Expression pedal or momentary switches....help me decide, Fractal brethern!

jrusidoff

jrusidoff

Member
Right now, I have a Moog expression pedal set up in footswitch #1 doing double duty as a wah and a controller for the level of delay. The way I have it set up is it controls the delay on all scenes except for the "Wah" scene, where it controls the wah.

Originally, I set it up so the tuner would show on heel down. While this worked fine, it would not mute the tuner. Well, it could be set up to do so....but you can see the problem there. I could mute when I didn't want to.

I currently have an old Fender footswitch (non-momentary) that I click twice to get the tuner on mute, so it performs as a work-around.

I have thought of two methods:
1. Get a double momentary switch that would handle the tuner and one other thing.
2. Get another expression pedal I could use as volume and tuner mute on heel down.

Now, I know I could get a midi switch and do all sorts of stuff, but I am a real simple (minded) guy...since I use the whammy bar on my old Strat I use the hell out of the tuner. The only other thing I can think of is turning an effect on and off, say chorus or something like that.

I would like to have an expression pedal for volume swells and tuner control, but I am questioning how much I would use that. I have been playing out since 1969 and have never owned a volume pedal! I use the volume on my guitar so much I probably replace them every couple of years or so.

I know that I can get to the tuner using the switches on the FM3, but have not genius-ed out a way to get to it without a bunch of scrolling.

Any suggestions on either my current setup or my ideas concerning expression pedal/switches would be most welcome!
 
jrusidoff said:
Right now, I have a Moog expression pedal set up in footswitch #1 doing double duty as a wah and a controller for the level of delay. The way I have it set up is it controls the delay on all scenes except for the "Wah" scene, where it controls the wah.

Originally, I set it up so the tuner would show on heel down. While this worked fine, it would not mute the tuner. Well, it could be set up to do so....but you can see the problem there. I could mute when I didn't want to.

I currently have an old Fender footswitch (non-momentary) that I click twice to get the tuner on mute, so it performs as a work-around.

I have thought of two methods:
1. Get a double momentary switch that would handle the tuner and one other thing.
2. Get another expression pedal I could use as volume and tuner mute on heel down.

Now, I know I could get a midi switch and do all sorts of stuff, but I am a real simple (minded) guy...since I use the whammy bar on my old Strat I use the hell out of the tuner. The only other thing I can think of is turning an effect on and off, say chorus or something like that.

I would like to have an expression pedal for volume swells and tuner control, but I am questioning how much I would use that. I have been playing out since 1969 and have never owned a volume pedal! I use the volume on my guitar so much I probably replace them every couple of years or so.

I know that I can get to the tuner using the switches on the FM3, but have not genius-ed out a way to get to it without a bunch of scrolling.

Any suggestions on either my current setup or my ideas concerning expression pedal/switches would be most welcome!
Click to expand...
I ran into a similar issue in my first few months with the FM3 and went with your option 1. I bought the lttle Ampero 2-button momentary switch to use for tuner and boost (in the amp block), and it’s worked out great. It’s also a very cheap solution, so if you try it and don’t like it, no big deal. Good luck!
 
Lots of possibilities.
  • You could add another exp. pedal.
  • You could add a two-button momentary switch setup. And make use of the Tap, Hold, and Toggle functions. For example.. Tap Tempo/Tuner on one, View toggle (tap) and Layout toggle (hold) to expand the three onboard switches. Or many other possibilities.
  • You could also use your current exp. pedal as a Volume pedal on scenes that don't need the Wah or Delay control.
  • You could make use of the 'Auto-Swell' model in the Vol/Pan block in specific scenes.
  • I once helped a client setup a momentary 'Stand-in' switch as a pseudo Volume pedal for 'swells', using damping to swell in at a specific speed, as a 'per-preset' function.
IMHO, having one expression pedal and a 'two-button' switch is the sweet spot with the FM3
 
While you didn’t mention it as an option, I’d strongly recommend getting the FC6. It’ll instantly add six switches, plus provide a lot of inputs for controllers and switches, plus gives you the opportunity to use the OMG9 layout, and the flexibility to jump back and forth between the layouts as the situation dictates.

