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 MIDI Foot Controller 
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Post MIDI Foot Controller
Hi friends. Hope you are all well, just getting caught up on a few posts here and wanted to share some thoughts on MIDI foot controllers.

While I only have 2 pedals that support MIDI (SY-300, Big Sky), I am delighted to have finally figured out how to change channels using multiple MIDI channels on my Disaster Area DMC-3XL gen 2 MIDI foot controller. I ordered one with the roller and am very pleased with the options it has offered.

Do any other Stickists use a midi foot controller to control their pedal or rack effects (I know you do Glenn Poorman!)?

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Wed Sep 07, 2016 6:58 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
I have the Keith McMillen SoftStep.

The pros of it is that it can do so much. Not just turn on and off things but has pressure sensitivity and X-Y direction sense to program to different parameters on all kinds of effects. You can program this things to do so much! You can plug in an expression pedal to it too.
The downside is that it's pressure pads so it doesn't have the physical feedback like a hardware switch and I'm never really sure if I pressed it hard enough. The programming is a bit mind boggling... Since it does so much they have two versions of the editor... (Basic and Advanced) Even the basic is a little hard to follow...

I have the first version with the square pads and got it for a great price from eBay. It has all the functionality I need... and then some... So I really can't complain...

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Wed Sep 07, 2016 7:45 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
Another company that makes MIDI gear is Molten Voltage.http://www.moltenvoltage.com/

Before I got the MOD DUO I was thinking of getting their One Trick Pony pedal. They can program this tiny, single button, pedal to send whatever midi message you need it to send. I was thinking of one that will switch between the three presets I use on my Whammy DT and a Start/Stop switch to start/stop my Novation Circuit. I'm finding that I will be able to use plugins from the MOD DUO to achieve what I want.

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Wed Sep 07, 2016 8:02 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
I have the soft step 2. I think I will do a video on my board as Im "bored" today. Ill show how it works with my Big sky pedal. I plan on buying midi pedals in the future to add to my big sky. Also can use the soft step 2 to control mainstage as well. Dean is right that the soft step is a bit cumbersome programming it but it works great for me. Its really help me get the most out of my big sky pedal. Also I dont have to bend over to adjust knobs and it looks very cool sitting on my board.

Rob

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Wed Sep 07, 2016 8:17 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
Heck yeah!

I think I posted this recently but I wrote a somewhat winded article on the topic of MIDI control in general back in 2003. Considering that was 13 years ago, it's all still pretty up to date and relevant.

http://www.121normal.com/resources/articles/midicontrol

I still have the same Rocktron "All Access" board I've always had and it's still as versatile as ever. My only complaints were the weight of it (you could seriously run it over with your car and not do any damage) and the cost. Rocktron has since upgraded it and changed the name to the "MIDI Raider". I believe they've dropped the price as well.

In recent years, I've been going back and forth between my hardware rig and a computer based rig and have both setup so that I can plug the same Rocktron board into either and have it work with very little tweaking. I suppose that last part is more a testament to MIDI than to my particular controller.

Either way ... it's nice when some things just work as advertised.

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Wed Sep 07, 2016 8:22 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
As my Stick future is years away, I plan to control my gear with a Gig Rig G2—including MIDI.


Wed Sep 07, 2016 8:23 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
Boss GT100, (two, one master and the other slave) also controlling a Roland GR55, plus a Kieth MacMillen 12 step. I use the 12 step as a sort of, "bass pedal" for pads and stuff, comes in handy. Also midi synced to a Roland RC-300 Loop station, also I have a few stompboxes for either of my GT100's that go through the loop. EHX Hog2 pedal is midi, and that's about it for Stick. Now my guitar rig(s) are a different story. Lots of stuff

There's loopers on both GT100's as well as the Roland GR55, very handy as practice tools although I don't use 'em much in performance... Loopers are just ideas for me. Oh and one other aspect that I have midi'd in there is a Boss DR880 Drum machine.

Amps are currently 2 Roland JC120 amps or a Yamaha Stagepass 300 PA. Good enough for now I'd say...

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Wed Sep 07, 2016 9:48 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
YESH! I recall you had a grip on that board too Glenn! That set you did last year at Interlochen was unreal. It was great to hear you talk after the show about it. You were playing as part of a set, after which Tom and then Greg were going to play and you were like - I'm going all in on the looping. Another great Interlochen moment.

I have a new appreciation for those that are able to unlock new possibilities with looping. Thanks Rob x2, Steve and Dean. I am enjoying reading how others are using MIDI controllers. I'll definitely be digging up Glenn's article on this.

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Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:09 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
I was just thinking...
The KM SoftStep can be set to sense pressure... So... with the right effects connected, you should be able to use it like the Patch of Shades. :o

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Dean Kobayashi
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Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:14 am
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Post Re: MIDI Foot Controller
earthgene wrote:
Do any other Stickists use a midi foot controller to control their pedal or rack effects?
Yes, I use a Gordius Little Giant to control a shitload of stuff inside my AxeFxII. Nothing but awesome. Although I use traditional pedals in my outdoors street busking rig I truly hate the dirty patchwork spaghetti that goes with it :-) I'll gig (indoors) in Italy next weekend with my two boxes:

Image

plugged into...

Image

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Thu Sep 08, 2016 11:49 am
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