keyman27 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 This looks handy and cheap. Don't think I've seen it mentioned here. Does anyone have one of these? Could it be used as a swell pedal for VB3/B4/etc.? [video:youtube]CHzbRgf9bCc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldwin Funster Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Have not tried it. 2 questions. Why show everything but a midi equipped keyboard in the ad? Can that be programmed to do pitch? FunMachine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashville.Guru Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Why show everything but a midi equipped keyboard in the ad? Because it doesn't connect to a keyboard at all. It connects directly to a computer. In fact you could use it even if there isn't a keyboard anywhere in the picture - for e.g. for adding expression to a MIDI file, or use it along with an touchscreen keyboard. Can that be programmed to do pitch? Yes. - Guru This is really what MIDI was originally about encouraging cooperation between companies that make the world a more creative place." - Dave Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyman27 Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 I'm going to order one. I'll give a report once it gets here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Why not also check out the iRig BlueBoard - which apart from having four switches, also allows you to connect two pedals as well and transmit via bluetooth. Not USB but with a wireless BT device for the PC (and built in bluetooth in the iPads and most laptops, might offer a better solution There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzafilms Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I'm ordering one as well because my otherwise awesome Casio PX-5S doesn't come with an expression pedal input. An incredible oversight in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyman27 Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 The BlueBoard looks very cool. Thanks for pointing it out. I wouldn't need to take up another USB port, of which I only have two on my Macbook Air. I wonder how well the Bluetooth stays connected. I have a BT keyboard and trackpad which mostly work well but every once in a while they lose the connection... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I'm ordering one as well because my otherwise awesome Casio PX-5S doesn't come with an expression pedal input. An incredible oversight in my opinion. Won't plug into the PX-5S - they are both designed to plug into a computer, but not to each other. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzafilms Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I'm ordering one as well because my otherwise awesome Casio PX-5S doesn't come with an expression pedal input. An incredible oversight in my opinion. Won't plug into the PX-5S - they are both designed to plug into a computer, but not to each other. I know...I use my PX-5S with MainStage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I'm ordering one as well because my otherwise awesome Casio PX-5S doesn't come with an expression pedal input. An incredible oversight in my opinion. Won't plug into the PX-5S - they are both designed to plug into a computer, but not to each other. I know...I use my PX-5S with MainStage. In that case, it should work! Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 The BlueBoard looks very cool. Thanks for pointing it out. I wouldn't need to take up another USB port, of which I only have two on my Macbook Air. I wonder how well the Bluetooth stays connected. I have a BT keyboard and trackpad which mostly work well but every once in a while they lose the connection... Rock solid so far with BT connection. There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyman27 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Update: I got my MidiExpression USB adapter thingy. It took about 2 weeks to ship from China to USA. It came in a registered mail little envelope. I got an unpleasant surprise when I found out it required a mini USB to regular USB cable, but wasn't included! So I had to go buy a $15 USB adapter kit. Not happy about that. But does it work? Yes, although not perfectly. I'm using it with a Yamaha FC-7 expression pedal. The problem is that the range is not right, and there is no way to truly fix it. You can make it slightly better by using the control app (downloadable from the website). Once you get the pedal to about the halfway point, you're shooting out 127's. That is disappointing. But the bottom line is, I now have a swell pedal when I play Mainstage organ with my cheap controller that doesn't have an EXP input jack. Pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 This is an issue with the FC-7 I think...it really only works properly with Yamaha gear in my experience..much the same as a non yamaha controller pedal does not work well with Yamaha gear. Get yourself (borrow?) an "generic" expression controller and see if there is a difference. Why do you need an adaptor kit? There are already USB standard to USB mini cables available. At least it comes with some batteries There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyman27 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 My FC-7 works great with my Motif ES7, my Nord Stage2, it worked great with my SK1 when I had it. So it's not an issue with the Yamaha pedal. Anyway, the FC-7 is on the list of approved pedals for the MidiExpression USB. I know that mini-USB to standard USB cables exist. That's what I bought, basically... it's just that it came with an assortment of mini-USB jacks. It's all I could find locally, and I didn't feel like waiting another 3 or 4 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 miden, I second what Keyman says. My FC-7 worked flawlessly with my old Korg Triton, M-50, and now Krome. David Gig Rig:Depends on the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I didn't say (well didn't mean to say) it WAS the FC7, it isI had issues with it transmitting correct values on Korg and Roland gear...it still worked, but like, it would need to travel most of the pedal distance before the receiving gear actually started to get any data..I have read the the impedances of the FC-7 are a little different to the specs on other such controller pedals. So I suggested it may be the FC7 The best pedal I found for the Korg was the EXP-2 worked flawlessly with Korg gear whereas the FC-7 did not. Different strokes I guess. Good for you guys that it did worked 100% as it should. All I ma saying is what I found. And it works with my Blue Board by the by I ave not noticed any glitches for the scant times I have used it...it is usualyl connected to the MOXF There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 If the Yamaha pedal is not working on a non-Yamaha board the way it should, you probably need this adapter cable: http://music.ashbysolutions.com/misc.htm Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Neat AS...Wish I knew about that when I had the Roland boards (and my korg) There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markay Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I'm using it with a Yamaha FC-7 expression pedal. The problem is that the range is not right, and there is no way to truly fix it. Simple to fix, adjust the expression pedal range in MainStage. Then you can set the min as say 54 and the max at 127 scaled to the input values. This range or similar is typical for an expression pedal when used with VB3. A misguided plumber attempting to entertain | MainStage 3 | Axiom 61 2nd Gen | Pianoteq | B5 | XK3c | EV ZLX 12P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyman27 Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 AnotherScott, you may be right. When I listed the keyboards I've used the FC7 with, I should have included my old Nord Electro 2, with which I had to use the homemade version of that cable. Now where is that cable.... it's in the basement somewhere... