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GotGaMeR’s rig turns MIDI into physical motion: a removable frame places solenoids above piano keys, and each actuator presses a key on the acoustic instrument. It is designed to fit full-sized piano keys without permanently altering the piano, but “any piano” describes the design goal—not proof that every piano or all 88 keys are covered by the documented build.
How the rig makes a piano play MIDI
The system mounts a solenoid over each key it controls. When a MIDI note is scheduled, the controller activates the corresponding solenoid, which pushes the key down and lets the piano’s own mechanism produce the sound. The piano remains acoustic; the rig supplies the physical keypresses.
Its frame combines off-the-shelf aluminum rails with 3D-printed parts. Because the frame sits over the instrument rather than being installed inside it, the concept is removable and avoids permanent piano modifications. Alignment still matters: the actuators must sit over their intended keys while the frame remains stable.
How many keys does the documented build control?
GotGaMeR’s documented controller connects to seven daughterboards, each serving eight keys. That is capacity for 56 solenoid-controlled keys, not the entire keyboard of a standard full-size piano. The Arduino Team describes a standard full-size piano as having 52 white keys and 36 black keys, for 88 total. The project’s full-sized-key compatibility goal concerns fitting that kind of keyboard; it does not establish that this particular configuration covers all 88 keys.
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A separate Arduino 88-key project is a useful point of comparison, but it is a different build. Its coverage should not be attributed to GotGaMeR’s seven-board configuration.
What electronics are in the system?
The main controller is a WeMos LOLIN D1 Mini, an Arduino-compatible board. It sends control signals to seven daughterboards. Each daughterboard uses a 74HC595 shift register and eight TIP120 transistors to control eight JF-0826B 12V solenoids. The shift registers allow the controller to address many outputs through a more compact signal arrangement than dedicating a separate controller pin to every actuator. WS2815 RGB LEDs provide lighting.
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- Controller: WeMos LOLIN D1 Mini.
- Output expansion: Seven 74HC595-based daughterboards, each for eight keys.
- Actuator drivers: Eight TIP120 transistors per daughterboard.
- Actuators: JF-0826B 12V solenoids, one per controlled key.
- Mechanical support: Aluminum rails and 3D-printed frame parts.
- Lighting: WS2815 RGB LEDs.
Which solenoid should you look for?
The directly relevant part description is 12V JF-0826B push-pull solenoid. Marketplace listings for this family describe versions rated at 12 V, 2 A, 20 N of force and a 10 mm stroke. Those are listing-specific figures, not guaranteed specifications for every JF-0826B sold under the same family name. Check the exact seller’s datasheet and confirm voltage, current, force, stroke and duty limits before designing around a part.
Mechanical fit is as important as the headline force rating. The solenoid must be mounted so its stroke depresses the key reliably without binding, and the frame has to hold its position over the keyboard. The project’s use of a removable frame means the actuator layout must suit the piano’s key spacing and geometry.
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How does MIDI become correctly timed keypresses?
GotGaMeR’s rig receives MIDI through RTPMidi or UDP messages. Receiving a note event is only part of the job: a solenoid takes time to respond, so software must account for its dead-time and schedule actuation ahead of the note’s nominal time. Without that compensation, the physical keypress can lag behind the intended MIDI timing.
A related Arduino 88-key build uses a different signal chain: a USB-to-MIDI adapter feeds a MIDI-to-serial converter and then an Arduino. That article also describes PWM and MOSFET control for varying strike velocity. It is an example of another approach, not evidence that GotGaMeR’s rig uses USB MIDI, serial conversion, MOSFETs or velocity control.
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Power is a major scaling constraint
GotGaMeR reports that each solenoid is rated at 2 A and draws about 1.6–1.7 A while energized. The chosen supply was sized for roughly 20 keys actuated at once, excluding the low-power controller and LEDs. Applying the reported per-solenoid measurement to 20 simultaneously energized actuators gives an approximate 32–34 A coil load; this is a derived estimate, not a stated supply rating. The source does not specify the supply’s exact rating.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →This is why a many-key build needs deliberate power distribution, not just enough controller outputs. The actuators are repeated high-current loads, alongside driver electronics and heavy wiring. Increasing the number of keys or simultaneous notes changes the power demands, so size the supply and wiring for the intended load and verify component limits rather than assuming a small Arduino power source can run the solenoids.
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What does an Arduino player-piano build cost?
GotGaMeR’s reported estimate is $1,000–$1,500, with the solenoids identified as the main cost driver. Hackster.io’s article does not state its publication year, so that estimate should be treated as a reported project figure—not a current quote or a guaranteed budget. Actual parts availability and prices can vary.
The hardware list extends beyond the actuators: it includes the controller, shift registers, transistor drivers, a 12 V supply, wiring, aluminum rails and 3D-printed parts. The number of keys and the electrical capacity needed for simultaneous notes are consequential design choices, not minor add-ons.
Where this design fits—and what to check before building
A removable solenoid frame is appealing if you want MIDI-controlled playing without permanently modifying an acoustic piano. Its trade-offs follow from that approach: the rig must be mechanically aligned and supported above the keys, uses many high-current actuators, and adds a physical assembly that must be placed on and removed from the instrument.
- Key coverage: Decide whether a 56-key arrangement is enough or whether your design must cover all 88 keys.
- Fit and removability: Confirm key spacing, frame support and actuator alignment for the intended piano.
- Timing: Allow for solenoid response delay in the MIDI scheduling software.
- Power: Plan for the number of actuators that may be energized simultaneously.
- Control behavior: Do not assume velocity-sensitive strikes; the related 88-key build documents PWM velocity control, but that feature is not established for GotGaMeR’s rig.
- Practical operation: Consider actuator noise and portability when deciding whether a removable frame suits the instrument and its setting.
The core idea is straightforward—convert MIDI events into timed, physical keypresses—but scaling it depends on coordinating the frame, actuators, drivers, power system and timing software. The documented build demonstrates a removable approach for a bank of keys; it should not be mistaken for a universal, complete 88-key retrofit.
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