Badly needed midi help!!! - I'm an idiot, I need this broken

[jay ratkowski]

Okay, as you probably guessed by the topic... I know little or nothing about MIDI. *So... I need some help.

Here's what I want to do:

The things I want to be able to control that I have my rack are my Eggie IE4, my G-Force and my D-TWO. *

Basically, all I want to be able to do is switch channels on the Eggie and be able to bypass the G-Force and/or the D-Two. *I have an ART X-15... but am willing to get a different controller if there is something that will work better. *Especially if it'll make it easier.

I know I have to utilize the "MIDI Thru" stuff on my gear... at least I think I do. *I just need at least a solid start on this... any help is really appreciated.

[tomizm]

what kind of channel switching capabilites does each item have? *does the IE4 have MIDI?

[jay ratkowski]

I don't know about the channel switching... how would I find out?

The IE4 has midi channel switching (4 channel preamp)

[tomizm]

Okay, well if the IE4 has MIDI switching, then you should be home free.

One of your effects units will have to act as the controller (G-Force for sake of argument). *Your pedal board will go into its MIDI IN, and all other cables go into MIDI THRU.

Without getting into the details of how to program each piece, all you should have to do is change the preset on the pedalboard, change all your other settings (like which amp channel, certain effects in or out) and then on the G-Force, push the "remember" button, or "program" and it will take a snapshot of everything active at that point.
So in the future, when you hit a button on the footswitch, the G-Force will remember which amp channel to choose and which effects to run in itself, and thru the D-TWO also.

[bammbamm]

1stly, ensure that all of your units are set to the same midi channel, be it 01, 16, or omni (all) and make sure that you have a way for the midi signal to get to each of the units you want to control.
Now we need to discern what you want each patch to do. Lets say the G-force has a switch out for channel switching on the IE4, and you want patch 01 to be a clean with either chorus reverb or whatever.
Set the patch 01 config on each unit as you want it to be ( this is the simple way) bypassed, or in whatever state you wish. once you call up patch 01 you get your clean channel, reverb, chorus, gate and whatever else you enable for that patch.
Let me know what you have so far and we will go on.

Bamm

(Edited by bammbamm at 6:03 pm on April 5, 2001)

[jay ratkowski]

well... after getting some advice... here's my idea.

First, I think I will need a patchmate (or something similar, CAE 4x4 maybe). *And a new midi controller. *If I get the 4x4, I know I can do a hard output (is that what it's called? *use the 1/4" channel selection outputs) on the IE4. *Then I can do midi stuff with the TC units. *I'd probably run that through a 'Tron All Access if I can find the right price. *

Thoughts?

Thanks for the insight thus far!

[davenit]

Jay, your Eg has midi? I didn't think the silver face pre-rocks came with that option.

I know it doesn't have an effects loop because Bruce didn't think they were necessary (I guess). How do you plan on running the effects?

You definately need more than just a midi pedal. Especially if you want a true bypass of your effects. The CAE is the nuts.

Digital Music Corp puts out some nice stuff. I have had the ground control for over 10 years now and it has never failed me. They also make midi switching systems that are comparitively cheap and are bullet proof.

Dave

[jay ratkowski]

Ok, first of all, everyone who says "midi is simple" you are all nuts. *I have one person telling me all I need is my X15... another person telling me I need a patchbay and all that... and Dave, you seem to be telling me something in between.

The Eggie has "Midi IN" *"Midi thru" and a "midi store" button on the front. *I essentially just run the input to the Eggie, output to the TC units, to my power amp... so on. *make sense?

I am more confused than when I started. *For crying out loud, I'm not asking much!!!!

My Eggie has a switch to change channels... I don't want to have to walk over to the amp to do that.

My TC units have bypass, there's a button on the front that does it... I want to make it so I don't have to walk over to the units to do that as well.

Sounds simple... but everyone is telling me something different and none of it is making much sense.

(Edited by jay ratkowski at 8:58 pm on April 5, 2001)

[davenit]

OK Jay, here we go.

Midi is really simple. It is a way of transfering data. That's it. Midi signals can be transmitted on a bunch of channels.

Lets take your standard midi controller. You set your Eggie to channel 1, your first effect unit to channel 2, and the third to channel 3.

On a DMC footswitch you tell it what device is on what channel. Then you program the patches on the foot switch. For patch 1 you want midi device 1 to go to patch 4 (high gain channel on the eg), midi device 2 to go to patch 100 (maybe a reverb), and midi device 3 to go to patch 90 (maybe a pitch shifter.)

The problem with the above schematic is that if you want to bypass one of your effects you have to set up a patch on the effect to bypass. It is not a true bypass though, you are still going through the cuircutry.

Heres where the switching systems come in. You plug all devices in, Midi AND analog stomp boxes. And if you want to bypass something the signal is routed AROUND that device not through it. You just program a midi pedal and leave out the channels you don't want.

The switching systems are cool because you can midi contol your analog foot switches.

I hope this helps a little...

Dave

PS - I won't even get into effects controlling via midi (IE, reverb depth, pitch shift, panning via a real time pedal) or your head might explode.....

[tomizm]

Quote: from davenit on 10:09 pm on April 5, 2001
OK Jay, here we go.

Midi is really simple.

and then you type all that stuff afterwards? *

It's kind of like taking family pictures Jay. *You get everything just the way you want it, and tell the IE4 to remember it all by pushing the MIDI STORE button. *Then, you take all your family members, re-arrange them, put your footcontroller on the next preset number and go back to the IE4 MIDI STORE button again and "take another family picture".

After you have all your first few presests setup, then you can just tap on your footpedal and browse thru your family photo album. *All your sounds are on the fly now.
If you still dont get it, I think a phone call is in order.

[davenit]

tomizm, yes it is simple. There are more instructions on how to tune a guitar than what I wrote.

It all depends on how deep you get into it and what your needs are. My post shows 2 options. Depending on what you want.

By the way, the IE4 midi store does not control a foot switcher store feature. At least not the DMC I use...

Dave