recommendations for a foot pedal?
Hi!
I am very new to using Max and I'm now looking for equipment to use for live performance.
I am a saxophonist myself and is now in need of a foot pedal to be able to control Max while I'm playing.
Is there anyone who has any recommendations on what to buy?
I have looked at the Keith McMillen Softstep which seems to be silent when clicking the pedals.
Please come up with other suggestions or let me know if this could be the right one to buy.
/Johannes
it certainly is the luxury model! But it really depends on what you want - do you need continuous controllers? How many on/off inputs do you need? What's your budget?
Hallo
If you're after a bargain, the Behringer FCB1010, while initially a bit of a head scratcher to program, is very very flexible providing for 99 (I think) banks of ten discrete note-numbers or program changes plus two continuous controllers. You should get a second hand one for less than eu120. I've a colleague who uses the soft step and loves it though.
Brendan
The Behringer FCB1010 is cheap and big and offers 2 pedals. Unless you install a special chip you don't get optical feedback from the LEDs. Means, only the LED of the recently pressed button is on, all others are off. There is a software Editor available for the FCB1010, which you certainly want for convenient programming.
The McMillen Softstep is usually used with the included (and very big) Max Application. I don't know if running this application beside your own Max program can cause problems. However, Keith McMillen provides a MAX developer kit for the Softstep with another firmware. You may want to use this for your special needs.
There is another very good controller system, the Gordius Little Giant (http://www.gordius.be). It is more expensive than the others and rather for heavy professional use. According to the website Gordius finally offers editors for both platforms, Windows and Mac.
I plan on getting a Softstep pretty soonish. I saw one in person a few months ago and it seems compact/sturdy and that sold me.
I was planing on buying a Softstep but a friend of mine has one and it seem to induce noise in his guitar amp...
Does anyone owning have the same problem?
p
As in the audio coming out of the laptop and into the amp? Or the proximity of the Softstep to the amp?
That's quite concerning!
The noise of the Softstep with some guitars/amps is a known problem. Source of the problem is the backlight of the pedal. You can switch this backlight off. You may not like that on a dark stage but however, other foot controllers don't light in the dark and are still usable.
this is a great new Peter, I will ask my friend to test this immediately and will buy one if it solves his setup
Rod: guit in true-bypass-looper(to/fro computer) in amp
pa
That's good to know as I was planning on using one with a guitar amp too.
I have both the softstep and the FCB1010, turning of the light on the softstep solves noise issues for me. And it's so small and light I don't even think about using the FCB1010 any more esp since airlines started charging silly excess baggage prices.
Didn't know that McMillen had a MAX developer kit, that's good news as I didn't really like their app. For what I use the softstep for I didn't have to use the app at the same time as Max, just once to program the pedal.
Or pick up a QuNeo and put it on the floor. The kickstarter ends really soon:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kmi/quneo-multi-touch-open-source-midi-and-usb-pad-con
Unless it's an optical illusion (in the video(s)), all the stuff on the Quneo looks recessed from the front, so it's just plastic you'd be stepping on.
I've had success with a Roland GFC-50, a pair of Roland EV-5 expression pedals, and a pair of Roland DP-2 sustain pedals. Very portable, battery powered, and rugged. Since I primarily use it with Max and other configurable software, I don't need a lot of on-board programming flexibility. The FCB1010 quite big, so is fine for studio work but for any traveling it's a non-starter, in my experience.
There is also the Roland FC-300. More expensive than the FCB1010, but might there are slight differences - check both manuals if you hesitate between both models.
I use happily a SoftStep. Its amazing, at least as soon you roll your own patches and skip their externals...;-) You can have up to 40 independent continuous controllers on the tip of your toe...
I doubt that the QuNeo is made for feet though, and I if I'd get a touch pad I'd never replace real faders with it, they are usually more handy and less expensive...;-)
Stefan
hi
I used many different foot-pedals controllers (I play bass-in-Max, so to speak)
For years the Roland FC50 (also called GFC-50, but it's the same thing) was my main pedal - it is very good, lets you use 2 expression pedals. I recommend it. Its big brother, the FC200 is really the Rolls-Royce of pedals but it is very very big bulky and heavy - same size that the Behringer, but not the same price (I just saw in a shop close by a second hand FCB1010 for less that 70 euros - this is cheap !)
