Got tired of MFC 101 silence - Gordius on the way

[solo-act]

I found a used little giant for $600 shipped. Not sure if that's a decent price since they rarely come up for sale, but I want to check one out.

I've been whining for quite some time that the MFC needs a keypad feature as a way to enter random presets quickly (great for shows where songs are called on the fly).

Since there's been radio silence for a while on the unit, and never any communication regarding a keypad feature, I'm going to check out the little giant. I like the USB connector, midi in/out, the 4 controller inputs, the flexibility of the scalable graphic display, the small size, and, he implemented a keypad feature.

Question: how many "clicks" does it take to go from an entered preset to another preset (three digits)?
The manual isn't very clear on that. I'll ask at their yahoo group, but wanted to check here first.

 

[jochen]

I do not use keypad mode myself but I tried it. You need to access keypad mode by clicking one button, after that keypad mode is on until you enter 999 or 000 (I think). You need to enter three digits to call up a preset.

Jochen

 

[solo-act]

I was reading the LG manual.
It's strange -- there's very little information on how to navigate to songs in the LG. What I found has the user stepping through songs in setlists. I don't step through songs, I randomly pick what the next song will be from my entire list. And if they're dancing as the song ends, I need to cue up that next random song choice VERY quickly.

The gordius however is so fixed on stepping through songs, I think that even if you create one giant list of all your songs, it STILL has you stepping through them, or holding and scrolling through them... IMHO that's WAY clunkier than being able to randomly choose a specific song.

It's simple -- I have a list of songs with a number next to each song. I choose the next song, and when the song is over, punch in the number for that song.

From everything I've read. the LG has a "keypad mode" that will let me (via program change) randomly trigger presets on an external device, but I don't think the keypad mode actually does anything on the LG... it doesn't seem to cue up any banks, songs, patches or presets.

So I can control external devices via program change on the LG, but not the LG itself? But then I read a section in the manual that the LG patches can be triggered via external program change.... but nothing on triggering patches via the unit itself.... huh?

 

[ossandust]

So I can control external devices via program change on the LG, but not the LG itself? But then I read a section in the manual that the LG patches can be triggered via external program change.... but nothing on triggering patches via the unit itself.... huh?

You're right... Everything is in there to have "random preset select" added with little effort. So I guess it isn't there because nobody asked for it yet. Now I remember that you asked about this some time ago here on this forum - then I did some testing and saw that it takes about 4 seconds to select a random song from a 50-song setlist (through scrolling). "Typing" a number won't be much faster (moreover you will need to have a song number list at hand) but I do agree that in general random preset select can be an interesting extra feature.
Since it looks like you're going to be an LG user soon, I will work on a firmware extension to add this feature.

 

[Mike Snider]

So I can control external devices via program change on the LG, but not the LG itself? But then I read a section in the manual that the LG patches can be triggered via external program change.... but nothing on triggering patches via the unit itself.... huh?

You're right... Everything is in there to have "random preset select" added with little effort. So I guess it isn't there because nobody asked for it yet. Now I remember that you asked about this some time ago here on this forum - then I did some testing and saw that it takes about 4 seconds to select a random song from a 50-song setlist (through scrolling). "Typing" a number won't be much faster (moreover you will need to have a song number list at hand) but I do agree that in general random preset select can be an interesting extra feature.
Since it looks like you're going to be an LG user soon, I will work on a firmware extension to add this feature.

And that is why you are a top notch developer.

 

[OmegaZero]

Since it looks like you're going to be an LG user soon, I will work on a firmware extension to add this feature.

I am continually amazed at this community. It seems like every product connected with the Axe is top notch in terms of development and service. Cliff deserves a medal for setting such an awesome standard.

 

[mworkman]

Since it looks like you're going to be an LG user soon, I will work on a firmware extension to add this feature.

I am continually amazed at this community. It seems like every product connected with the Axe is top notch in terms of development and service. Cliff deserves a medal for setting such an awesome standard.

Agreed. Seems like there should be some kind of Nobel award for this. If they don't have a category then they should create one.

 

[solo-act]

[quote="solo-act":2oj93a56]
So I can control external devices via program change on the LG, but not the LG itself? But then I read a section in the manual that the LG patches can be triggered via external program change.... but nothing on triggering patches via the unit itself.... huh?

