop scooter race, or who knows what.... The possibilities are endless!

 Timer Control Panel 

If you want to level up and go head to head racing with someone, all you need to do is build another set of stomp switches, change the number of timers to “2” and connect all of the Stomp Switches to the appropriate keys on the Makey Makey.

 

You can now race head to head against another person whether you are in your own Ninja Warrior race or in a potato sack racing competition you can now definitively claim you are faster than your competitor. We bet you can't beat us in a race around the block…..and Go! 

 

Go to Timer App!

Makey Makey Scoreboard

Have you ever built a Makey Makey Skeeball or pinball machine and yearned for a plug and play scoreboard? Our new scoreboard app lets you plug and play your creations and already has preset scoring. 
Want to change the score? Want a penalty score even? No problem! Just open the control panel and adjust scoring to fit your own handmade creations!
Scoreboard Control Panel 
Challenge your students (or yourself!) to build a giant game controller or make a collaborative game and let our new app share the score!
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