🎸 Arduino Air Guitar (Spatial Audio)

Unleash your inner rockstar, no strings attached.

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🌟 About The Project

Have you ever caught yourself air-guitaring to your favorite solo? What if your invisible guitar could actually produce sound?

The Arduino Air Guitar is a hardware-software hybrid project that uses spatial tracking and real-time audio synthesis to turn empty air into a playable instrument. By attaching a small MPU6050 accelerometer to your wrist, the system tracks your hand's angle and strumming motion, translating it into rich, synthesized guitar notes using the Karplus-Strong string synthesis algorithm.

✨ Features

• Zero Latency Spatial Tracking: Reads 60Hz 6-axis motion data from the Arduino.
• Algorithmic String Physics: Synthesizes realistic plucked string sounds in real-time.
• Dynamic Strumming Dynamics: Harder wrist shakes trigger more aggressive audio playback.
• Auto-Calibration: Automatically finds your hand's neutral "zero" point on startup.

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🧠 How It Works

The magic of the Air Guitar lies in a seamless pipeline between the hardware sensor and the computer's sound engine:

graph LR
    A[MPU6050 Accelerometer] -->|I2C| B(Arduino Uno)
    B -->|Serial USB, 115200 baud| C[Python Script]
    C -->|Pitch & Force Logic| D{Virtual Strings Engine}
    D -->|Karplus-Strong Algorithm| E[SoundDevice / NumPy]
    E --> F((Speaker Output))

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1. Hardware (Arduino): The MPU6050 measures the Roll (wrist angle) and Acceleration (strumming force). It streams this data formatted as ROLL:FORCE over serial.
2. Software (Python): The Python listener decodes the serial stream. It treats specific angles as "invisible strings" set to Open E Tuning (E, A, D, G, B, e).
3. Sound Synthesis: When the wrist crosses a string's angle with high enough acceleration, the physics engine computationally plucks the string and mixes the audio using a custom threaded limiter/distortion block.

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🛠️ Requirements

💻 Software

• Python 3.7+
• Python Libraries: pyserial, numpy, sounddevice
• Arduino IDE (for uploading the .ino code)

🔌 Hardware

• Arduino Uno (or Nano/Mega)
• MPU6050 Accelerometer Module
• 4x Jumper Wires (Female-to-Male or Male-to-Male depending on your setup)

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🪛 Wiring Guide

Connect your MPU6050 to the Arduino as follows:

MPU6050 Pin	Arduino Pin	Description
VCC	5V	Power Supply
GND	GND	Ground
SCL	A5	I2C Clock Line
SDA	A4	I2C Data Line

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🚀 Setup & Installation

1. Clone the Repository

   git clone https://github.com/RoboX2020/Air-Guitar.git
   cd Air-Guitar

2. Upload the Arduino Code

   • Open arduino_code.ino in the Arduino IDE.
   • Select your board and COM port.
   • Click Upload.

3. Install Python Dependencies It's recommended to use a virtual environment.

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Configure the Serial Port

   • Open air_guitar.py in your favorite editor.
   • Update the SERIAL_PORT variable (Line 10) to match your Arduino's port (e.g., 'COM3' for Windows or '/dev/cu.usbmodem1101' for Mac/Linux).

   # air_guitar.py
   SERIAL_PORT = '/dev/cu.usbmodem1101'  # Change this!

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🎸 How to Play

1. Run the Script

   python air_guitar.py

2. Calibrate: The terminal will prompt you to hold your hand in a neutral, flat position for 3 seconds. Keep still!
3. Rock Out:
   • Sweep your wrist left to reach lower strings (Low E, A).
   • Sweep your wrist right to reach higher strings (B, High E).
   • Strum (Shake your wrist) forcefully to play the string you are currently crossing.

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🛤️ Roadmap

• Add PyGame GUI for real-time visualization of the strings.
• Implement multi-finger chords using flex sensors.
• Add Overdrive/Distortion digital pedals.
• Support Wireless Bluetooth (ESP32) instead of Arduino Uno.

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🤝 Contributing

Contributions make the open-source community an amazing place to learn, inspire, and create. Any contributions you make are greatly appreciated.

Please see the CONTRIBUTING.md file for guidelines on how to get started.

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📜 License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.

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Created with ❤️ by RoboX2020 and Contributors.