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RE: Most programmable midi foot controller



Have you considered using the Mackie Control emulation? People rave about 
this. I have not had the time to try it. It seems like you could 
streamline your pedalboard. 
MFC





 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "David Huffman" <dave@linkify.com>
>  
> 
> My need is to "reconfigure the footswitch in real-time as (I) perform".  
>I use 
> Ableton Live as the patch librarian (and executor, and legal counsel).
> 
>  
> 
> I've now got a workaround that meets my need - e.g., having a few 
>different 
> controls available on many different tracks in Ableton Live while 
>performing.  
> Here's an example of what it can do:
> 
>  
> 
> ·         Assume you're playing/recording on Track 1, 
> 
> 
> 
> o    4 or 5 of the 13 available pedals do things at the "track-level" to 
>help 
> control the Ableton track behavior.
> 
> 
> 
> o    But, you'd like to jump onto another track (or perhaps 2 or 5 or 10 
>in 
> succession) and have the same pedal controls on each of them
> 
> 
> 
> o    Clearly, you can't support that with 13 pedals.  You run out of 
>pedals 
> pretty fast.
> 
> 
> 
> ·         My setup allows me to step on the "Next" pedal with a single 
>click, 
> and Ableton then automagically...
> 
> 
> 
> o    Disarms Track 1
> 
> 
> 
> o    Arms Track 2
> 
> 
> 
> o    Now "hears" the track-level foot controller commands on the new 
>track
> 
> 
> 
> o    (in my case, it switches from a pair of tracks - one for audio & 
>one for 
> midi - to the next pair of tracks)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> If anyone is interested, here's a synopsis of the workaround.
> 
>  
> 
> ·         Foot controller sends controller messages, which I convert to 
>note 
> messages using MIDI-OX, on the way to Ableton Live.
> 
> 
> 
> ·         I map track controls in Ableton...
> 
> 
> 
> o    ...to the foot controller "notes" (e.g., "D" is "Arm", "E" is 
>"Launch" etc)
> 
> 
> 
> o    ...where each track has it's own octave - e.g., D-2 (two octaves 
>down from 
> middle D) is track 1, D-1 is track 2, etc.
> 
> 
> 
> ·         I've set up a track in Ableton that has a set of MIDI Pitch 
>Shifters
> 
> 
> 
> o    All are set to +12 - e.g., go up an octave
> 
> 
> 
> o    All have their "Device On" mapped to a MIDI note (e.g., A#), each 
>in a 
> given octave
> 
> 
> 
> ·         Set up 2 clips in Ableton, one as "Next", one as "Back", which 
>"play" 
> the note - A# - to trigger the Device On of the Pitch Shifter
> 
> 
> 
> ·         Two pedals on my foot controller are programmed with 
>Controllers to 
> trigger the Next & Back clips
> 
> 
> 
> ·         Then, for instance, if I'm recording on Track 1, and I step on 
>the 
> "Next" pedal, it:
> 
> 
> 
> o    Disarms Track 1 (e.g., the Next clip plays the D-2 note, which 
>toggles 
> "arm")
> 
> 
> 
> o    Triggers the "Next" clip to turn on a +12 pitch shift (e.g., the 
>clip plays 
> A#-2)
> 
> 
> 
> o    Arms Track 2 (e.g., plays D-2 note, which is now transposed to D-1, 
>to 
> toggle "arm" on the new track)
> 
> 
> 
> o    And, when subsequent track-level pedals are clicked - e.g., Launch, 
> monitor, etc. - they are transposed up an octave to the current Track.
> 
> 
> 
> §  E.g., the Foot Controller says D-2, but this MIDI note command is 
>routed 
> through a pitch shift and becomes D-1, which Track 2 can "hear".
> 
> 
> 
> §  So, this is using the fact that MIDI notes can be transformed by MIDI 
> effects, and that there are a lot of octaves, to enable "patch changing" 
>on the 
> fly.
> 
> 
> 
> This is better than using different patches in MIDI-OX (which also 
>works) 
> because it's more flexible, can change more on the fly and doesn't 
>require 
> loading a a new set of patches to MIDI-OX every time I tweak the setup.  
>But, a 
> patch changeable programmable foot controller might also be a good 
>approach, 
> with a lot less of the MIDI spaghetti required to get the above scenario 
> working.
> 
>  
> 
> If there's more interest, I can put a diagram up on a webpage somewhere.
> 
>  
> 
> dh
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Larson [mailto:jeff.larson@sailpoint.com] 
> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 12:25 PM
> To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> Subject: RE: Most programmable midi foot controller
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> > Do any of these controllers have remotely changeable patches?
> 
>  
> 
> The FCB and GCP support sysex messages to completely change patches.
> 
> I don't know if you can send them something that will make them change
> 
> banks though.  Out of curiosity, what are you trying to accomplish?
> 
> Are you interested in making a patch librarian, or do you want
> 
> to reconfigure the footswitch in real-time as you perform.
> 
>                 
> 
> Jeff
> 
>  
> 
> 