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyman27 Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 Markay, the pedal goes from 0-127. It's just that by the time you've stepped on the pedal to about 40% down, you've run through the whole range. Can *that* be fixed in Mainstage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curmudgeon Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 +1 on the Ashby Solutions FC7x adapter. The FC7 worked flawlessly for me in every piece of gear I own once I got the adapter. I probably would have bought the MIDI Expression device if it had come out 6 months ago. I may still buy one. Instead, I bought one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Logidy-UMI3-MIDI-over-Controller/dp/B002YL81RW It's a stomp box with 3 buttons and an expression pedal input that connects by USB to a computer. I use it with Mainstage when I play shows. I have it set up so one button changes patches, and another is my MIDI Panic button. Casio PX-5S, Casio PX-3, Hammond SK1, Roland XP-10, Classic MIDI Works AGO MIDI Pedalboard, Mainstage 3, Hauptwerk, Conn 8D Previously owned: Yamaha DGX 230, Alesis Q88, Novation Impulse 61 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markay Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Probably not. It is unclear from the Ashby solutions site as to whether the Ashby solutions adaptor changes polarity (not required for MainStage as that can be done in the mapping function)or somehow damps what is being sent from the pedal so it only reaches 127 when fully depressed. I use a Boss 500L - which works fine for me - is it worth considering a different pedal instead of battling further with the FC 7? In theory the USB adaptor should just be converting the value sent by the pedal so I guess it is either - the pedal is sending 127 at 40% depressed, or - the USB pedal adaptor is converting any value greater than say 50 to 127. My experience with stuff that is made in China but designed by a known company e.g. Behringer or Yamaha has been quite good compared with stuff that is designed and made in China where I have found that while it does what it says, it rarely does it well. A misguided plumber attempting to entertain | MainStage 3 | Axiom 61 2nd Gen | Pianoteq | B5 | XK3c | EV ZLX 12P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyman27 Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 Curmudgeon, the UMI3 looks pretty cool, too. Now this thread has three different products to add an expression pedal via USB: Midi Expression, BlueBoard, and UMI3. We can add the Midi Solutions Pedal Controller for a 4th. This one will work strictly via MIDI, so if you're just using hardware (no laptop), it would be the way to go. To use it with a laptop, you'd need to be using a MIDI interface, not just USB. I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six-string-man Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Probably not. It is unclear from the Ashby solutions site as to whether the Ashby solutions adaptor changes polarity I bought the Ashby cable to run my FC7 with a Roland C-200 organ, and from what I understand, it changes the polarity. I thought at the time it was quite expensive for "just a short cable", but it is extremely well built, sits unobtrusively behind my keyboard, and most importantly, works like a charm. I get a fair bit of stuff from the US, with delivery times usually between 10 & 21 days. The cable arrived in four days. Their switches are also great, and I think that Ashby Solutions is one of the best companies to deal with on the planet. A bit like Apple used to be. SSM Occasionally, do something nice for a total stranger. They'll wonder what the hell is going on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Oops! missed this thread so I created this other one ... https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2574911/Have_you_ever_used_this_USB_Pe#Post2574911 Nice to see so many choices. If the CC range is limited, you could scale the controller in software, but without a lag generator/smoother in the software, I would still worry about stepping, especially if you are modulating resonant filters in addition to volume. Maybe someone would opine based on actual experience. Looks like a new small rig archetype: Cheap and cheerful bread and butter synth ... add a laptop and all is well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Simple to fix, adjust the expression pedal range in MainStage. Then you can set the min as say 54 and the max at 127 scaled to the input values. I think there would still be the issue (depending on what the hardware is doing) of Mainstage receiving 127 too soon in in the pedal's travel. Once it starts receiving 127, Mainstage can't do anything more, because it cant tell one 127 from another. We can add the Midi Solutions Pedal Controller for a 4th. This one will work strictly via MIDI, so if you're just using hardware (no laptop), it would be the way to go. Behringer FCB1010 is another possible solution for that scenario... two programmable pedals plus other functions... too bad it weighs almost half as much as the entire PX-5S! Another nice device for this would be the old Digitech MC2, if you can find one. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 The Ahby adapter switches tip and sleeve. No more, no less. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reezekeys Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 This is another way to fix the Yamaha pedal compatibility issue, if you don't want to or can't wait for the Ashby adapter - it does the same thing but is not as pretty. However you can usually find these at a local Radio Shack. Just plug the rca connectors together, red to black. http://i.imgur.com/Y1HXe6J.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/sAN7WDC.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Clever! Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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