Turning SimplyWorks Wireless Switches into a musical instrument with Ensemble

What do I need?

• SimplyWorks Wireless Switch Set – receiver and up-to four switches.
• Ensemble software – installed on a PC.
• Speakers (optional)

 

Setup Instructions

1. Connect the SimplyWorks receiver to the PC. It will automatically install the drivers required.
2. Follow the instructions for pairing each switch with the receiver.
3. Turn over each switch and select Modes 0-3, a different mode for each switch. These represent Gamepad Inputs 1 to 4.
4. Download the Ensemble block files from the Block Library.
5. Follow the instructions to ‘Import’ the block files into Ensemble Designer.
6. Everything is now setup and ready to use.

Using the switches

1. Open Ensemble Designer and create a ‘New Map’.
2. Drag a ‘SimplyWorks’ block onto the map area. It will automatically select the first switch (Mode 0, Gamepad 1).
3. Drag a ‘MIDI Notes’ block from the Sounds Palette onto the map area.
4. Join the two blocks together by dragging a line from the ‘Output’ port on the SimplyWorks block to the ‘Trigger’ port on the Notes block.
5. Double-click on the Notes block and then select a series of notes. Click on ‘OK’ when you have chosen your notes.
6. Press the ‘Play’ button in the toolbar on Designer.
7. Press the switch to play the notes. You control the timing and duration of the notes.

You can see a short video of the same process but using a ‘Keyboard’ block instead of the ‘SimplyWorks’ block in this blog post on using the MIDI Notes block.

You can now start experimenting with different instrument sounds and adding other note or chord sequences to the other switches.