[fixed] Roland FC-300: jumpy MIDI controllers?

Kamil Kisiel

Power User
I'm trying to use my Roland FC-300 as a controller for the Axe-FX III but am having difficulty getting it to read the expression pedals correctly. I've set one of the pedals to emit MIDI CC 1, and assigned that to the modifier External 1. However when I try to use that on a control it gets really jumpy and doesn't reliably affect the entire range of the control. I filmed a video here where it is mapped to a control. In the video I am just sweeping the pedal back and forth, but you can see the parameter being really jumpy.



It's not just the graphics, if I use it for a wah or volume it's really apparent it's not responding correctly.

I've tried connecting the FC-300 to a MIDI interface and then to my computer. When I record the motion in my DAW this way or look at it in MIDI Monitor it appears to be totally fine. So it seems the Axe-FX is just not responding to the MIDI messages sometimes. I tried disconnecting the USB interface to make sure that wasn't in conflict or anything but it didn't seem to help.

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on here? It seems it should be a pretty simple setup. Is it a bug or am I missing something?
 
I don’t see any mention of calibrating the pedal, and if you haven’t, it can cause some issues even though I can’t say if exactly what you’re experiencing. And I’m assuming you have your midi pedal connecting directly to the midi port(s) on the rear of the AXEFXIII? Even if I can’t resolve your issue I’m sure some of the midi experts will.

Cheers

Lee
 
The pedal is on the FC300 itself, it's just connected via MIDI input. The pedal calibration on the Axe-FX is only if you're using an analog expression pedal.
 
Further testing. I connected the FC-300 to the *IN* on the FaderFox so I can look at the values on the display. The change there is smooth. Then I connected the Faderfox out, which merges the IN, to the Axe-FX III, and the response there is still jumpy when using the pedal, but smooth when using the knob on the faderfox itself. So I'm not sure what's going on. My only theory is that the FC-300 may be sending running status which the Axe-FX III isn't handling well, but I'm not sure how to confirm that yet.
 
FC-300 user as well.
Well I thought my pedals were working fine but after reading your post I checked it out.
Getting the exact same behaviour.
I seem to remember it working fine recently. Not sure if the changed happened with a FW update.
I am however only on FW 1.15
I tested with a Roland EV-5 and no issues.

Looked in the manual - not sure if it's possible to calibrate a pedal through midi.
 
FC-300 user as well.
Well I thought my pedals were working fine but after reading your post I checked it out.
Getting the exact same behaviour.
I seem to remember it working fine recently. Not sure if the changed happened with a FW update.
I am however only on FW 1.15
I tested with a Roland EV-5 and no issues.
I am on 1.18, I never tried to use it with past firmware versions though.
Did you ever have it working properly?
 
No this is the first time I've tried connecting the two. I was previously using just regular expression pedals and no pedal board, but I want to start using this instead so I can switch presets / scenes (which is working great using Program Change mode and MIDI mapping) as well as have two expression pedals on one board.
 
My midi controller has a zipper mode for expression pedals, it changes the messages being sent to the rack gear you are sending the midi messages. I think it’s for jittery expression pedals.

I use piece of crap, m-audio expression pedals, about $30-$50, I can’t remember.

I don’t need to activate zipper mode and these pedals sweep properly.
 
All my other MIDI gear seems to be receiving the messages properly, and it's not just an issue of zippering. Depending on how quickly I move the pedal, I can put it all the way toe down and the Axe's parameter will still be near where it was at the beginning, like 25 - 75% in some cases.

My other devices recognize the value as 127, or 100%
 
What's troublesome is that I never had an issue with the Axe II and I'm sure it worked fine at one point on the III.
 
Actually I still have my Axe-FX II, I will try it with that when I get home. Then it should be obvious if it's a problem with the III or the controller.
 
Just did an interesting test.
Recorded volume changes into Cubase (no Axe).
Sent the data into the Axe from Cubase (no pedal) and it works perfectly.
I could also see that the FC was sending consistent data into Cubase.
So very strange that the FC is working properly but direct into the Axe there's an issue.
 
So my pedals are now working.
Machine has been left on.
Changed patches, changed some patches without saving etc., fixed.
Moved around the same two midi wires.
My uneducated guess would be an intermittent midi cable problem.
Very bizarre,
 
I just tried it on my Axe-FX II, works totally fine there. Still doesn't work properly on my III.
I have tried multiple cables, but no so far.

The pedals "work" in the sense that they do something, sometimes, but it's not smooth at all and if I move fast I can from toe up to toe down and the value on the Axe-FX barely changes.
 
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