Midi foot pedal.

lukasz · Post by **lukasz** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:54 pm

Ok so I'm looking an affortable midi foot pedal. most ive seen near about 200 which is ok but if i can find a cheaper one that works just as well (I mean its just a midi controller?) then i rather get that. I just need it to control events in live so i can assign them to record playback and do multiple tracks and all that good stuff, I want lots of buttons (8 minimum)

Also I'm looking to have another keyboard attached too, is there a way to set the midi channel different on pedal and keyboard and still control softsynths with possible 2 or more external controllers? I'm assuming a MIDI patch bay would work. I only have one MIDI input on my firebox so I would have to split i somehow.

let me know, thanks much!

ze2be · Post by **ze2be** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:03 pm

lukasz wrote:Ok so I'm looking an affortable midi foot pedal. most ive seen near about 200 which is ok but if i can find a cheaper one that works just as well (I mean its just a midi controller?) then i rather get that. I just need it to control events in live so i can assign them to record playback and do multiple tracks and all that good stuff, I want lots of buttons (8 minimum)

Also I'm looking to have another keyboard attached too, is there a way to set the midi channel different on pedal and keyboard and still control softsynths with possible 2 or more external controllers? I'm assuming a MIDI patch bay would work. I only have one MIDI input on my firebox so I would have to split i somehow.

let me know, thanks much!

You dont need a midi patch bay. Live will see the midi pedal and keyboard as two seperate interfaces. Set the keyboard through midi to the pedal, and set the keyboard midi out to the soundcard midi in. Most interfaces can store 16 midi channels. Just plug them into your midi input on your soundcard. Or you can use a midi to usb interface, that has multiple midi inputs.

Most midi contollers thece days dont even need midi cables, they use usb cables. So then you dont need that all that midi cabling shit.

Theres lots of controllers to choose from..
Novation has some nice ones with keyboard..
Pedals theres lots of too:
http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=

lukasz · Post by **lukasz** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:16 pm

haha yeah its still midi info though, so do i need to set the channels so ableton isnt confused or what? or does it automatically set your device?

YILA · Post by **YILA** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:30 pm

i've bought a fragpedal for this.. 2 buttons.. thats all i need.. but it still aint arrived in the postgrrrr

lukasz · Post by **lukasz** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:20 am

hmm im looking for about 8 buttons or so

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:47 am

I built this one myself:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreaswet ... 185849096/

dwills138 · Post by **dwills138** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 7:31 am

FCB 1010. thats the best one..

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:53 am

dwills138 wrote:FCB 1010. thats the best one..

not really...? I mean, it's cheap and all, but it's also enormous, heavy, noisy (?)) and decidedly stupid to program - I used to own one, had to sell it, couldn't stand it anymore... Building my own was very satisfying. And now I have 16 buttons in a small unit instead of ten+ 2 bank switches in a huge unit.

Oh, and the noise on the FCB I was talking about was from the PSU - buzzzz - same on several units.

Seyser Koze · Post by **Seyser Koze** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:13 pm

FCB1010 has it's downsides, it is a bit noisy (particularly the expression pedals which is a shame) but the heaviness/sturdiness of it is a bonus IMO, it's indestructable (to a degree).

The programming isn't particularly intuitive agreed (neither is the manual) but once you know how to do it, it's pretty easy.

Both your keyboard and your footpedal will almost certainly be programmed default to send out messages on midi channel 1 out of the box.

You can use the global config. on the FCB1010 (and almost certainly) reprogramme your keyboard to send out their information on different midi channels.

On the FCB1010 you can also choose to send out different midi messages on different midi channels too which is quite handy.

So, say you leave your keyboard sending out midi notes on channel 1, re-programme your FCB to send out midi CCs on channel 2 and midi notes on channel 3.

Then in Live you can select your "midi from" info. to be direct to your keyboard and midi channel 1 and leave your FCB to midi map to control parameters and functions in Live without fear of any clash between the messages.

For example, I always prefer to use note on messages from the FCB but using a different channle from my keyboard and trigger finger I ensure there is no clash between the three.

Just take a moment to work out your midi routing and then work your way through and programme your peripherals accordingly.

It takes a while but it is well worth it in the long run.

Seyser Koze · Post by **Seyser Koze** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:57 pm

Machinate wrote:I built this one myself:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreaswet ... 185849096/

Nice work that.

Is it just one bank? What messages does it send?

I haven't noticed nose from the psu yet on my 1010...but I do notice the crackles on the midi sent form the expression pedals

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:10 am

Seyser Koze wrote:
Machinate wrote:I built this one myself:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreaswet ... 185849096/
Nice work that.

Is it just one bank? What messages does it send?

Thanks - it sends out HID info, which is interpreted in Max. So it is a bit like a "barebones controller" in that bankswitching is freely assignable, too. I could have the top row of buttons do bank-switching if I wanted to, but for the most part I am aiming on keeping the bank-needs at "1", so that I can free up the buttons and just have 16 buttons, no banks.

Timur · Post by **Timur** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:29 am

Machinate wrote:I built this one myself:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andreaswet ... 185849096/

Nice hack!

Timur · Post by **Timur** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:32 am

Better collect some more cash and get a Roland FC-300 instead of the FCB1010, it's studier (and more heavy I fear), offers alot more features, is far easier to program, runs on 9v power-plugs just like any stomp-pedal and can even run on batteries.

Even after installing the mod chip to a FCB1010 it still offers less features than the FC-300, and it's plastic side-caps will still break with heavy stomping.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:44 am

thanks - it's not really a hack though, it's built by me from the ground up.

Timur · Post by **Timur** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:55 am

That's basically what I meant. A better description would be:

Great craftsmanship!

Midi foot pedal.

Midi foot pedal.

Re: Midi foot pedal.