DIY Axe-Fx Foot Controller for $50 (Open Project)

axefx_floorboard.jpg

Not yet integrated inside the floorboard, I am not the most skillful guy when it comes to drilling:pensive:. Right now only the two pedals are working but I think it won t be difficult to make it work 100%.
I was thinking wether to go the nextion way or 20x4 LCD and I finally went for the cheapest.
By the way, I am using this code to connect to the pedal (RJ45)
(Cannot link to the page) Fritzing project Line 6 Floorboard Arduino Interface

together with your code @Piing to manage axefx3.
 
View attachment 58122

Not yet integrated inside the floorboard, I am not the most skillful guy when it comes to drilling:pensive:. Right now only the two pedals are working but I think it won t be difficult to make it work 100%.
I was thinking wether to go the nextion way or 20x4 LCD and I finally went for the cheapest.
By the way, I am using this code to connect to the pedal (RJ45)
(Cannot link to the page) Fritzing project Line 6 Floorboard Arduino Interface

together with your code @Piing to manage axefx3.

That looks great.

You are using the MEGA 2560 Pro. I've just received a couple of these. I like the small format, and I prefer to solder rather than crimping terminals.

I am using this extension to connect the USB terminal to the chassis:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/30cm-50cm-...ount-Extension-Adapter-Cable-New/123492069624

s-l500.jpg
 
That looks great.

You are using the MEGA 2560 Pro. I've just received a couple of these. I like the small format, and I prefer to solder rather than crimping terminals.

I am using this extension to connect the USB terminal to the chassis:


s-l500.jpg
I ve tried MEGA 2560 Pro because it was smaller and I prefer solder too. But it is the first time I tried it. The manufacturer says it is as stable as the Mega board, we ll see!
That is a nice solution for usb, I was thinking of desoldering the RJ45and usb panel of a broken xbox360 motherboard but it seems that my welder is not powerful enough. :pensive::pensive:

When it comes to powering the arduino do you use a 7 pin midi cable or usb?
 
At last, i have a working arduino project!!!!!!
After a year on and off, and hard work. (didn't know any c++)

Still some work to do, but for now i am a really happy man.

My setup is 8 switches with oleds, 4 page buttons, tuner button, X/Y Button, tap button, and switch expr button.
Pages are: Main, Scenes, cc1, cc2 and looper (there is a menu page as well, but is not directly accessible)

On every page, the 8 buttons with oleds change function, function and status is on the oleds.

Then there is a priority list of 8 stages per button. This means, that after setting all the priority levels on each button
at your taste, the controller is assigning every function automatically!!! (even ext pedal functions!!!)
The setting can be stored at the internal EEPROM, and will be read out at startup.


Next things to do are the analog inputs (two inputs, and a button to switch functions of the second one), the tuner
(which will be on a separate LCD display), and preset names (allthough
i allready have those from the sysex messages).

But i'm doing these after i've got the housing finished.

IMG_20190930_131319.jpg
 
Hi
In the end I was able to build my prototype foot controller. Unfortunately, I still have a small problem with it. Switching Scenes, bank up / down and tuner worked flawlessly. The diodes highlight the correctly selected scene but after selecting scene 8 and next selecting another any scene / bunk up-down / tuner, unfortunately the LED of stage 8 does not go out, it is a trifle because lighting this diode does not bother but I would like to light only the one for which the currently selected scene is. Do any of you have any idea what you need to modify in the code or have encountered a similar problem?

Regards!



20191005_153240.jpg

20191006_111132.jpg
 
I started messing around with modifying a Ground Control pro with an arduino to make an up to date controller in rugged hardware. But after seeing and reading how long it has taken (quite rightly!) for people here to create these things I am thinking of abandoning it. Have limited time to play guitar as it is and looks like it is a much bigger project than I first anticipated, even with the Axe III midi library and other great code shared here freely!
 
