Voice recognition module: avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00

Question

I am using a GeeeTech voice recognition module, I have recorded my voices using CoolTerm, and imported these voice commands in my sketch. However, when I plug in that voice recognition module, an error gets thrown: avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 10 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x00; otherwise, it uploads normally. How can the computer and the Arduino lose connection when the voice recognition module gets plugged in? . I have checked my com ports, and checked the everything that it is connected to is correct.

#include <avr/sleep.h>
#include <avr/power.h>
//#include "math.h"
//This sketch is a metronome, in which each led pin shows one beat.
/**************************************/
const int speaker = 13;//speaker at pin 13
int ts = 6;//highest led pin
int count = 3;//"beat 1 pin"
const int keyPin = 11;//button to change time signature
const int keyPinR = 10;//button to change rhythm
const int keySwitch = 2;//sleep mode/wake up button

//All pins below use a pull-up resistor, so the states are inverted
int buttonState = LOW;
int buttonState2 = LOW;
int switchState = LOW;
int silentState = LOW;

int bpm = 120;//you do not need to know this, 
//it's just a variable for the potentialmeter to change the tempo
int comdata;

int rthm = 1;//rhythm 
int pressed = 0;//
long silent = 0;

byte com = 0; //reply from voice module
/**************************************/

void setup()
{
 Serial.begin(9600);

 for(int thisPin = 3;thisPin <= ts;thisPin++)
  {
     pinMode(thisPin,OUTPUT); //initialize thisPin as an output
     pinMode(12, INPUT); //potentialmeter for changing tempo

   //Pin 9 to 11, along with pin 2, are all push buttons with pull-up resistors
    for(int i = 9; i<=11; i++)
    {
      pinMode(i, INPUT);
      digitalWrite(i, HIGH);
    }
    pinMode(2, INPUT);
    digitalWrite(2,HIGH);
  }
delay(2000);

//imported voice commands
Serial.write(0xAA);
Serial.write(0x37);
delay(1000);
Serial.write(0xAA);
Serial.write(0x21); 

 Serial.print("Type in beats per minute");

}

/****************************************/
void loop()
{
  turnOn();
  getTS();
  getVoiceCommand();
}

void turnOn()
{
    buttonState = digitalRead(keyPin);//key for 
    buttonState2 = digitalRead(keyPinR);
    switchState = digitalRead(keySwitch);
    silentState = digitalRead(9);

    if(switchState==LOW) pressed++;

    if(pressed!=0)
    {
      sleep_enable();
      set_sleep_mode(SLEEP_MODE_PWR_DOWN);
      attachInterrupt(0, interrupt, LOW);
      sleep_cpu();
    }

  else{
    //The beat starts at pin 3, runs in consecutive pins, and ends at pin 8 at maximum

     if(buttonState==LOW){//changing time signature - up to 5 beats
            ts++; 
          if(ts==8) ts = 3;  //8 - 3 = 5 beats max
     }
     if(buttonState2==LOW){//changing rhythm - quarter note to eighth, then 
             //triplets and sixteenths, back to quarter notes
           rthm++;
          if(rthm==5) rthm = 1;
     }
     if(silentState==LOW) silent++; //if silent key pressed, go to silence (only LED's showing) 

      runMetronome();//Run the metronome
     }
  }

  void runMetronome(){
    for(int thisPin = 3;thisPin <= ts;thisPin++)
      //LED's blinking beats (thisPin - LED pin (beat number + 2))
      { 
           for(int r = 1; r<=rthm; r++){//nested loop for the rhythm
               bpm = pulseIn(12, HIGH);//pin 12 - tempo potentialmeter
               digitalWrite(thisPin,HIGH);//each LED blinks
               pinMode(13,OUTPUT); //pin 13 - speaker 

              silent%2==0 ? noTone(13) : (count==3 && r==1 ? tone(13,4400,80) : 
                   r==1 ? tone(13,2500,80) : tone(13,2200,60));
              delay((bpm-52)/rthm);
              digitalWrite(thisPin,LOW);//turn each off as we proceed to the next beat (LED)
              pinMode(13,INPUT);//speaker input
            }
          count++;//beat++

          if(count>ts) count = 3; //go back to beat 1 
        }
    }


  void interrupt()  {
      sleep_disable();        
      detachInterrupt(0);
  }

   void getTS(){
      if(Serial.available()>0){
          comdata = Serial.read();
          switch (comdata){
              case '1': ts = 3; break;
              case '2': ts = 4; break;
              case '3': ts = 5; break;
              case '4': ts = 6; break;
              case '5': ts = 7; break;
            }
     }
   }
     void getVoiceCommand(){
        while(Serial.available()){
            com = Serial.read();
            switch(com){
                case 0x11: ts = 3; break;
                case 0x12: ts = 4; break;
                case 0x13: ts = 5; break;
                case 0x14: ts = 6; break;
                case 0x15: ts = 7; break;
              }
          }
      }

Answer 1

It's not loosing connection, there just can't be two devices on the same serial port (I suppose this setup)

You can use software serial for VR module, arduino with more hardware serials (=mega) or you can use another arduino as ISP programmer.