MIDI foot controllers and expression pedals

TEMAS · 19th March 2007

I've been using my Nord Modular as a multi-fx unit recently and am looking into various ways to control some of the functions when I have no hands free.

The Rocktron All Access LTD Foot Controller is the best I've seen, with 18 stomps switches and an expression pedal, but at $849 it is over budget and is probably more fully featured than I need.

Something like 8 stomp switches and an expression pedal would be ideal; doesn't matter if they are seperate or combined, but it needs to be able to send MIDI controller data, not preset change data.

http://www.geartree.com/p-5111-rockt...d-edition.aspx

Cheers.

octatonic · 19th March 2007

Check out the Ground Control Pro.

TEMAS · 19th March 2007

Cheers, I've looked at those Voodoo Labs ones and if I can't find anything cheaper, then for $399, its an option. The new Commander looks good also, but I'm not sure if it sends controller data.

http://www.voodoolab.com/commander.htm

There's a few by Custom Audio Electronics, which are only available direct from their site. These aren't cheap either.

http://www.customaudioelectronics.co...ontrollers.htm

If people can make controller keyboards with multiple knobs and switches for £60, there must be a cheaper foot controller option somewhere.

Protools Guy · 19th March 2007

+1 for the Ground Control Pro!

MadScience · 19th March 2007

Get the All Access.
I have had mine for over ten years and I am still using it every week.
It is the most programmable and most durable foot controller out there.
I have had the Ground Control which the foot buttons did not last through two months of bar gigs. If the buttons get liquid on them and get sticky, they become intermittent
or basically they don't work every time.

SFTPH · 19th March 2007

Behringer? fcb1010- less than $200 and does more than any other controller.
It may be the only thing they have ever made that isn't a direct ripoff of another manufacturer.

kyle barton · 19th March 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadScience

Get the All Access.
I have had mine for over ten years and I am still using it every week.
It is the most programmable and most durable foot controller out there.
I have had the Ground Control which the foot buttons did not last through two months of bar gigs. If the buttons get liquid on them and get sticky, they become intermittent
or basically they don't work every time.

+1 on the All Access

TEMAS · 19th March 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFTPH

Behringer? fcb1010- less than $200

I like the 2 expression pedals on the behringer, but I think only 2 of stomp switches transmit MIDI controller data, the rest are for preset/bank changing.

What I'm trying to do is assign some of the Nord's controls to foot switches so that I can activate certain parameters, for example resetting an LFO or sequencer, or open the gate of an envelope, or bypass a filter or phaser.

xxdrexx · 19th March 2007

I have the FCB1010 board also, and I love it. I think there is a firmware update that enables the top row of switches to transmit CC data only or something. I've been thinking of doing this to mine but it's working great as-is so I've been too lazy to mess around with it.

octatonic · 21st March 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadScience

Get the All Access.
I have had mine for over ten years and I am still using it every week.
It is the most programmable and most durable foot controller out there.
I have had the Ground Control which the foot buttons did not last through two months of bar gigs. If the buttons get liquid on them and get sticky, they become intermittent
or basically they don't work every time.

The new Ground Control Pro has much better switches.

MadScience · 21st March 2007

Quote:

The new Ground Control Pro has much better switches.

You're right the new one has better switches. I just had a bad experience with the older one. Actually I went through two of them. The good part of the Ground Control Pro is that it has programmable stompbox inputs and handles 8 midi channels.

But, I use a guitar synth with my effect units and the synth takes up 6 midi channels so that is the other reason I like the All Access which can switch 16 midi channels.
And also I like the five across button layout.

http://www.rocktron.com/site/product...imagezoom.html

subatomicpieces · 21st March 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFTPH

Behringer? fcb1010- less than $200 and does more than any other controller.
It may be the only thing they have ever made that isn't a direct ripoff of another manufacturer.

ssaudio · 21st March 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEMAS

Something like 8 stomp switches and an expression pedal would be ideal; doesn't matter if they are seperate or combined, but it needs to be able to send MIDI controller data, not preset change data

A long shot, but I've been using a Lake Butler MIDI Mitigator for years and it does all this (and more). There's no chance of getting one new obviously, but the build quality is superb so if you see one s/h grab it, it will be the bargain of a lifetime.

http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/ar/l/lake/midi.html

TEMAS · 21st March 2007

Thanks everyone.

