This is a small tone selector with the ability to change the frequency by a potentiometer and to see the result on a 16x2 display. It also has an automatic testing mode at the beginning.

It is pretty straight forward.

A video with it working here:

https://youtu.be/dWIq7qw5TOY

 

Arduino reads the analog data from the potentiometer and the program transforms it into a frequency to be played by the buzzer (in a range of 20-2000 Hz). The program provides the thresholds on lower and on higher frequencies.

It starts with a test sequence that it sends to the buzzer a wave of notes and then the program listens to the potentiometer values.

The display shows the frequence played at the moment.

 

I used a trimmer to adjust the display contrast (at the beginning it usually doesn't show anything because of the too high contrast, so it needs to be adjusted. 

The buzzer is a Elegoo passive buzzer connected using only 2 pins as a standard buzzer (so, any buzzer can be used as well).

The potentiometer is a 10Kohm linear and it works pretty well in this range, but I adjusted the scale on the program so to double it because of the original range too low (0-1024).

The arduino Sketch built-in library "Tone" has been used for the buzzer and the LiquidCrystal library for the 16x2 display.

 

It can be used as a base to learn synth music or to build a proper synth with other controls for changing the basic square wave and to add some loops like in a sequencer. 

 

This project can also be viewed on my website:

http://www.gianpa.com/a-tone-generator-with-lcd-display/

 

Assembly List

LabelPart TypeProperties LCD1 LCD screen 16x2 type Character; pins 16 Part1 Arduino Uno (Rev3) type Arduino UNO (Rev3) R2 330Ω Resistor package THT; resistance 330Ω; pin spacing 400 mil; bands 4; tolerance ±5% R3 Trimmer Potentiometer track Linear; size Trimmer - 12mm; package THT; maximum resistance 10kΩ; type Trimmer Potentiometer R5 220Ω Resistor package THT; resistance 220Ω; pin spacing 400 mil; bands 4; tolerance ±5% R6 Rotary Potentiometer (Large) track Linear; size Rotary - 16mm; package THT; maximum resistance 10kΩ; type Rotary Shaft Potentiometer SG2 Buzzer 12mm size 12mm; package buzzer-12mm-ns; variant ns

Shopping List

AmountPart TypeProperties 1 LCD screen 16x2 type Character; pins 16 1 Arduino Uno (Rev3) type Arduino UNO (Rev3) 1 330Ω Resistor package THT; resistance 330Ω; pin spacing 400 mil; bands 4; tolerance ±5% 1 Trimmer Potentiometer track Linear; size Trimmer - 12mm; package THT; maximum resistance 10kΩ; type Trimmer Potentiometer 1 220Ω Resistor package THT; resistance 220Ω; pin spacing 400 mil; bands 4; tolerance ±5% 1 Rotary Potentiometer (Large) track Linear; size Rotary - 16mm; package THT; maximum resistance 10kΩ; type Rotary Shaft Potentiometer 1 Buzzer 12mm size 12mm; package buzzer-12mm-ns; variant ns