SoftStep 40 Buttons and 40 Long Presses Patch with included SoftStep Config File

This isn't directly to do with your post, but has anyone found that their feet are actually small enough to use one of these things?!

Here in Oz no-one stocks them - the SoftStep or the 12 Step - so you can't just walk into a shop and try one out. But judging by the measurements and comparing them to my Roland MIDI bass pedals they seem far too small for my average-sized adult male feet.

>> This will provide a total of 80 possible triggers from a TINY footprint

Yep, "tiny" is the right word!

They seem to be great devices, but just too small. Any comments?

(I'd ask on the KMI forum but there isn't one.)

Bill,

I was worried about this too at first. Which is why I waited for a while to order one.

But I'm really glad I did!

It's not too small for me... and I have fairly large feet ( size 11 EEE ).

Believe it or not, it's remarkably intuitive as to which 'area' it senses. (Up, Down, Left, Right for each button)

And if it's too 'sensitive' for you, you can change that in the config file.

Wow - fast response, Larry! :-)

EEE's pretty wide, isn't it? And, I imagine, shoe width would be what most determines the pedal's usability.

Not sure what my shoe width is. I'm actually looking into playing in padded socks in order to avoid the extra width that any shoes add to one's feet.

Don't you keep accidentally pressing 2 at once? Can you play them very quickly, or do you need to be slow and careful? If you had a 12 Step instead of a SoftStep (similar sizes) do you reckon you could play bass lines?

I'm wondering because my Roland PK-7 pedals are big and heavy - nearly 35 lbs, over 35 x 19 x 10 inches (!) A couple of 12 Steps would be FAR smaller and lighter and have 2 whole octaves. IF they could be played accurately.

I'm on email most of the day today... so when I got the email of your post, I just went here and answered your question.

Yes, EEE's are very wide... and it's a problem finding shoes. When I find them, I usually buy at least two pairs.

You DO have to be careful when stepping on the SoftStep!

Another thing that I've done is be mindful of WHAT I assign to each Quadrant of the button. In other words, I do NOT put a 'STOP ALL' function next to something that I am going to be using a LOT of (say, patch changes). That would be inviting disaster IMHO.

So part of the game is to think about where everything is going to be laid out.

I'm not using all 80 of the trigger functions... but I'm using more than what the standard config would allow for in a standard SoftStep setup.

A friend of mine has the 12 step and I tried it... but believe it or not, the buttons seemed to be harder for me to get to than the SoftStep... at least it seemed that way to me... which is why I went with the SS instead of the 12.

It may be a matter of button 'technique' too. I think I was thinking of the 12 Step as a sort of 'keyboard' and when I think 'keyboards', I don't think about using the side of my foot like I do with the SoftStep. It probably would have worked, but it just didn't feel right to me so I bailed on the 12.

I understand about the PK-7... I'm totally over carrying a bunch of heavy gear - which is why I spent so much time programming and setting up the SoftStep. It's light, pretty much bullet proof, USB, and TINY!I (did I say TINY?)

I also own a FAMC Liquid Foot JR+ that I use with my AXE FX II... and that is GREAT! But it is also HEAVY!!! Which is why for my looping rig, I needed something lighter.

UPDATE:

I've attached a pix of the layout I'm currently using so you can see what I mean to choosing placement wisely.

Thanks for all the info, Larry. Unfortunately, it still seems like the PK-7 pedals would be better for bass lines (even though I mostly use them as switches). But it IS encouraging that even with very wide shoes you manage to use the SoftStep.

The one Australian franchise that has much KMI stuff now seems to have a better range than when I last looked, so maybe I could try them out one day. Their portability is SO attractive that I'd *love* to be able to use them instead of the PK-7. Plus, the ability to get different messages out of one pedal would be SO handy, as switching is mostly what I use them for. I'd have to sell something first, though, or my GF will kill me! ;-)

I had a quick look at your patch - it's MUCH deeper and more complex than I imagined it'd be. I've got a few little patchers than can give a few different values from one or 2 pedals, but nothing like that!

Never heard of the Liquid Foot stuff before. This forum is an absolute gold mine for info on obscure but useful gear! :-)

"(I’d ask on the KMI forum but there isn’t one.)"

http://forum.keithmcmillen.com/index.php

No KMI forum huh?

Hey, thanks Evan. :-)

I couldn't find it from the KMI home page. How does one find it?

It's right there on the main page. At the bottom under the 'Support' heading.

Oh... Is the menu meant fly open when you hover the mouse pointer over "Support"? Doesn't for me - browser's too old for some web sites now.