Getting Started using your Biodata Sonification Device

Working with Biodata can be a bit daunting to new users, and using MIDI is only half the battle! Creating sounds and using synthesizers to give your plants a voice is a complex process. This Biodata Sonification device attempts to make it easy for users to connect to the invisible changes which are occuring within the plants and fungi around us and turn that information into sound. The device does not output Sound on its own, you will need to connect to a synthesizer or sound App using MIDI. The steps below will walk you through the process of getting your Biodata Device setup, connecting to your plant, connecting to MIDI, and finally making music with plants.

Follow these Instructions to Begin working with your Biodata Sonification Device

  1. Charge the Battery – When you first receive your Biodata Device it will need to have the battery recharged. Connect a microUSB cable to the Biodata Device and any USB port or charger. The battery should be fully charged in ~20 minutes. I do not include a microUSB cable with my devices, to avoid e-waste, as most people already have one in their home and they are cheap/freely available.
  2. Turning the Biodata Device On – Push the sliding switch to the left to turn On the Biodata Device. You will be greeted by a Light Show where all 5 LEDs will turn on and fade out sequentially (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, White).
    • After the Light Show the current MIDI Connection Mode will be displayed
      • the Blue LED will briefly illuminate showing Bluetooth Mode is On
      • the Green LED will briefly illuminate showing Wifi mode is On
        • the Red LED will flash while WiFi is connecting
        • Wifi settings must be configured using Arduino … see Wifi RTP MIDI – (Advanced).
    • You can restore the Device to original settings by holding down the button while turning the Device On, and releasing the button after the light show. The White LED will flash showing settings have been restored (Chromatic Scale, MIDI Channel 1, Bluetooth On, WiFi Off)
  3. Prepare the Biodata Device for Usage– Turning the small knob all the way to the left Counter Clockwise will set the Threshold level to the lowest value allowing the Highest Sensitivity for the Biodata detection.
    • While creating music with a synthesizer turn the knob Clockwise to the Right to increase the Threshold. The notes will become less frequent requiring larger changes to be detected in the Plant.
    • If you do not see any notes coming from the Device while connected to a plant, turn the knob to the left to lower the Threshold.
    • There is a ‘sweet spot’ where the notes will change dramatically, there are many factors involved in Biodata processing and the most ‘musical’ sounding threshold value may change depending on the activity of the plant over time.
  4. Connecting to your Plant – This Biodata Sonification Device can be connected to the leaves of a Plant using the provided electrodes.
    • ** Plug the 3.5mm jack into the Green port in the middle of the Biodata Sonification Device!! **
    • Sticky pads can provide a good connection to a broad leaf plant. Snap the electrode pads to the ends of the electrode wires before attaching the pads to the leaves of a plant. The pads can be carefully removed from most plants without damaging the leaves, and the pads can be washed with soap and water to be reused! (store Link SnapTrodes and Pads)
    • Small Clip electrodes can make it easy to connect to test out various plants, and to sample Biodata from plants while on expedition. (store Link ClipTrodes)
    • Silver Wire electrodes can connect to Fungi through the mycelium, providing a rich and active Biodata stream. (store Link SilverTrodes)
  5. Connecting to MIDI –
    • Bluetooth – One easy way to make music with this Biodata Devices is to connect using BluetoothMIDI to your iOS/Android/Mac/Windows machine and use audio synthesizer apps, I have a Quickstart Video on how to setup the connection. It is a little tricky process the first time, and you don’t use your phone/computer’s “Normal” Bluetooth settings … checkout my youtube channel to see how to connect to your phone using a synth App like Animoog or to your Mac using Audio/MIDI settings.
    • Hardware MIDI – You can connect this Biodata device directly to any MIDI hardware synthesizer or interface using the Black port which presents a 3.5mm MIDI Output Type-A port. This device can connect to synthesizers, drum machines, and computers. Beware if using a ‘Cheap’ USB-MIDI interface, they are trash – only use brand names like the Emu xMIDI.
    • WiFi RTP MIDI – See below (Advanced)
    • USB MIDI – There is NO USB MIDI available on the current version of this Biodata device (sorry!). The ESP32 board used does not support native USB-MIDI capabilities, but there is hope that a future ESP32-S3 board will present both USB-MIDI and USB-C connectivity along side the Bluetooth BLE and WiFi! Stay Tuned – Winter 2022! (…devices may be upgradable…)
  6. Device Menu and Modes – This Biodata Device comes equipped with with multiple Menu Modes which are accessible by using the button and knob. The five LEDs indicate which menu you are in and turning the knob will allow a user to choose different Menus.
    • When you first Click the Button the device will stop displaying the Biodata Light Show and will show a single LED
    • As you Turn the Knob the LEDs will change as you select the desired Menu.
    • Once a Menu is selected the main Menu LED will stay illuminated and as the knob is turned the LEDs will flash allowing the user to select a value.
    • Clicking the Button a final time will save the selection.
    • If the Button is not Clicked for 20 seconds the Menu will timeout and return to Biodata mode.
    • Don’t forget to turn the Threshold Knob back to the left after selecting a Menu/Value, it is easy to forget and Threshold is set in realtime.
    • Menu Modes – (**See the Youtube video on how to use each Biodata Mode**)
      • Red – Musical Scale – This device can apply one of five Musical Scales to the Biodata Notes, which can easily create pretty melodic music. Red – Chromatic, Yellow – Minor, Green – Major, Blue – Pentatonic Minor, White – Indian
      • Yellow – MIDI Channel – The MIDI output Channel can be selected allowing this device to be used with a variety of MIDI hardware and software instruments. The MIDI channel is displayed using the LEDs as a ‘binary’ counter. This may seem a bit complex, and it is, but using the five LEDs as a binary display allows a value between 1 and 16 to be displayed to the user. See details in the video.
      • Green – WiFi Mode – The Green LED will stay lit. WiFi can be turned On and Off by turning the knob, the Red LED flashes showing WiFi Off. Turn the knob all the way to the right and the White LED will flash showing WiFi On. Click the button to save the selection.
      • Blue – BLE Bluetooth Mode – The Blue LED will stay lit. Bluetooth can be turned On and Off by turning the knob, the Red LED flashes showing Bluetooth Off. Turn the knob all the way to the right and the White LED will flash showing Bluetooth On. Click the button to save the selection.
      • White – Battery Level – The Battery level is visible by the color of the LED, with Red being lowest Battery level and Blue being the Highest level. Clicking the button will flash the LEDs and exit back to Biodata Mode.
  7. Using Synthesizer Apps – iOS, Android
    1. I suggest using BluetoothMIDI to connect to an iPhone or Android device, it is also easy to connect to a Mac (or Windows) and use Biodata MIDI with Digital Audio Workstation applications.
      1. Note – BluetoothMIDI devices connect ‘differently’ than headsets and keyboards, do NOT use your main ‘bluetooth settings’ to connect to the Biodata device. Use the settings inside of the specific audio apps which will perform the connection to the Biodata Bluetooth signal.
    2. There are many free sound creation apps available, if you have an iPhone/iPad I suggest trying <Animoog>.  For Android users, you will need two apps – the <Bluetooth MIDI Connect> and <DRC> or other MIDI synth app.

Follow the instructions below to get connected to your Biodata Sonification Device

Supplies – sticky electrode pads, electrode wires, Silver Wire, Clips, DIY