Raspberry Pi e-Ink Display for Studio Organisation

In this quick video, I show how I created my e-ink mixer labels using a Raspberry Pi and an Inky e-ink display. A few people asked how I did this, so I thought I’d put together a short walkthrough.

Instead of using sticky labels, this setup lets me clearly see what’s plugged into each mixer channel — and because it’s e-ink, it doesn’t need power once programmed. I simply clip it onto the mixer, and it stays there until I change it.

I also briefly show the (very hacked-together!) Python script I use to update the display, based on the sample code that comes with the Inky display.

Towards the end, I also mention another small LED display I’ve been experimenting with for MIDI visualisation, including envelope displays and velocity meters.

If you’re into Raspberry Pi projects, studio organisation, or creative MIDI ideas, this is a nice little practical project.

Download the Python script from here: https://thedigitallifestyle.com/w/dow...
This is the e-ink display I used: https://thepihut.com/products/inky-phat

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Why I made an e-ink mixer label
00:10 The e-ink display on the mixer
00:23 Why I don’t use sticky labels
00:27 Inky e-ink display + Raspberry Pi overview
00:45 Why e-ink is perfect for this
00:57 Programming the display with Python
01:08 Viewing the Raspberry Pi remotely
01:27 Overview of the Python script
02:04 Defining mixer channel labels
02:22 Layout and font setup
02:51 Running the script
03:00 Updating the e-ink display
03:29 Using it on the mixer
03:38 Other display ideas (LED & MIDI visualisation)
04:03 Final thoughts

🔗 Links

I’ll include links to the Inky e-ink display and related hardware in the description below if you want to try this yourself.
https://thedigitallifestyle.com/w/dow...
https://thepihut.com/products/inky-phat
You’ll just need a standard Raspberry Pi.

If you found this useful, give the video a like, subscribe for more synth, MIDI, and Raspberry Pi projects, and let me know in the comments if you’ve got ideas for other MIDI or display experiments you’d like to see.

Thanks for watching — see you in the next video!