Simple USB MIDI Foot Pedal recommendation?
Hi there, I'm looking for a simple USB MIDI Foot Pedal to just trigger a bang when stepped on. Does anyone have a recommendation for this?
All of the MIDI Foot Controllers I've come across online have multiple buttons and are expensive. That, or the simple foot pedals I see are meant to be hooked into an amp/loop pedal with a quarter-inch jack connection, not USB, or they are only compatible with specific software.
Any help on this would be much appreciated -- it seems like this should be easy to find but I've been struggling. If don't want to resort to stepping on a small MIDI keyboard...
Thanks in advance for insights!
I've seen dedicated "USB MIDI Foot Pedals" but was never a fan of these. Some of them need drivers and don't get updated over the years if the company is not solid enough.
I would recommend going an old and easy MIDI way: get a small class-compliant MIDI keyboard with Sustain pedal input, and plug your pedal. Even if you use only the pedal, not the keyboard, it might still be cheaper and easier than having a dedicated custom pedal.
Just make sure you have a MIDI keyboard with sustain pedal input (the Korg nanokey doesn't have one, but slightly more expensive ones like Alesis V25, Akai MPK mini and others feature one.)
You'd only need a USB foot switch, wouldn't you? Wouldn't have to be MIDI. There are plenty of them at Amazon and eBay, like: https://www.ebay.com/itm/PC-USB-Foot-Switch-Keyboard-Pedal-ED/132014816590?epid=1478671766&hash=item1ebcb23d4e:g:~ioAAOSwiONYQB9f
I had good luck with this connected to a generic sustain pedal https://www.audiofront.net/MIDIExpression.php
Now I use an airturn BT200 since it's wireless https://www.airturn.com/products/airturn-bt200s-2-controller
If the cost is such a factor,
You can't beat a smallest arduino board.
Usb Cable would cost more...
BC's suggestion of a USB foot switch sounds good to me. I've never used them: which Max object do you use? [key]? [hi]?
While we're at it, would Bluetooth foot switches work (typically used to turn pages, etc)?
Anyone tried them?
Hi All,
Thanks so much for the quick and helpful responses! I think the USB footswitches may be the way to go (audiofront looks good too, but the delivery will take longer than what I can afford). Most of the footpedals I see say they are for PC -- does anyone have experience with a USB footswitch that works on Mac?
Thanks again
hello All,
I just did a post on the audio solution forum for the midi expression https://www.audiofront.net/MIDIExpression.php
I just want to trig a 127 on CC1 while pedal ( yamaha FC5) is pressed with simple usb plug on Mac OS.
I searched new solution because my pedals were EOWAVE solutions ( Marc Sirguy in 2005 put its chips in my FC5 good pedals but two died and his is not interested to do it again). Now, the new EOWAVE solutions are not mechanically good. http://www.eowave.com/interactive-instruments/usb-footswitch/ for my instrumentalists ( lot of notes, lot of pedals trigged !) https://fabriquenomade.com/wp-content/uploads/Nomad-Fogg-Bianchi.mp4
I found anothers in Poland but they are more for guitarists ( BoSS FC6) https://beatbars.com/fr/expression-to-midi.html
They send two values and are inverted whatever you put as inverted polarity cables.
So I hope in front audio …
Does someone do that with the Audiofront MIDI expression successfully ?
Thank's and bonne année
hi Larsen76, the audiofront interface will do what you ask for. Check the manual (page 14) on their website. (BTW, you're not the only one who has its eowave interface broken!)
It's a shame there is no audiofront distribution in europe, the delivery is quite long and you may have to pay customs…
Bonne année!
hi pdelges,
thank's for your precise answer. Good news, I am not in a hurry, so I will buy one and see if it's reliable.
Best
Hi
I confirm the audiofront MIDI expression is a good solution.
https://www.audiofront.net/MIDIExpression.php
My Simple MIDI expression black is reliable ( for the moment) and discreet. (49$)
Ten days for travelling from Taiwan and no custom in France.
Thank's Pdelges