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Re: softstep. anyone using it successfully?



 andy butler wrote:
Calm down now folks.
I agree, people need to be more patient with leading edge technology.  If you want to be the first kid on your block to own the happin' new gizmos, unless its coming from a long established large manufacturer, and even thats no guarantee, you have to expect a certain amount of growing pains. Keith's thing is really cool in spite of my initial disappointing first impression at NAMM in January  which was based on my own particular needs, such as needing  two 1/4 exp pedal ports, instead of one 1/8, and lack of onboard midi in and out  and need for a midi break out box and no way of powering it other than via  usb to a computer....obviously it wasn't designed for my  hardware looper.  Thats OK I know I'm trailing edge:-)  The X/Y axis capability seems like it opens up cool possibilities for effects  morphing but way to squirrely  for loop triggering, and then there was the soft feel which seems ideal for looping with open mics  but is a bit different to get the feel of.  But regardless if I was doing the lap top mambo it would be a no brainer to own, I still want one,  if I can find a way to remotely power it via usb withought a lap top in the mix. But I could tell from the editor librarian that it wasn't going to be a walk in the park to get it up and running. Such is the nature of hi tech products with remakably deep architecture, like the Soft Step. 
  When I first got my Gordius, the manual was confusing and I was frustrated and unaware that you need to have the librarian to program it, and I spent a few very frustrating evenings  not getting it to respond, and feeling like I made a huge mistake,  before I wrote to Xavier who graciously talked me down from the ledge, sent me several banks of consecutive pc numbers and set the global  (1/4) expression pedal ports. Then it was a breeze once i realized i simply had to ignore and not programm the extra functionality I wasn't going to be using.  And then.... I had to get used to the response difference  between the FCB and the Gordius, which was a bit like moving from a VW bug to a Ferrari in terms of both quickness of response and sensitivity. There was definitly a period of adjustment. But I haven't regretted a thing.
New Zoe wrote:
i just need to make my scene changes go easier, and to figure out how not to brush the lower keys with my foot and set them off. thinking i might make a rubber wedge to tilt it up.
 I also have occasional trigger issues due to the proximity of switches on the LG and that was another concern with the Soft Step I had, but I have had success with mounting the unit at an angle on a pedal board  to raise the second tier slightly which helps a bit, and the same thing occured to me that my solve your issue Zoe.  A Very low angle is needed and something with mucho friction like rubber. Or perhaps get something like this http://prostagegear.com/products/pedalboards/mini/ though it would add two pounds to your freight weight, you could get oversized rubber feet to create a more radical angle, and it would keep the softstep for scooting across the floor. 
Bill