BASIC Stamp Tilt Tones Project

Level: Beginner

Skills Required: PBASIC programming, breadboard circuit-building

Hours to Complete: 1

This project will show you how to build a 4-note musical ‘keyboard’ where you use tilt, rather than actual buttons or keys, to control the notes you play.  We also added LEDs that light up in different colors depending on which note is playing, because no fun project is complete without LED lights!  This activity is suitable to be built on a BASIC Stamp HomeWork Board or Board of Education, but it is also available for the Propeller Activity Board (accessible on its own project page). 

 

 

If you know how to program in PBASIC but are unfamiliar with Propeller C, this could be a great time to introduce yourself to multicore programming!  The Propeller Activity Board version of the Tilt Tones project uses the simple concepts taught in the Propeller C Tutorials, which are available right here on the Parallax Learn website.

 

Getting Started

If you are new to the BASIC Stamp microcontroller or to programming, it would be a good idea to review the following before beginning:

  • Chapters 1, 2, & 8 in the What’s a Microcontroller? (#28123) Text
  • The 4-Directional Tilt Sensor Documentation

 

Parts List

  • (1) BASIC Stamp HomeWork Board, -OR- Board of Education with BS2 module
  • (4) Any combination of LED colors
  • (1) Piezo Speaker
  • (1) 4-Directional Tilt Sensor
  • (4) 220 ohm resistors, ONLY if you are using the Board of Education