SparkFun Music Instrument Shield

The SparkFun Music Instrument Shield is a versatile addition to your Arduino project, offering an array of MIDI sound capabilities. The shield is designed around the VS1053 MP3 and MIDI codec IC, and is equipped with a 1/8" (3.175mm) stereo jack for easy connection to speakers, stereo systems, or headphones. Control is simple and straightforward, with serial commands to the IC allowing for swift music playback.

The VS1053 chip at the heart of the SparkFun Music Instrument Shield houses two expansive tonebanks. These include a range of sounds from various instruments such as piano, woodwinds, brass, synth, and percussion. The shield also boasts impressive sound effects and a maximum polyphony of up to 31 simultaneous sounds. With the help of the example code provided, you can easily incorporate a musical element into your Arduino projects.

The current version of the SparkFun Music Instrument Shield features an improved regulator and corrected speaker connectors. The reset pin is now pulled high for added convenience. Additionally, solder jumpers have been included for pins 3 and 4, making them easily selectable. This shield is a fantastic tool for adding a new dimension of sound to your Arduino creations.

Documents:

• Schematic
• Eagle Files
• Quickstart Guide
• Example Code
• Datasheet (VS1053)
• Illumitune Project (tutorial) (video)
• GitHub