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FIVE REAL SLIDERS CONTROL YOUR GAME, MUSIC AND MIC VOLUME — BUILT FOR 20 DOLLARS

Five sliders, five apps: slide your game down and Discord up mid-match without touching the keyboard.

by Omri Harel

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

AudioAutomation

difficulty
●●○○○
time
an evening
license
MIT
repo
repo ACTIVE5,488 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
  • Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
  • Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware

Partner

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Videos
1

COMPAREE VERDICT

deej is exactly what it looks like: an Arduino reading five potentiometers, sending the values over serial, and a tray app that maps each slider to an application's audio session. You set which apps in a config file, slide game audio down during a Discord call, and never open the Windows mixer again. The build is straightforward if you have soldered before — wire five sliders to analog pins, flash the sketch, install the tray app, done. The single biggest decision is the enclosure: the repo includes four different box designs and the community has made dozens more, so you will spend more time choosing than printing. The one thing most likely to go wrong is forgetting that the sliders are logarithmic-taper — if you buy linear-taper pots, the volume control will feel unnatural and you will have to change the Arduino sketch or replace the parts. The README links to the correct type. This is for someone who uses Discord or OBS while gaming and is tired of alt-tabbing to the mixer. If you do not have that problem, you do not need this box.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —Arduino sketch, Windows/Linux tray app, and four different STL enclosures are all in the repo.
  • —Bill of materials lists every part with Amazon/AliExpress links and prices from 2020.
  • —Detailed wiring diagram and setup instructions in the README.
  • —MIT licence — commercial use is fine.
  • —No macOS support; the tray app is Windows and Linux only.
  • —Community has built hundreds of variations — there is a gallery link in the repo with photos and notes.

Can I build this?

Printone enclosure from the repo — four options included, 4-8 hours print time depending on design
BuyArduino Nano or Pro Micro, five 10kΩ logarithmic slide potentiometers, micro-USB cable, wire
Toolssoldering iron, wire strippers, 3D printer or access to one, computer running Windows or Linux
Skillsbasic soldering and ability to edit a text config file — no programming required
Time2-3 hours for soldering and assembly, plus print time
Cost$15-25 depending on where you source the sliders and whether you already have an Arduino
SafetyNone beyond ordinary soldering — low voltage USB power only.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

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Videos

deej - Arduino-powered physical volume sliders

No official video from the creator; several community walkthroughs exist but none are linked in the repo.

Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the README and check you are on Windows or Linux (macOS is not supported.)
  2. 2.Order the parts from the BOM — verify the sliders are logarithmic taper (The links are from 2020 but the part numbers are correct.)
  3. 3.Print one of the four included enclosures or browse the community gallery
  4. 4.Follow the wiring schematic and solder the sliders to the Arduino
  5. 5.Flash the Arduino sketch and install the tray app (The sketch is in the repo; the tray app has installer builds in Releases.)
  6. 6.Edit config.yaml to map each slider to an application (The file is created on first run.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

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KNOWN ISSUES

  • Buying linear-taper potentiometers instead of logarithmic — the volume curve will feel wrong and require sketch changes or part replacement.
  • Expecting macOS support — the tray app is Windows and Linux only.
  • Forgetting to install drivers for cheap Arduino clones on Windows — the COM port will not appear until you do.
  • Not checking which apps show up in the Windows volume mixer before starting — some apps do not expose per-app volume control.
  • Choosing an enclosure before confirming your slider dimensions — the STLs assume specific slider lengths.
  • Skipping the config file step and wondering why the sliders do nothing — the app does not auto-detect applications.

Can I use more or fewer than five sliders?

Yes — edit the Arduino sketch to match the number of analog pins you wire and adjust the config file. The community has built 3-slider and 8-slider versions.

Does this work with Spotify / Chrome / Discord?

If the app shows up in the Windows volume mixer as a separate session, deej can control it. Browser tabs do not appear separately.

Do I need a specific Arduino model?

Arduino Nano or Pro Micro are most common because they fit the enclosures, but any Arduino with enough analog pins and USB serial will work.

What if I do not have a 3D printer?

You can order prints from an online service, use a laser-cut acrylic case from the community designs, or skip the enclosure entirely.

Can I control system volume or just applications?

You can map a slider to master volume in the config file.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

5,500 stars and hundreds of community builds — some with RGB, some with rotary encoders, some with seven sliders instead of five. What would you map yours to?

CompareeTEAM24d agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the repo is actively maintained with the last commit in November 2024, the bill of materials links are from 2020 but the part numbers and specs are still correct, and the single most common mistake in the community gallery is people using linear-taper sliders and then wondering why the volume feels wrong. The README explicitly warns about this and links to the right type. No official video exists, but the documentation is detailed enough that you will not need one if you have soldered before.

Omri Harel

Omri built deej because he was tired of alt-tabbing to the Windows volume mixer during gaming sessions. The project went viral on Reddit in 2020 and has been forked and remixed hundreds of times since.

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo