FCB1010 controlling it by an external sequencer - HELP

A

andreww

Inspired
Hi guys,

I play in a band where my patch changes are controlled by an external sequencer. The benefit is that I can move around on stage, and the sequencer controls my patch changes.

I have just purchased a FCB1010, so that I can manually override these patches, and add in pedals on the fly.

I can get the FCB1010 to control the Axe ok, but I cannot get the sequencer to control the FCB1010. So if the sequencer calls say patch 12, it goes through to the Axe, but does not change the patch on the FCB1010. This is a pain, as I then don't know what current patch the sequencer has called up.

Is there any solution to this.

Thanks for your help


Andrew
 
Just found another issue with this setup.

The sequencer also play some keyboard parts. When I manually use the FC1010 to control the Axe when the keyboard is playing, it does some very stange things.

As an example, when I go to call up patch 14, it calls up patch 270 on the Axe (exactly 256 or 128x2 + the patch number I select). Obviously something on the sequencer is causing the FC1010 to have a "fit".

Ideally, I would like -

The sequencer to control the FCB1010 only (and not need to send midi merge to the Axe)
The FCB1010 controls the Axe.


Is this possible. If it is not, then I would say I might be screwed.


Andrew
 
andreww said:
If it is not, then I would say I might be screwed.
Click to expand...
I'm afraid you're screwed...
The FCB1010 cannot be controlled from the outside. So there is no way an external sequencer can change patches or stompbox states on your FCB.
The patch select problem (selecting 128x2 + patch number) has nothing to do with the FCB. It's the sequencer which apparently has sent a BankSelect command. Probably in order to select a synth sound? Are the synth and the Axe-FX on the same MIDI channel? Using different MIDI channels should solve this.
In general, you can avoid this also by having the FCB1010 send BankSelect plus ProgramChange messages on each click. (the Axe-FX uses CC00 for BankSelect) That's also the only way to select patches in all 3 Axe-FX banks.
 
ossandust said:
andreww said:
If it is not, then I would say I might be screwed.
Click to expand...
I'm afraid you're screwed...
The FCB1010 cannot be controlled from the outside. So there is no way an external sequencer can change patches or stompbox states on your FCB.
The patch select problem (selecting 128x2 + patch number) has nothing to do with the FCB. It's the sequencer which apparently has sent a BankSelect command. Probably in order to select a synth sound? Are the synth and the Axe-FX on the same MIDI channel? Using different MIDI channels should solve this.
In general, you can avoid this also by having the FCB1010 send BankSelect plus ProgramChange messages on each click. (the Axe-FX uses CC00 for BankSelect) That's also the only way to select patches in all 3 Axe-FX banks.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice.
I have been using this sequencer setup for years, and it controlled my POD XT fine. All units are on separate midi channels, and I have checked the information on the song, and there are no unusual commands on it. If I play the song, and don't use the FCB1010 it controls tha axe fine. It is only when I use the FC1010 when the song is playing that it plays up - and not in a consistent way.

Update -
I just included a CC00 comand into my presets, and it seems to operate a little bit better, but I still get regular moves into the 256+ range. Once again, I tried playing the song without the FC1010 and it was fine.

Any ideas?

Btw, is there a unit out there that does what I need?
 
Check the PC OFFSET setting in the I/O screen. I'm betting it's not 0 and that's why you're getting the 256 behavior.

Now, I realized this recently about my FCB & UnO. If you have an IA set to the global DRIVE 1 BYPASS, then you don't really need to switch your patch in order for it to switch it. No matter what patch you're on, if you have Drive 1 in it, that IA will switch it on/off. Works for any IA setup globally in the I/O page. Now, the IAs I setup as External Controllers work as well, just so long as you have something in your active patch that respond to those external controllers.

Bottom line is, you never really need to switch the FCB with the "IA Behavior". If you want to change a PC, then just hit it, your sequencer won't care. Really only matters is if you HAVE to know what patch you're on (in some ways you do), but with the sequencer, that's pretty irrelevant. It really only matters if you can't remember what external controller does what if you're on patch a vs b & could have significant sound differences. I guess start memorizing when the sequencer changes and knowing when you can achieve a certain effect or not.
 
LAYGO said:
Check the PC OFFSET setting in the I/O screen. I'm betting it's not 0 and that's why you're getting the 256 behavior.

Now, I realized this recently about my FCB & UnO. If you have an IA set to the global DRIVE 1 BYPASS, then you don't really need to switch your patch in order for it to switch it. No matter what patch you're on, if you have Drive 1 in it, that IA will switch it on/off. Works for any IA setup globally in the I/O page. Now, the IAs I setup as External Controllers work as well, just so long as you have something in your active patch that respond to those external controllers.

Bottom line is, you never really need to switch the FCB with the "IA Behavior". If you want to change a PC, then just hit it, your sequencer won't care. Really only matters is if you HAVE to know what patch you're on (in some ways you do), but with the sequencer, that's pretty irrelevant. It really only matters if you can't remember what external controller does what if you're on patch a vs b & could have significant sound differences. I guess start memorizing when the sequencer changes and knowing when you can achieve a certain effect or not.
Click to expand...

Thanks Laygo for the info.

The MIDI PC Offset is set to 0. If this was set to something else, I would expect the behaviour to be the same everytime I hit a patch. It only does it when the sequencer is playing, and I use the FCB1010 at the same time - and only say every 10 button pushes. I suspect is a a limitation with the FCB1010 handling the amound of inbound midi messages in parrallel. For my purpose, it renders it unusable I think.

I might be a bit slow today. What does IA mean?

Andrew
 
Hi Guys,
Any other suggestions before I sell the FCB1010 and get something that works for my application?
Andrew
 
Hi,
Check the bug list for the FCB 1010. If you are plugging the sequencer into the 1010, then from the 1010 to the Axe, the midi merge function does not work properly on the 1010. You need the Uno chip to resolve that.

I would recommend the Uno chip if you havent upgraded. I did mine recently and it works very well.
 
dirtypurple said:
Hi,
Check the bug list for the FCB 1010. If you are plugging the sequencer into the 1010, then from the 1010 to the Axe, the midi merge function does not work properly on the 1010. You need the Uno chip to resolve that.

I would recommend the Uno chip if you havent upgraded. I did mine recently and it works very well.
Click to expand...

Thanks dirtypurple,
I should have mentioned it has the uno installed.
Andrew
 
I Havent seen anywhere in the Uno docs that you can send midi to the 1010 and update its status. Would be a nice feature though. It seems none of these pedals do everything you need.
 
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