mockband/README.md

---
gitea: none
include_toc: true
---

# Introduction

Microcontroller Firmware to emulate guitar and drum kit controllers from the 
Wii version of the Rock Band games.

![Two small plastic guitars and a cheap toy drum pad](docs/mockband.jpg)

This is based on the foundational work done by Nicholas Angle on the
[Wii Guitar Controller](https://github.com/NianZo/WiiGuitarController)
([text article](https://www.niangames.com/articles/reverse-engineering-rockband-guitar-controllers)).
Nicholas was also really nice about answering an email question I sent.
Thanks, Nicholas!


# Parts Needed

* A [Sparkfun Pro Micro](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12640)
* A physical controller


# Skills Needed

This is a research project:
it's assumed you already have a skillset that includes:

* Disassembling consumer electronics
* Using a multimeter to perform continuity checks
* Building electronics projects using a microcontroller
* Soldering
* Running the Arduino IDE *or* using `avrdude` to flash a firmware

If you're not comfortable with the above list,
your best option right now (Jan 2024) is to either buy a used kit,
or wait for the Polybar project to finish their work
producing a beginner-friendly kit with assembly manual.


# Controllers

## Guitar

I 3D printed the
[MiniCaster](https://www.printables.com/model/479046-minicaster-mini-clone-heromidi-controller) 
by Vlad the Inhaler.
It comes with full build instructions.

## Drums

I bought a [Cheap children's drum toy](https://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Sboet-Practice-Headphone-Christmas/dp/B0CHJMYCH9/)
from Amazon.
There are dozens of copies of this thing,
the one I got was on sale for $25.

I had to unscrew the cover and remove the
logic board, battery, and speaker.
The pads were connected with
a sort of ribbon connector,
which I desoldered and removed,
then placed in my own perma-proto board.

I also hooked up a 3.5mm TRS jack for the two pedals,
which I could have desoldered from the toy
(I already had these).

I'm sorry I didn't photograph or record any of this,
but it was pretty straightforward.


# Building

This will compile in the Arduino IDE,
or on the commandline using `make`.

## Command Line

Just run `make` on a Unix system.
I set up paths for my Debian install of Arduino 1.8;
you may need to adjust them if your setup has different paths.

There is a `flash-%` target that will upload the built firmware to a Pro Micro.
The following targets exist:

   make flash-guitar        # Guitar firmware
   make flash-guitar-wammy  # Guitar firmware with wammy bar
   make flash-drums         # Drums firmware

## Arduino

Mockband has no library dependencies,
and as far as I can tell,
will work with the built-in Leonardo profile,
even though you're uploading to a Pro Micro.

You need to make two edits to `boards.txt`.
Instructions for this are all over the place.

Find your board, and edit the `build` lines.
Don't edit anything that doesn't say `build` on the line! I can't help you if you do this.

In my examples, I'm editing the lines for the leonardo build. Yours might be different:
it should match the board you're using.

### Build flags

This disables serial communications on the board.

    leonardo.build.extra_flags={build.usb_flags} -DCDC_DISABLED

Hat tip to Nicholas Angle for figuring this out
so I didn't have to.

### VID and PID

These set the USB identifiers.
VID is the Vendor ID,
and PID is the Product ID.

`0x1bad` means "Harmonix Music",
at least, it does to the Linux kernel.

#### For guitar

PID `0x004` means "Guitar controller".

    leonardo.build.vid=0x1bad
    leonardo.build.pid=0x0004
    leonardo.build.usb_product="Mockband Guitar"


#### For drums

PID `0x3110` means "Rock Band 2 drums".
This works better with all versions of Rock Band on my wii,
even if you don't use the cymbal inputs.

    leonardo.build.vid=0x1bad
    leonardo.build.pid=0x3110
    leonardo.build.usb_product="Mockband Drums"


# Wiring

Both the guitar and drum kit I used
provide simple momentary switches:
nothing fancy like a piezo.
If you're using fancier types of inputs,
you'll need to modify the source code.

## Guitar

![guitar wiring](docs/guitar.png)

| silkscreen pin name | description |
| --- | --- |
| TX0 | strum up |
| RX1 | strum down |
| 2 | tilt switch |
| 3 | green |
| 4 | red |
| 5 | yellow |
| 6 | blue |
| 7 | orange |
| 8 | no connection |
| 9 | wammy bar (see note) |
| 10 | plus |
| 16 | minus |
| 14 | orange solo |
| 15 | blue solo |
| 18 | yello solo |
| 19 | red solo |
| 20 | green solo |
| 21 | no connection |

The solo buttons and wammy bar are optional.
I don't use them.

If you hook up a wammy bar,
be sure to uncomment the `#define WAMMY`
in the code!


## Drum Kit

![drum wiring](docs/drums.png)

| silkscreen pin name | description |
| --- | --- |
| TX0 | no connection |
| RX1 | no connection |
| 2 | 2x kick / hat (see below) |
| 3 | green |
| 4 | red |
| 5 | yellow |
| 6 | blue |
| 7 | kick |
| 8 | no connection |
| 9 | no connection |
| 10 | plus |
| 16 | minus |
| 14 | no connection |
| 15 | blue cymbal |
| 18 | yellow cymbal |
| 19 | hi hat pedal (see below) |
| 20 | green cymbal |
| 21 | no connection |

### Pedals

If you only have one pedal,
wire it to pin 7.

If you have two pedals,
wire them to 7 and 2.

If you have three pedals,
wire them to 7, 2, and 19.

Wii Rock Band 3
only looks at the 2x kick pin:
it provides a checkbox to reassign this to the high hat.
Clone Hero
will use both the 2x kick and the hi hat.
Maybe there is some other game that uses this too.


# Related Projects

Mockband is a research project.
You can use it to build a fully working controller,
but the main goal of this project is to inform other developers.

If you're looking for a user-friendly way to get a Rock Band drum controller,
consider the following alternatives:

* Buying a used Harmonix (official Rock Band) drum kit
* Mad Catz Rock Band 3 MIDI PRO-Adapter and a MIDI e-drum kit
* [Santroller](https://santroller.tangentmc.net/wiring_guides/drum.html)
  wired to a used Harmonix drum kit


# Bugs / Not Yet Implemented

I'm tracking things I need to do in the
[forgejo issues](https://git.woozle.org/neale/mockband/issues).

There's a rumor that one day forgejo/gitea will join the fediverse.
Until that happens,
just
[email me](mailto:neale@woozle.org),
and I'll open an issue.


# License

You may use this under the terms of the [MIT License](docs/COPYING.md).


# Need help?

[Email me](mailto:neale@woozle.org),
I'm friendly :)