 

My need is to "reconfigure the footswitch in real-time as (I) perform".  I use Ableton Live as the patch librarian (and executor, and legal counsel).

 

I've now got a workaround that meets my need - e.g., having a few different controls available on many different tracks in Ableton Live while performing.  Here’s an example of what it can do:

 

·         Assume you’re playing/recording on Track 1,

o    4 or 5 of the 13 available pedals do things at the “track-level” to help control the Ableton track behavior.

o    But, you’d like to jump onto another track (or perhaps 2 or 5 or 10 in succession) and have the same pedal controls on each of them

o    Clearly, you can’t support that with 13 pedals.  You run out of pedals pretty fast.

·         My setup allows me to step on the “Next” pedal with a single click, and Ableton then automagically…

o    Disarms Track 1

o    Arms Track 2

o    Now “hears” the track-level foot controller commands on the new track

o    (in my case, it switches from a pair of tracks - one for audio & one for midi – to the next pair of tracks)

 

 

If anyone is interested, here's a synopsis of the workaround.

 

·         Foot controller sends controller messages, which I convert to note messages using MIDI-OX, on the way to Ableton Live.

·         I map track controls in Ableton…

o    …to the foot controller “notes” (e.g., “D” is “Arm”, “E” is “Launch” etc)

o    …where each track has it’s own octave – e.g., D-2 (two octaves down from middle D) is track 1, D-1 is track 2, etc.

·         I’ve set up a track in Ableton that has a set of MIDI Pitch Shifters

o    All are set to +12 – e.g., go up an octave

o    All have their “Device On” mapped to a MIDI note (e.g., A#), each in a given octave

·         Set up 2 clips in Ableton, one as “Next”, one as “Back”, which “play” the note – A# - to trigger the Device On of the Pitch Shifter

·         Two pedals on my foot controller are programmed with Controllers to trigger the Next & Back clips

·         Then, for instance, if I’m recording on Track 1, and I step on the “Next” pedal, it:

o    Disarms Track 1 (e.g., the Next clip plays the D-2 note, which toggles “arm”)

o    Triggers the “Next” clip to turn on a +12 pitch shift (e.g., the clip plays A#-2)

o    Arms Track 2 (e.g., plays D-2 note, which is now transposed to D-1, to toggle “arm” on the new track)

o    And, when subsequent track-level pedals are clicked – e.g., Launch, monitor, etc. – they are transposed up an octave to the current Track.

§  E.g., the Foot Controller says D-2, but this MIDI note command is routed through a pitch shift and becomes D-1, which Track 2 can “hear”.

§  So, this is using the fact that MIDI notes can be transformed by MIDI effects, and that there are a lot of octaves, to enable “patch changing” on the fly.

This is better than using different patches in MIDI-OX (which also works) because it’s more flexible, can change more on the fly and doesn’t require loading a a new set of patches to MIDI-OX every time I tweak the setup.  But, a patch changeable programmable foot controller might also be a good approach, with a lot less of the MIDI spaghetti required to get the above scenario working.

 

If there’s more interest, I can put a diagram up on a webpage somewhere.

 

dh



 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Larson [mailto:jeff.larson@sailpoint.com]
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 12:25 PM
To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
Subject: RE: Most programmable midi foot controller

 

 

> Do any of these controllers have remotely changeable patches?

 

The FCB and GCP support sysex messages to completely change patches.

I don't know if you can send them something that will make them change

banks though.  Out of curiosity, what are you trying to accomplish?

Are you interested in making a patch librarian, or do you want

to reconfigure the footswitch in real-time as you perform.

               

Jeff