Cheap MIDI foot controller

[garrettendi]

Anyone familiar with this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CF93DJ47 ?

The iPhone app is in Chinese by the looks of it, somebody says the expression pedal works backwards, and I'm not 100% convinced it won't mess up or infect my laptop.

[BigRedX]

Looks like a clone of something else, although off the top of my head I can't remember exactly what. I looked at lots of "MIDI" foot switches in the search for something to control the backing on my MacBook for live use.

I discounted the device this is copying based on the following criteria:

1.Wireless only. I am not keen on wireless devices for live use especially ones that use WiFi or Bluetooth as they will be competing for bandwidth with all of the audience's mobile phones.

2. MicroUSB connector for power/charging. Again I don't like consumer-grade computer connectors for live use.

3. Programmable via an app only. I don't want to be fiddling about with my phone in order to control the device especially since I'll be using it to connect to a proper computer which would have a much more user friendly interface.

What exactly do you want it to do? If you only intend to use it at home it might be OK, and if you buy it from Amazon you can always return it if it turns out to be unsuitable.

[garrettendi]

Yeah it'll only be used at home, and only for switching effects in guitar VSTs on and off while playing. Might also use it when recording as well. I would like to get an expression pedal as well for controlling wah effects.

EDIT: Will be used on Windows 11, and reviews suggest you can use Bluetooth/phone to configure it, while using USB with laptops at the same time.

[Matt Houghton]

I spotted this recently too, though haven't used it. Keen to know if anyone here has tried their ridiculously affordable IR loader pedal, though...

[OneWorld]

I got along quite well with one of the various midi foot controllers that are out there, such as the Behringer, which is meant to be for guitars but had about 8 foot switches and I assigned each one to basic transport controls and a macro, so whilst playing guitar and recording, with a press of the foot I could stop recording, delete last take, return to left locator, record, really convenient. I sold it when going through a minimalism phase, my intention being to go totally ITB and sell all but keyboard, computer and software, that phase didn't last long and am looking for another now

[The Elf]

Looks like the M-Vave Chocolate that I own. I find it works well. It isn't wireless only - it's USB-C.

The only crime the Chocolate commits is reversing the direction of an attached expression pedal, but that's easy to fix in my performance software.

[garrettendi]

Looks like the M-Vave Chocolate that I own. I find it works well. It isn't wireless only - it's USB-C.

The only crime the Chocolate commits is reversing the direction of an attached expresssion pedal, but that's easy to fix in my performance software.

Thanks! I’ll get this and the M-Audio expression pedal. It comes with a polarity switch, would that fix it?

[The Elf]

Looks like the M-Vave Chocolate that I own. I find it works well. It isn't wireless only - it's USB-C.

The only crime the Chocolate commits is reversing the direction of an attached expression pedal, but that's easy to fix in my performance software.

Thanks! I’ll get this and the M-Audio expression pedal. It comes with a polarity switch, would that fix it?

Maybe, though I doubt it. I followed some directions reputed to fix it at source by setting min/max to opposite numbers, but it didn't work for me.

[Wonks]

The polarity switch just makes the pedal work properly electrically. It doesn’t swap the end positions.

[garrettendi]

The polarity switch just makes the pedal work properly electrically. It doesn’t swap the end positions.

Ah.

[shufflebeat]

I spotted this recently too, though haven't used it. Keen to know if anyone here has tried their ridiculously affordable IR loader pedal, though...

“It also supports body IR loading (for wooden guitars).”

Niiice!

[BigRedX]

Looks like the M-Vave Chocolate that I own. I find it works well. It isn't wireless only - it's USB-C.

Can it use the USB-C cable to charge from at the same time as controlling the device it is connected too?

Also does it send messages other than just MIDI? Like simulating key presses and combinations on the computer keyboard?

If so it might be a more robust alternative to the Bluetooth-only controller I'm currently using (yes I know I said that I wouldn't use Bluetooth for live applications but the Streamdeck Pedal was causing audio dropouts from the Focusrite interface and that's worse IMO than the occasional connectivity problems).

[The Elf]

Looks like the M-Vave Chocolate that I own. I find it works well. It isn't wireless only - it's USB-C.

Can it use the USB-C cable to charge from at the same time as controlling the device it is connected to?.

Yes.

Also does it send messages other than just MIDI? Like simulating key presses and combinations on the computer keyboard?.

I don't think so, but I've never looked for this facility.

Edit: Looks like it *can* do some basic keyboard commands, such as space, enter, up, down... if that's important to you then it might be worth a search or three.