hack: simple conductive tape buttons

Quick Simple Buttons with Conductive Fabric Tape

Introduction

Hacks don't always have to be complicated or drawn out... this one is super quick!

When pressed this button can make your keyboard sound like a piano, guitar, drum, flute, or even a spaceship! It’s called a voice selector, and it’s how you pick what “voice” or instrument sound your keyboard will use.

Using the extra inputs on the Makey MAX Backpack, you can add additional capabilities like the voice selector, to your keytar. Create a voice selector button by connecting an input from the Makey MAX Backpack to EARTH. Try using the “bridge the gap method” using conductive materials to create the button. On the App, select the input you are using to enable the voice selector.

Hack Details

Time: 15 Minutes

Difficulty: EASY

Adult Supervision: Minimal

Tool Requirements: Basic (Craft)

Modification Warning

This hack could permanently modify your Retro Joystick! Please keep that in mind as you work.

Tools and Materials

This hack requires some basic craft tools and supplies for you to be successful! You can find most of them at home or in a desk drawer. We do list a few materials that could make your project a bit easier, but they are strictly optional.

Required Tools

Scissors

Required Materials

Completed Keytar with Makey Makey
Conductive Fabric Tape
Makey MAX Backpack

Connect Makey MAX

Slide the Makey MAX Backpack on top of the Makey Makey. Make sure the pins are all aligned and that you have a solid connection

The Makey Makey MAX Backpack gives your Makey Makey more inputs so you can build even cooler inventions! It plugs right into the back of your Makey Makey and adds 12 extra keyboard inputs — that means more buttons, sounds, and creative options!

Add Conductive Fabric Tape

Use conductive tape to create a finger switch. The two pieces of conductive tape should be close together, but not touching. Run the conductive tape along the back of the keytar to the Makey MAX Backpack board. One piece should stick to EARTH. The other piece should stick to A.

When routing the conductive tape across the Makey MAX Backpack, make sure it doesn’t touch any other inputs.

Use the Switch!

To use the switch with your Keytar, bridge the two pieces of tape with your finger to trigger an A keypress on your Makey Makey.

If you are using the Keytar app, this will play whatever notes you have recorded while holding down the W key. Using this technique, we challenge you to add a second switch for the W key so you can control record (W key) and playback (A key) with one hand!

Troubleshooting Tips

Button not responding! Be sure that your conductive tape is connected to EARTH and the A key (not connected to anything else on the MAX backpack)

Still not responding! Make sure that you are bridging both pieces of take with your fingers and not just touching one!

Constant Keypress!? Your button circuits are shorted out! Check closely in the location of the tape bridge between EARTH and the two key tape circuits. They are probably touching! Pull up the tape from the button circuits and replace them so they are not coming in contact with EARTH

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