After I was using a custom-made pedal made by Mesi/eowave, and I still use a custom-developed by them usb Foot controller ( http://www.modularsquare.com/Eowave-USB-FootControl-s645.htm ) which is 4 pedals in AND 4 switches (and since the swithes send a different CC number when they are Pressed AND released you can also use this feature to measure the time of a delay, or something else - very handy)
But now my main foot-pedal is the SoftStep. It is not perfect, but as good as you can find : not very expensive, and very very light. Never had a problem with its buzz (but I play directly on a small PA, not an amp.... maybe this makes a difference). Its expression pedal input is not well done (it gives the values upside down, AND changes the range of the pedal - those who give me a 0-127 range in the Roland or Eowave, outpu 20-122 through the softstep.
Softstep's editor IS a nightmare but I made my own "objects" in max (based on what Stefan did, but even simpler/lighter !) which work without any problem
You might also want to try their new 12 step - a little like the softstep by maybe the back row (of switches) is easier to catch...
in a word, either teh softstep of the Roland FC50 (and I tried many many more pedalboards!!)
best
kasper
So yeah just got my softstep and it's pretty solid. The SDK for it seems easy to use and feedback in terms of 3color LED feedback (green, red, and combined/orange), and the 4character display.
The backlighting is crazy loud, I didn't think that the physical device would make noise, but with the backlight on, the actual footpedal is emitting a high pitched squeal.
So is everyone experiencing induction noise when using an amplifier of some sort?
Hi Rodrigo,
Yes, the noise with the backlight on is a known issue.
Yeah I had read that but I didn't realize the actual unit would be make noise (and that it would happen for everyone).
here is another option, cheaper than the behringer fcb 1010 and way more portable:
Icon g-board
http://www.icon-global.com/ShowPro.aspx?ID=133
I haven't tried it yet though.
My experience with Softstep was bad USB connector ruined part of the board, not good welded, but a friend who knows how to solder microelectronics etc. I said it was worth.
I went to buy a new pedalboard (I already have a FCB1010) I got a Roland FC-300 and also elected to commission a Gordius Little Giant. Someone showed me an ICON, and what I think is: if the failed Softstep of KeithMcMillen was made of "carbon fiber" ICON eight switches are in a plastic box and also a USB connector even more suspect than the SoftStep. The issue of equipment, faulty USB connectors, comes before the first generation of micro Korg (Pad, control etc) also have told me that usually break, I guess they are designed with obsolescence ... weekend.
PS: Softstep have a noise problem related to display brightness.
PD2: Sensors send false trigers, pedals were designed to feet like those in the advertising (heels).
Barbara, you mentioned you decided to commission a Gordius little Giant. If you don't mind me asking how to manage to get the LG2 to actually directly control something in Max? I am having no issue getting Max to recognize the device, but I cannot get the LG2 to actually control anything.
thx,
Christian
Hi everybody. I see this old discussion... I would like to know ik a "pageflip" foot pedal like this ( https://www.gear4music.be/fr/Claviers-and-Pianos/PageFlip-Dragonfly-Pedale-Tourne-page-Bluetooth/224T) could also control Max/msp? It has only a few commands but if it works for Max I could use it for simple patches and to turn pages also. It's has an usb connexion, but I don't know what kind of messages it sends. Who knows? Thanks. Laurent.
I've not tested that one specifically, but as far as I know "bluetooth page turners" are just "keyboards". As in, they send literal 'pageup' and 'pagedown' commands. So if you have it paired with OSX, it should just show up as a normal typing keyboard.
So do you think it could be détected in Max and used with "route" object to extract at least 2 numbers?
I think it's easier than that. You would use [key] and then just [sel] the numbers that correspond with whatever messages it's sending.
You can also message the company and ask them what messages the page turner sends.
I have an older bluetooth page turner that lets you configure it so it can send pageup/down, and maybe tab or a couple other options.
Ok, I'll ask them. Thanks a lot for those informations! Laurent.