There’s also the fact that the FC units integrate SO well with the firmware. I started with a MIDI controller, thinking I’d save money, and then spent a lot of time trying to get it to do the same things that the FC will do immediately. I finally got fed up, bought the FC6 and sold the MIDI unit. We can save the money and spend our energy, or spend the money and save our energy.
 
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Yea, The great thing about the FM-6 is its size & functionality.
Then if you don't need/want to use it, just unplug it and move it aside.
 
<img src="porque-no-los-dos.gif">

I use controller pedals and switches. A lot. #2 pedal probably gets the most use, but quite a few others see very frequent use as well....
20240101_221810.jpg
 
This has been my live rig for years.
Volume pedal is indispensable IMO...not just for swells but for any tone at any volume...imagine your guitar volume knob at 3 but loud as you need, or full gain/distortion but at a low volume...tuner on with mute at heel down...other pedal is wah or what ever you want.
I use bottom switches as fx on/off but FM3 switches still do whatever you want. Dream rig. :)
20230729_080057.jpg
 
jrusidoff said:
Right now, I have a Moog expression pedal set up in footswitch #1 doing double duty as a wah and a controller for the level of delay. The way I have it set up is it controls the delay on all scenes except for the "Wah" scene, where it controls the wah.

Originally, I set it up so the tuner would show on heel down. While this worked fine, it would not mute the tuner. Well, it could be set up to do so....but you can see the problem there. I could mute when I didn't want to.

I currently have an old Fender footswitch (non-momentary) that I click twice to get the tuner on mute, so it performs as a work-around.

I have thought of two methods:
1. Get a double momentary switch that would handle the tuner and one other thing.
2. Get another expression pedal I could use as volume and tuner mute on heel down.

Now, I know I could get a midi switch and do all sorts of stuff, but I am a real simple (minded) guy...since I use the whammy bar on my old Strat I use the hell out of the tuner. The only other thing I can think of is turning an effect on and off, say chorus or something like that.

I would like to have an expression pedal for volume swells and tuner control, but I am questioning how much I would use that. I have been playing out since 1969 and have never owned a volume pedal! I use the volume on my guitar so much I probably replace them every couple of years or so.

I know that I can get to the tuner using the switches on the FM3, but have not genius-ed out a way to get to it without a bunch of scrolling.

Any suggestions on either my current setup or my ideas concerning expression pedal/switches would be most welcome!
Click to expand...
Tuner/mute on wah/expression down is a tough nut to crack.

Your easiest bet is two-button switch + expression pedal.

If external power isn't a problem, maybe a MIDI expression pedal?
 
RLD said:
This has been my live rig for years.
Volume pedal is indispensable IMO...not just for swells but for any tone at any volume...imagine your guitar volume knob at 3 but loud as you need, or full gain/distortion but at a low volume...tuner on with mute at heel down...other pedal is wah or what ever you want.
I use bottom switches as fx on/off but FM3 switches still do whatever you want. Dream rig. :)
View attachment 135238
Click to expand...
I like the way you think. I've been using "side car" board with a couple of expression pedals and a passive two button switch for some time. I did it that way so that it's easier to carry and it can go with one of several modeler rigs. A Disaster Area controller might make that setup much cleaner and easier to manage. Gotta give it some thought.
 
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RLD said:
This has been my live rig for years.
Volume pedal is indispensable IMO...not just for swells but for any tone at any volume...imagine your guitar volume knob at 3 but loud as you need, or full gain/distortion but at a low volume...tuner on with mute at heel down...other pedal is wah or what ever you want.
I use bottom switches as fx on/off but FM3 switches still do whatever you want. Dream rig. :)
View attachment 135238
Click to expand...
While I hear ya about the volume pedal, for me since I am really old (and old school) and have been playing "real" amps for most of my life, I never really use what you would call an actual clean sound. My cleanest clean has got a bit of hair on it, and they way I set up both amps and the Fractal is, I turn my guitar volume down around 6 on my Fenders, maybe lower with Marshall-type stuff, and just bump it up for the true distorted sounds. So far on the Fractal I have that as my Basic sound, then another scene with a drive on it for that over-the-top Gary Moore lead thing. But that is a very nice an concise setup you have there!
 
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