I ordered a SoftStep among "the first 100" to have it shipped directly from the factory. Shipment was delayed to October 14 instead of June as planned and that forced me to cancel and go for another solution in order to fulfill concert submissions. BTW, I just met Zoe in Frisco two weeks ago, as she gigged at Yoshi's. But she had not got time to set up the SoftStep then. Eagerly awaiting hers and others first impressions report on the SoftStep. I'm might still buy one, if it really delivers what the manual promises regarding X-Y vector pad control.

Great thread.

I'm glad to know the behringer works with mainstage as that's the future direction I'm going in, for now the 1010 is for my motif and triton synths.

I just ordered the 1010 yesterday, it's being shipped to a guitar center and I'll see if it does everything I need with controlling the 2 synths.

The roland controller didn't work as it had no midi "thru". Maybe you guys with more midi experience can tell me if this will work. See attached.

Just an FYI ... if you're ever in a jam because you need a MIDI thru or need to somehow get two inputs into one, MIDI Solutions (http://www.midisolutions.com) make a whole bunch of little and very handy utility boxes that will do this stuff for you. I have a collection of these that have been used on and off in my rig and they've been life savers. They even happily and quickly obliged one time when I needed a custom job.

Also just to bump ... I wrote an article several years ago about MIDI control that was slanted toward the stickist/tapper trying to navigate putting a rig together and controlling it all with MIDI.

http://www.detroitstick.com/writings/articles/midicontrol

Did any of you guys ever pick up a Soft-Step?

After using the behringer for a while I have a couple observations for the set up in my "napkin" schematic above.

It does not control two synths well. What I was hoping to do was use one volume pedal for each synth with one row of pedals 1-5, 6-10 for each synth. This may be possible, it's just that no one can explain it to me so I gave up using 2 synths. I was able to program user banks in the motif and am able to control them with the 1010. It works well for the motif but the triton doesn't have the same user banks so it choices random patches so I'm not using it.

Also I was getting strange gitchy midi activity with the way I had it set up above. What I had to do was put the 1010 between one Gi20 and the midi A/B box. I am able to control the volume of the motif with the 1010 and one Gi20 has a sustain pedal which is very cool because you can hold the notes like a keyboard player.

So that's where I'm at so far.

Glenn - That's one exceedingly well-written and laid out article. Bookmarked!

Regarding using the FCB with two synths. Most synths default to using controller #7 for Volume. Since the FCB only has one port you have to make sure that each synth is set to it's own channel, and that each pedal is set to the correct channel for the synth it's to control. Obviously they both have to be setup to send controller #7. Alternatively you could try changing the volume controller # on one of the synths to another value - say #2 (which is the control normally assigned to breath control). Then change one of the pedals to send on controller #2. It's been a while since I had my FCB so I don't remember if you can assign the pedals to different midi channels or not.... If you can't then the second option above is the thing to try.....

Dave,
My attempt at setting up 2 synths went as far as what you described. Without going into all the detail, I will tell you I spent several weeks with calls, trips to guitar center and reading all the manuals and when it reaches the point I'm becoming more of an engineer than a musician, I stop. One of major problems was the "glitches" I was having the foot controller and moving it before the A/B box fixed that.

I realized midi is a language in itself, however I only care to learn the basics, "hi", "bye", "change to this sound", "change this volume". Leeland

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