Using an MIDI controller on a Nintendo DS.

Excuse me?

That's right! Today I'm gonna show you the result of my love for networking and DJ'ing combined. I'm gonna control my Nintendo DS which is running the NitroTracker DAW, using an MIDI Keyboard.

What on earth are you yapping about?

Ok so, if you're confused as to what I just said, lemme explain some stuff real quick. First, lemme explain MIDI. MIDI is basically a set of notes on a grid, and are on a different channel. Each Channel is a different insturment, and they all play their notes at the same time when the playback bar comes to the notes. That's the gist of how it works. MIDI stands for Musical Insturment Digitial Interface, and has been around since about 1983.

Now I'll explain what a MIDI controller is. It's pretty much a fancy looking piano keyboard with extra buttons and knobs. When you press these buttons and knobs, the signal is sent to the MIDI software and places notes on the grid as you play them. So in other words, you play on this piano, the software knows what keys you're pressing.

Ok, so what's this got to do with a Nintendo DS?

My DS is running a tracker (a type of music making software, often called a DAW), and is connected to the same network as my PC which is running a server that can let my DS communicate with my PC and my MIDI controller. Due to the DS only supporting WEP or Open wifi connections (very insecure btw), I setup my off hand router to use WEP, connected my DS and PC to the router, setup the server, and then my DS was able to connect to the server. When connected, I can send piano noises to my PC from my DS, or I can send MIDI signals to my DS from my MIDI Controller connected to my PC. So to sum it all up, I'm playin a piano on my DS over wifi.

So what's it look like?

Here you go:

(Low volume warning please turn up your speakers/headphones.)

Why would you go through all that hassle just to-

Yes.

What hardware are you using?

I'm using an Akai Pro Mini MKII as the MIDI controller, a Nintendo DS Lite (Not a DSi nor a 3DS, the older DS Lite), an offhand router I use to setup the network, and my PC which is running the dsmidiwifi server used to pull this all together.

Got questions? Wanna hear me drop a full track like this?

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