I've found a second hand Roctron Midi Mate for sale here in London for £50 and I think I'm gonna get it. Ok it looks a bit flimsy, but I get 5 assignable 'stomp buttons' which send cc MIDI data and an expression pedal input.

Anyone think this is a bad idea before I go and get it?

SFTPH · 21st March 2007

The fcb1010 looks like the roland, but does WAY more than any other controller.
ANY button can be programmed to send 5 program, 2 cc,
2 analog 1/4" switching, 2 expression and 1 note #. All @ the same
time on 5 different midi channels! I am by no means a Behringer fanboy,
but this pedal is the only reason I can control 4 separate rigs on 3 seperate
midi channels simultaneously when I play live. If you use Logic you could
make something in the environment that might work for some stuff with
a normal controller.

gsilbers · 3rd July 2010

im resurrecting this thread cause id like to learn a little more and see if i could use a midi foot controller for what i do. seems like you guys know about this.

can i assign in the beringer for example, that one expression pedal controls mod wheel cc#1 and the other to control volume?

can i assign one of the pedal buttons to select the hold cc so i can do legato stuff like strings for example?

how about assigning velocity to the expression pedal? i have the roland gi20 and velocity is all over theplace on every preset i select, so will the midi footboard class with the roland gi 20.

19th March 2007	#5
MadScience Gear interested Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 21	All Access Get the All Access. I have had mine for over ten years and I am still using it every week. It is the most programmable and most durable foot controller out there. I have had the Ground Control which the foot buttons did not last through two months of bar gigs. If the buttons get liquid on them and get sticky, they become intermittent or basically they don't work every time. __________________

21st March 2007	#14
TEMAS Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2006 Location: London Posts: 1,434 Thread Starter	Thanks everyone. I've found a second hand Roctron Midi Mate for sale here in London for £50 and I think I'm gonna get it. Ok it looks a bit flimsy, but I get 5 assignable 'stomp buttons' which send cc MIDI data and an expression pedal input. Anyone think this is a bad idea before I go and get it? Attached Thumbnails

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19th March 2007	#1
TEMAS Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2006 Location: London Posts: 1,434 Thread Starter	MIDI foot controllers and expression pedals I've been using my Nord Modular as a multi-fx unit recently and am looking into various ways to control some of the functions when I have no hands free. The Rocktron All Access LTD Foot Controller is the best I've seen, with 18 stomps switches and an expression pedal, but at $849 it is over budget and is probably more fully featured than I need. Something like 8 stomp switches and an expression pedal would be ideal; doesn't matter if they are seperate or combined, but it needs to be able to send MIDI controller data, not preset change data. http://www.geartree.com/p-5111-rockt...d-edition.aspx Cheers.

19th March 2007	#2
octatonic Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2004 Location: London Posts: 5,450	Check out the Ground Control Pro.

19th March 2007	#4
Protools Guy Lives for gear Joined: Nov 2006 Location: US of A Posts: 1,261	+1 for the Ground Control Pro!

19th March 2007	#6
SFTPH Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 845	Behringer? fcb1010- less than $200 and does more than any other controller. It may be the only thing they have ever made that isn't a direct ripoff of another manufacturer.

19th March 2007	#9
xxdrexx Gear interested Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 9	I have the FCB1010 board also, and I love it. I think there is a firmware update that enables the top row of switches to transmit CC data only or something. I've been thinking of doing this to mine but it's working great as-is so I've been too lazy to mess around with it.

3rd July 2010	#16
gsilbers Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2006 Location: El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula Posts: 3,622	im resurrecting this thread cause id like to learn a little more and see if i could use a midi foot controller for what i do. seems like you guys know about this. can i assign in the beringer for example, that one expression pedal controls mod wheel cc#1 and the other to control volume? can i assign one of the pedal buttons to select the hold cc so i can do legato stuff like strings for example? how about assigning velocity to the expression pedal? i have the roland gi20 and velocity is all over theplace on every preset i select, so will the midi footboard class with the roland gi 20.