Logic Pro 9 FCB1010 to Control PedalBoard Stomps?

[phaluska]

Hi there- I was wondering if anyone could help me and save someone from pure madness. I have used the Behringer FCB1010 controller with LE9 for sometime now- handy for recording, play, undo functions etc. But I would really like to use it with pedalboard. Specifically, I am trying to use it to simply turn on and off stomp boxes in Pedalboard, but am having an awful time:brawl:

I can select the effect, have it learn the assignment, but the buttons only change the value from 0.000 to 0.001. It needs to go up to at least .500 to turn the virtual pedal on. I tried increasing the multiplier in the logic controller assignment screen (expert view), but it only works up to about 327!!! Its driving me nuts! Get get the Wah to work just fine. Any advice? Is there a way to change the value of when the pedal state changes from on to off (instead of 0.500)?


Any help would be much appreciated.

haluska.paul@mayo.edu

 

[Peter Ostry]

Values like 0.001 have nothing to do with MIDI. By default the buttons of the FCB1010 send Program Changes and you can easily assign them to Pedalboard buttons.

If Logic for example learns Program Change 3, the Controller Assignment Parameters should look like this:

For Program Changes the "Mode" must be "Rotate" because you cannot use the number of the Program Change.

If you do not want "Rotate" but rather switch the software pedal on and off by dedicated messages you have to program the footcontroller.

 

[phaluska]

Thanks for your reply. I think did a poor job of explaining this. Here is my specific example:

So, I wish to use the FCB to change the pedal state of the flanger. For this function, however (set to "Macro B Value"). Values from 0 to 0.499 are pedal off and 0.500 to 1.0 are pedal on.When I assign the the FCB switch using the Learn command, my FCB switch toggles the Macro B Value from 0.000 to 0.001:

If I set the Mode to Rotate it goes from 0.001 to 0.002 and so on. I was trying to just use the Multiplier section as a work around, but I cannot set it to 500.

Perhaps I just can't do it this way and need to change something in my FCB1010?

I appreciate your help. Thanks Paul

 

[Peter Ostry]

Looks like a bug in the Macro area. So far I see we cannot assign Macro values for the pedal state. Use the switch in the picture instead:

In the Controller Assignments window it shows the same parameter but internally it works different.

Perhaps I ... need to change something in my FCB1010?

Not for the pedal state. I tried with CCs but this doesn't work either.

You only have to program your FCB when you want to send continuous messages or a specific value. For on/off the default Program Changes work well.

Be aware that you should rather avoid Program Changes on channel 1 because Logic uses them for it's "Performances". If you program a Performance later on you may be surprised that you switch a channelstrip setting instead of your Wah pedal ... It is a good idea to set the FCB1010 to a channel other than 1.

 

[phaluska]

Thanks Peter,
This is helpful, though I am not sure how to assign a command to the switch (didn't see it in the list of parameters). You are definitely right about sending program changes on channel 1- that needs to change. Thanks again for your help- Paul

 

[Peter Ostry]

I am not sure how to assign a command to the switch (didn't see it in the list of parameters).

Click on the switch in the plugin interface, activate the learn function, step on the switch on the controller and deactivate the learn function.

 

[phaluska]

That did it! My sanity is restored! Thanks so much for your help!

 

[kdmorrill22]

Had a few questions for you guys, you seem to be the only group online that actually understands how to do this.

1) What's the easiest way to program pedals in pedalboard? I just want to turn off 3 or 4 pedals.

2) Did you ever get the expression pedals to actually function in the pedalboard plugin? I was hoping to have one control volume, but the only thing I was able to do was control the DAW volume with the FCB pedal and it pushes it to +6dB so it's unusable and inaccurate.

Let me know what you think! I appreciate your help, hopefully others will see this thread and save themselves a few hours of trouble.

 

[phaluska]

FCB101

Its been a while!But it still works. I think I recall that the pedalboard must be in the most forward window for the wah or volume pedal to work. It sounds like you are controlling the channel slider, which is not really what you want. Have you tried assigning to the pedal as described in this thread AND have the pedalboard interface in the front-most window? Check that...I'll check out my notes at home (at work now) and look for your post if you didn't figure it out. I feel your pain, as I was banging my head for some time.

I should also mention that if you have low energy bluetooth compatible computer, you might want to return the big FCB1010 and get the IK multimedia blue board with an expression pedal added. Much slicker. (My 'old' mac is not compatible). There is also a FCB editor available for the mac, which I use (http://www.wabbitwanch.com/iFCB.html) and PC ( http://www.mtnsys.com/?path=faq-fcb/PCEditorBeta.htm?) which helps with the clunky interface... Good luck! Paul

 

[kdmorrill22]

Thanks so much for helping me out... have a few quick questions for you... first of all the bluetooth would be incredible and perfect for my situation so thanks for that suggestion. TIA for all this crap lol

1) I'm using Positive Grid Bias Desktop. It's a amp simulator plugin. Offers generic Logic midi control but nothing specific. There are no FX in it. Can mainstage accept 3rd party plugins or are you forced into Logic's amp designer and fx?

2) Can you use the FCB1010 (or other controller) to control additional 3rd party FX? I only need it to turn on and off a plugin for example.

3) Is there anything else that I need to know about controlling the wah and volume pedals in pedalboard or mainstage w/ the FCB1010? I've read varying reports of how hard that crap is. Do you have to use one of the buttons to turn on and off the wah or can you make it turn off in the heel position?

 

[phaluska]

1) I have not really used MainStage, but logic certainly accepts 3rd party effects. I am not aware (others on the board may know) of being able to do this directly in the Pedalboard (Logic v9), but you can add them to the channels strip. I have several plug ins that I use from time to time in this fashion. Not as slick as having it in the Pedalboard, though. The best example is using Amplitube as a plug in. You can used several pedals on the Pedalboard, then use amplitube plug in for rack effects or whatever. Or use your FCB to control the wah or whammy in amplitube even. I am not familiar with Bias (though it made me drool looking at the website), but it looks like it can be used as a plug in. You can then used the effects chain after the amp plug in. You can then use a 3rd party effects audio unit (like amplitube or Jamup from the positive grid folks). So you could have a smoking rig without any apple amp or effects.
2) Yes- as I mentioned above, but if I recall, it needs to be in the front window. But you just need to be aware of where you are routing your MIDI signal and which channels you are sending and receiving on, otherwise unintended results and loops can be expected.
3) Not sure I can answer that, some of it depends on your application. I have not found MainStage useful- so, I have no insight there. Do you want the wah completely off? i.e. out of the effect chain? then, yes, you need a pedal state assigned to one of your FCB buttons. There is no heel-press on the FCB like there is many multi effects units. This is really just a no-frills midi controller without a lot of insight into how guitarists play. That being said, I have now used it essentially trouble free for over 3 years.