Anyone know of a wireless latching pedal solution???

guitarjim

guitarjim

Experienced
I play in a cover/dance band and when we play for clients who are particularly "energetic", we spend a lot of time playing out on the dance floor with the audience. I can always get back to my MFC to change presets between songs, but it would be nice to be able to activate my boost setting for each song wirelessly when I go into a lead. I currently have a Boss FS-5L that puts me into lead mode for whatever patch I'm playing, so what I'd really like to find is a wireless version of that which would give me some sort of button on my strap to activate an External Controller.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
It sounds like something you might need to build. I'm not finding any off the shelf products. It also sounds like something that could become useful for a lot of people.
 
I don't know of an all-in-one product, but you might be able to put a few things together that might work.

For the wireless MIDI portion, look into something like: MIDIjet Pro
and for the switch you could use something from MidiSolutions like: MIDI Solutions Footswitch Controller; General Purpose Input to MIDI

There are a few more logistics to take care of (Switch, Power Supplies, Midi Merge, etc...) but this would get the project started.
 
Seems easier solution would be to have someone who can just operate your switches for you when you can't access the controls yourself, which is what a lot of guitar techs are tasked with.
 
Rich G. said:
I don't know of an all-in-one product, but you might be able to put a few things together that might work.

For the wireless MIDI portion, look into something like: MIDIjet Pro
and for the switch you could use something from MidiSolutions like: MIDI Solutions Footswitch Controller; General Purpose Input to MIDI

There are a few more logistics to take care of (Switch, Power Supplies, Midi Merge, etc...) but this would get the project started.
Click to expand...

Doesn't really need to be Midi to do what the Boss switch does. Need a wireless latching switch/relay to work. I'm assuming you'd still want to plug into 1/4" XS1-XS4 inputs like the Boss foot switch.



Sent from my iPhone
 
Saw this after e quick search:
dsc03958.jpg

Numark Orbit wireless MIDI DJ controller hands-on (video)
 
lqdsnddist said:
Seems easier solution would be to have someone who can just operate your switches for you when you can't access the controls yourself, which is what a lot of guitar techs are tasked with.
Click to expand...

I wish I had this option, but I am my own guitar tech.
 
Bill Piersall said:
Doesn't really need to be Midi to do what the Boss switch does. Need a wireless latching switch/relay to work. I'm assuming you'd still want to plug into 1/4" XS1-XS4 inputs like the Boss foot switch.



Sent from my iPhone
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. I use the Boss footswitch so that I have a BIG target, away from the MFC to click in and out of lead mode, because I'm on the move all the time and the proximity of the MFC switches are too close. If there is an elegant solution that uses Midi, or whatever, that's fine.
 
Cool idea.

Depending on budget and how exactly you want to implement it, you could do it several ways.

For the wireless component, you could use a regular guitar/instrument wireless (anything from a fully fledged high quality unit, to one of the cheaper little "bug" types) for sending of the actual signal. Then you've got to hook up the switch.

If you're using multiple guitars, you'd probably want to locate the switch on your strap as you mentioned. Depending on the switch and transmitter you decide to use, that could get a little bulky. If you're playing in the audience, a switch on your strap might get bumped more easily by people dancing with you.

Alternatively, you could install the switch on your guitar, and a separate output jack to run the switch to the wireless transmitter on your strap. The new output jack could be mini headphone sized to keep the profile down. You could even use a push-push pot for the switch to keep it very inconspicuous.

Wire the switch so it makes/breaks the connection between the tip and sleeve. Plug the receiver into your MFC, or even the PEDAL jack on the back of the Axe-Fx, configure the new switch and you should be good to go.
 
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guitarjim said:
...it would be nice to be able to activate my boost setting for each song wirelessly when I go into a lead.
Click to expand...
Your guitar already has a boost control. It's labeled "volume." :)

Dial in your tone with the volume knob backed off. When it's time for a lead, crank it wide open. It's an decades-old trick for an instant blast of gain and volume. Works a treat, and it's free.
 
npx said:
For the wireless component, you could use a regular guitar/instrument wireless...Wire the switch so it makes/breaks the connection between the tip and sleeve. Plug the receiver into your MFC, or even the PEDAL jack on the back of the Axe-Fx, configure the new switch and you should be good to go.
Click to expand...
A guitar wireless system only transmits audio. It can't transmit a switch closure in any useful way.
 
Rex said:
Your guitar already has a boost control. It's labeled "volume." :)

Dial in your tone with the volume knob backed off. When it's time for a lead, crank it wide open. It's an decades-old trick for an instant blast of gain and volume. Works a treat, and it's free.
Click to expand...

LOL. Yes, of course. But in many cases, it's more than volume, isn't it? Lead patches often have drive, additional amps, pitch, EQ and other blocks linked with them.
 
Try this scientific experiment just for fun to see if it works.

If you don't already own one, go to Radio Shack and get a 1/4"-1/4" Female-Female coupler. Use it to couple the 1/4" cable from your Boss pedal to the 1/4" cable from your guitar wireless (which I'm assuming you have since you said you spend a lot of time roaming the audience) and see if it will send the pedal function wirelessly.

All it will cost you to find out if this works or not is a trip to Radio Shack and $5.99 if you keep the coupler, or two trips to Radio Shack if you return the coupler to get your $$$ back, or $0.00 if you already have the coupler.

All you people here who are smarter than me, which would probably be about 100% of you... What say you. Would this work or not?

Even if it works I don't know how practical it would be to attach the Boss pedal to yourself while you are dancing around. ;)
 
GaryRichie said:
Try this scientific experiment just for fun to see if it works.

If you don't already own one, go to Radio Shack and get a 1/4"-1/4" Female-Female coupler. Use it to couple the 1/4" cable from your Boss pedal to the 1/4" cable from your guitar wireless (which I'm assuming you have since you said you spend a lot of time roaming the audience) and see if it will send the pedal function wirelessly.

All it will cost you to find out if this works or not is a trip to Radio Shack and $5.99 if you keep the coupler, or two trips to Radio Shack if you return the coupler to get your $$$ back, or $0.00 if you already have the coupler.

All you people here who are smarter than me, which would probably be about 100% of you... What say you. Would this work or not?

Even if it works I don't know how practical it would be to attach the Boss pedal to yourself while you are dancing around. ;)
Click to expand...

The thing is... you'd have to somehow separate it from the guitar signal on the other end, sending the signal from the Boss pedal to the Pedal jack on the Axe. Having the pedal signal go into the Instrument jack would accomplish nothing positive.
 
guitarjim said:
LOL. Yes, of course. But in many cases, it's more than volume, isn't it? Lead patches often have drive, additional amps, pitch, EQ and other blocks linked with them.
Click to expand...
Your guitar's volume control is more than just volume, too. Check out van Halen's Panama. The difference between the driving high-gain tone and the lyrical, cleaned-up tone at the break is all about the volume knob.

True, it won't change amps or add effects for you. But you can do a lot without that. If you really need all that, it's going to be expensive and cumbersome.
 
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