Using a piezo as on/off switch

[Fergo]

Hi everyone!

I’m trying to create an eletronic drum using an old joystick and a program I coded that recieves the joystick button presses and convert it to MIDI commands. The joystick buttons does not offer sensivity, but that’s fine for me at the moment. My problem is finding a good solution to an on/off switch that is sensible enough to put under a mousepad (yes, VERY home made) so I can use as a snare or something. I did some tests using tinfoil and it worked, but not that well, so I was thinking of using a piezo. Is there a way to make a piezo behave as an on/off switch? I tried to find something over the internet, but with no success =/

Thanks in advance,
Fergo

Topic

[Robshi]

Well a piezo basically sends a current when it is compressed so if you cold set up a latch to toggle on and off each time the peizo is pressed then that could work I guess thats if you want it to stay on and then off next time you hit it. If you are just wanting it to transmit an on state each time it is hit and then go straight back to off state then you just need to wire it in as is. This is how the basic design works for edrums.

Hopefully I’ve understood you.
Rob

[Author]

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