THIS PROJECT IS SPONSORED BY PCBWAY
protoMIDI is a compact DIY HID macropad with the control language of a small MIDI controller. The current v1.1 design uses a custom PCB in a two-piece enclosure with eight illuminated push buttons, two rotary encoders, a toggle, a small utility push button, and an nRF52840 Pro Micro style controller.
Asset version: The screenshots, renders, photographs, and GIFs in
assets/currently show v1.0 hardware. Updated v1.1 assets will be added later.
Despite the controller-style hardware, protoMIDI currently targets ZMK keyboard firmware. It presents as a keyboard/HID macropad, not as a USB MIDI or BLE MIDI controller. DAW, transport, clip, track, or effects labels are keymap choices, not a dedicated MIDI protocol layer.
v1.1 is the active design. Both manufacturing handoffs remain available:
| Version | Status | DFM pack |
|---|---|---|
| v1.1 | Current | hardware/protoMIDI-DFM-PACK-v1.1 |
| v1.0 | Historical release | hardware/protoMIDI-DFM-PACK-v1.0 |
The Rev A prototype remains in prototype as historical reference for the earlier display-equipped build.
v1.1 retains the v1.0 control layout and updates the manufacturing files:
- PCB silkscreen refinements and newly exported v1.1 Gerbers
- Increased enclosure wall thickness
- Increased USB-C connector clearance
- Increased switch clearance
- A slight angle added to the bottom enclosure
- A supported v1.1 ZMK firmware build with ZMK Studio over USB
The design scope remains:
- Custom PCB as the main electronics artifact
- 8x PB86-B1 illuminated momentary switches
- 2x EC11/PEC11R style rotary encoders with knobs
- 1x MTS-style toggle switch
- 1x 6 mm utility push button
- 1x nRF52840 Pro Micro style controller
- 1x single-cell LiPo battery connection
- Two-piece enclosure: top and bottom
- M2.5 mounting hardware with threaded inserts, matched to the CAD references
The local KiCad source folder, hardware/protoMIDI-KiCAD/, and local CAD
reference folder, hardware/CAD/, are intentionally ignored. The tracked
manufacturing handoffs are the versioned DFM packs.
All project-owned images below are v1.0 references.
| Bare PCB | PCB assembly |
|---|---|
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| Front assembly | Back assembly |
|---|---|
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| Front exploded view | Back exploded view |
|---|---|
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Prototype media lives in prototype:
Start with hardware/README.md for version differences, tracked exports, ignored source folders, and DFM pack links. Component source notes live in resources.
The supported v1.1 firmware lives in firmware. It targets
the nice_nano_v2 compatible nRF52840 board and protomidi shield, includes
both encoders and all eight PB86 switches, and supports live keymap editing in
ZMK Studio over USB. The repository intentionally ships only this Studio build.
Build it from the repository root:
./firmware/build-local.shThe ignored output is:
firmware/build-out/protomidi-v1.1-studio-usb.uf2
The Rev A display-equipped firmware remains available in prototype/firmware.
assets/ Project-owned v1.0 visual references (v1.1 update pending)
firmware/ Supported v1.1 USB Studio ZMK build
hardware/ Versioned v1.0 and v1.1 DFM handoffs and hardware notes
prototype/ Rev A prototype firmware, CAD export, preview image, and demo GIF
resources/ Source references and component notes
Local-only ignored working areas:
hardware/protoMIDI-KiCAD/ Active KiCad design source and BOM CSV
hardware/CAD/ Local CAD assemblies and reference exports
firmware/builds/standard/ Optional local-only non-Studio configuration
firmware/build-out/ Firmware build output
prototype/firmware/build-out/ Prototype firmware build output