Hi all,
I'm currently trying to work out how to play bass and keyboard at the same time and I'm thinking about whether there is such a thing as a foot operated MIDI controller keyboard? The sounds it'll be triggering (from an Alesis Micron) will be looped pads and maybe the odd sound effect.
A quick google turned up the Behringer FCB 1010 but as far as I can see this is used to change guitar patches, not trigger notes.
Can anyone recommend a product that has an octave (or two) of note triggers plus an expression pedal (or two) that just has a MIDI out that I can marry up with the keyboard producing the sounds?
Many thanks in advance,
Al.
MIDI controller for feet
MIDI controller for feet
ohm's where the art is
Re: MIDI controller for feet
Off to a good start with those suggestions but I feel I should have set a budget. I don't want to spend more than £150 and would consider 2nd hand, so as much as I'd love the Moog, it does a little more than I need it to.
Re: MIDI controller for feet
Well, Roland still make the PK5 MIDI bass pedals. They occasionally come up second hand, as do the old Korg equivalent. They are a set of MIDI foot pedals with (usually) a full octave of 13 notes and also include some MIDI footswitches.
The bad news is that even secondhand they go for £200+, new ones are £399 at
Digital Village. Doepfer have made something similar too, if I recall right.
It's a while since I checked, but I have a feeling it is possible to set up the Behringer FCB to transmit MIDI note numbers from the footswitches, yiou can check the manual here. It certainly does appear to have MIDI note on in the MIDI implementation.
Andy
The bad news is that even secondhand they go for £200+, new ones are £399 at
Digital Village. Doepfer have made something similar too, if I recall right.
It's a while since I checked, but I have a feeling it is possible to set up the Behringer FCB to transmit MIDI note numbers from the footswitches, yiou can check the manual here. It certainly does appear to have MIDI note on in the MIDI implementation.
Andy
There is a profound African saying, "A white man who cannot dance is a victimless crime, whereas a white man with a djembe drum ..."
Re: MIDI controller for feet
hi,
i've had the same wish and pursued this for years, albeit w/i the same budget constraints. here's what i've found out:
1) taurus pedals: beautiful boutique product for vintage collectors (see the vintage forum). way too expensive.
2) roland pedal board: arguably best choice but still pricey. what i'm going to buy when the money situation opens up.
3) behringer 1010: leavingn aside the perpetual behringer quality issues/debate, i actually popped for one of these and got to know it well. andy is partially correct: there is only ONE o/t pedals that can send a MIDI note; it's such a dumb design omission in that behringer could EASILY have allowed you to configure the pedals/switches to send notes, CCs, program changes, etc. But they didn't. Oh yeah, the 1010 i bought was totally messed up, wouldn't let you access any presets other than the first bank, restoring the s/w failed multiple times, etc. behringer rocks, what can i say.
4) a MIDI patch board (like the 1010 or the ROcktron or ...) can be used w/ a device to convert the MIDI program change messages to MIDI notes. these are hard to find and sometimes complicated to set up.
btw, the last time i saw a roland MIDI foot/pedal board used it used a PK5 for $395 so unfortunately there is no inexpensive solution, at least one i've found. if you come up w/a less expensive way please post it here as i'd love to get a cheaper one myself ...
cheers,
d
i've had the same wish and pursued this for years, albeit w/i the same budget constraints. here's what i've found out:
1) taurus pedals: beautiful boutique product for vintage collectors (see the vintage forum). way too expensive.
2) roland pedal board: arguably best choice but still pricey. what i'm going to buy when the money situation opens up.
3) behringer 1010: leavingn aside the perpetual behringer quality issues/debate, i actually popped for one of these and got to know it well. andy is partially correct: there is only ONE o/t pedals that can send a MIDI note; it's such a dumb design omission in that behringer could EASILY have allowed you to configure the pedals/switches to send notes, CCs, program changes, etc. But they didn't. Oh yeah, the 1010 i bought was totally messed up, wouldn't let you access any presets other than the first bank, restoring the s/w failed multiple times, etc. behringer rocks, what can i say.
4) a MIDI patch board (like the 1010 or the ROcktron or ...) can be used w/ a device to convert the MIDI program change messages to MIDI notes. these are hard to find and sometimes complicated to set up.
btw, the last time i saw a roland MIDI foot/pedal board used it used a PK5 for $395 so unfortunately there is no inexpensive solution, at least one i've found. if you come up w/a less expensive way please post it here as i'd love to get a cheaper one myself ...
cheers,
d
Re: MIDI controller for feet
Ketron do a set slightly cheaper at £280:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/solton_k8_bass_pedal.htm
With a bit of DIY expertise you could build one with parts from Doepfer for around €140 but you'd need to build the casework for it too.
http://www.doepfer.de/MBP25.htm
http://www.thomann.de/gb/solton_k8_bass_pedal.htm
With a bit of DIY expertise you could build one with parts from Doepfer for around €140 but you'd need to build the casework for it too.
http://www.doepfer.de/MBP25.htm