Little Bird
Piano HAT
The Piano HAT adds a full-octave capacitive touch piano to your Raspberry Pi. With 13 touch-sensitive keys, octave controls, and bright LED feedback, it turn...
The Piano HAT adds a full-octave capacitive touch piano to your Raspberry Pi. With 13 touch-sensitive keys, octave controls, and bright LED feedback, it turns your Pi into a compact musical instrument you can program with Python.
Inspired by Zachary Igielman's PiPiano, the Piano HAT uses capacitive touch sensing to detect key presses and can control software synthesisers, output MIDI commands, or trigger custom Python functions for each key.
Key Features
- 16 Capacitive Touch Pads – Each pad can trigger its own Python function
- 13 Piano Keys – A full octave of touch-sensitive keys
- Octave Up/Down Buttons – Shift pitch range on the fly
- Instrument Cycle Button – Switch between synthesisers and sounds
- 16 White LEDs – Light up automatically or control individually via Python
- 2× Microchip CAP1188 Drivers – Dedicated capacitive touch controller chips
- MIDI Output – Use with software synths or hardware synthesisers via USB-to-MIDI adapter
- Fully Assembled – No soldering required
Compatibility
- Raspberry Pi 3B+, 3, 2, B+, A+, Zero, and Zero W
Software
The Python library includes several examples to get you started: a learn-to-play mode where LEDs guide you through songs, a MIDI example for use with SunVox, Yoshimi and other software synthesisers, a PyGame example with piano and drum samples, and an 8-bit synth written in pure Python.
Package Contents
- 1× Piano HAT (fully assembled)
Resources
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode is a small electronic component that lights up when current flows through it in the correct direction. In this kit, LEDs create the flashing effect, so polarity and correct soldering matter for the project to work.
- MIDI
- MIDI is a standard way for electronic instruments, controllers, and software to send musical control messages such as notes, velocity, and timing. If a board supports MIDI, it can be triggered from keyboards, drum pads, sequencers, or other music gear rather than only from buttons or code.
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Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