Switching Scenes, bank up / down and tuner worked flawlessly. The diodes highlight the correctly selected scene but after selecting scene 8 and next selecting another any scene / bunk up-down / tuner, unfortunately the LED of stage 8 does not go out, it is a trifle because lighting this diode does not bother but I would like to light only the one for which the currently selected scene is.
I think you'd have to share your code. It depends on how you implemented all this.
 
I think I've got it.

On Routines.h replace
Code:
void turnOffSceneLeds() {
  for (byte led = 0; led < MAX_SCENE_LED; led++) {
    digitalWrite(leds[led - 1], LOW);
  }
with
Code:
void turnOffSceneLeds() {
  for (byte led = 0; led < MAX_SCENE_LED; led++) {
    digitalWrite(leds[led], LOW);
  }

Congratulations for your built!
 
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Hi
In the end I was able to build my prototype foot controller. Unfortunately, I still have a small problem with it. Switching Scenes, bank up / down and tuner worked flawlessly. The diodes highlight the correctly selected scene but after selecting scene 8 and next selecting another any scene / bunk up-down / tuner, unfortunately the LED of stage 8 does not go out, it is a trifle because lighting this diode does not bother but I would like to light only the one for which the currently selected scene is. Do any of you have any idea what you need to modify in the code or have encountered a similar problem?

Regards!



View attachment 58829

View attachment 58827

Looks Great and solid!
 
At last, i have a working arduino project!!!!!!
After a year on and off, and hard work. (didn't know any c++)

Still some work to do, but for now i am a really happy man.

My setup is 8 switches with oleds, 4 page buttons, tuner button, X/Y Button, tap button, and switch expr button.
Pages are: Main, Scenes, cc1, cc2 and looper (there is a menu page as well, but is not directly accessible)

On every page, the 8 buttons with oleds change function, function and status is on the oleds.

Then there is a priority list of 8 stages per button. This means, that after setting all the priority levels on each button
at your taste, the controller is assigning every function automatically!!! (even ext pedal functions!!!)
The setting can be stored at the internal EEPROM, and will be read out at startup.


Next things to do are the analog inputs (two inputs, and a button to switch functions of the second one), the tuner
(which will be on a separate LCD display), and preset names (allthough
i allready have those from the sysex messages).

But i'm doing these after i've got the housing finished.

View attachment 58668
Wanna share?...
 
This is really interesting. Thanks for sharing this
I'm a total noob to attempt doing such a project.
but i'll go for it.
the first thing i noticed from @Piing's prototype pics at his first post, is that the connection of the female midi socket to the Arduino is not quite as it is supposed to be in Arduino connection guide. in Piing's pics there's no wire going through Pin1 in the arduino board. how's that possible?
 
This is really interesting. Thanks for sharing this
I'm a total noob to attempt doing such a project.
but i'll go for it.
the first thing i noticed from @Piing's prototype pics at his first post, is that the connection of the female midi socket to the Arduino is not quite as it is supposed to be in Arduino connection guide. in Piing's pics there's no wire going through Pin1 in the arduino board. how's that possible?


With Arduno MEGA you can use pins 14 to 19 for the additional TX1/RX1, TX2/RX2 and TX3/RX3. I do not use TX0/RX0 because MIDI interferes with the computer serial monitor for debugging

MEGA.png
 
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Thanks for the clearing that up.
Based on where I live i have no way to get the parts from ebay so i tried to get everything locally.
I almost found everything i need except for the Momentary toggle switch, I had to look for an temporary alternative till i get the right ones.
here i attached two pics of the switches im going to use for now, they have two pins for connections and i've seen some students use them with the arduino board. aside from if they gonna be practical or not, do you think they gonna function correctly?
be prepared for more newbie questions about wiring in the next few day if you are ok with that :nomouth:
switch2.JPG


switch1.JPG
 
That should work (as far as the contact is momentary), but I am wondering if it will support too many foot stomps. Be gentle when stepping on it
 
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