You're right... Everything is in there to have "random preset select" added with little effort. So I guess it isn't there because nobody asked for it yet. Now I remember that you asked about this some time ago here on this forum - then I did some testing and saw that it takes about 4 seconds to select a random song from a 50-song setlist (through scrolling). "Typing" a number won't be much faster (moreover you will need to have a song number list at hand) but I do agree that in general random preset select can be an interesting extra feature.
Since it looks like you're going to be an LG user soon, I will work on a firmware extension to add this feature.

And that is why you are a top notch developer.[/quote:2oj93a56]
No doubt about that. Xavier rocks!

So...does that make me a top notch whiner? 'cause I been whining for fast, random navigation for a while.

 

[Mike Snider]

lol...
based on your gordius user group post- i am going to make my way to one of your shows....the entertainment sounds way too good

 

[Mike Snider]

Since it looks like you're going to be an LG user soon, I will work on a firmware extension to add this feature.

I am continually amazed at this community. It seems like every product connected with the Axe is top notch in terms of development and service. Cliff deserves a medal for setting such an awesome standard.

i wanted to give Xavier his due credit. he was providing this kind of service to his customers prior to the axefx users finding him.
I understand your point OZ, I just want to recognize Xavier as someone who is as equally excellent with customer service as Fractal Audio.

 

[jzgtrguy]

Please keep us posted on your Gordius LG experience. I am interested in the controller myself. I saw one recently on eBay. I've emailed Xavier some questions and he always gets back to me in less than 24 hours with an answer.

My concern is that I am a Midiot. I have no experience. I had no trouble learning to navigate my way around the Axe-fx but I still don't know what most of the deep editing does.

I would be curious to know how hard it is to learn MIDI and how hard it is to learn the LG.

I really like the size of the LG.

 

[Smilzo]

I would be curious to know how hard it is to learn MIDI and how hard it is to learn the LG.

It depends on you, how deep you want to program it. If you need a "regular" pedalboard, with PC to call patches and some CC to controll parameters/block... it's easy. If you want to program multiple action and beahviour each time you press a switch... you go hard... :lol:

 

[solo-act]

Quick update on this thread.

Here's the 24 hour story:
I bought a used little giant, looked into it, found out it didn't appear to have instant random navigation of presets, whined about it, and the next day Xavier wrote a firmware update including the feature.

Whoa...... :shock:

 

[Mike Snider]

I've told this story in the past...but you just reminded me so i'll tell it again.
Xavier has saved me on more than one ocassion. Once while doing a firmware update there was an "incident" where my power was interupted just at that moment where the bios are dumped and the unit exist without firmware.
The dreaded black screen of death.
Needless to say my unit was inoperable. At that time- about 2 years ago? the only option was to pack the unit up and send back to Belgium.
Xavier's reaction.....within a few hours he had contacted someone here in the US, provided them with repair instructions- sent me the contact info (meanwhile it was about 3AM Belgium time). I had my unit repaired from a catastrophic failure, back in my rig within 5 days at a minimal expense.

Xavier runs a quality business. He is present, available and responds to his customers needs. The Gordius products are a solid choice IMO.

 

[Sidivan]

If the Gordius line was able to be powered via 7-pin Midi, it would be perfect for me. Phantom power is a must have for me though. Currently waiting on my jr... ordered on Sunday, got an email to confirm, did, and now silence. Didn't even give me payment instructions.

 

[Mike Snider]

If the Gordius line was able to be powered via 7-pin Midi, it would be perfect for me. Phantom power is a must have for me though. Currently waiting on my jr... ordered on Sunday, got an email to confirm, did, and now silence. Didn't even give me payment instructions.

There is a company making phantom power leads for the Gordius units which i use with my axefx. Works great. The power leads branch off before the connector.

in fact- this was developed in direct response to axefx users.

 

[senseix]

Would you happen to have a link to that power lead?

 

[MisterE]

This is what i posted in onather topic:
Another happy Gordius user here.
Xavier is a great guy, on par with Cliff.
Great support.
And look what's in the new Gordius:
1. It will support both a 9VDC or 9VAC power input.

2. It will have a 7-pins MIDI OUT connector, which can receive phantom power
and/or 2-way MIDI communication. There will be an "Axe-FX connection" package
with single 7-lead MIDI cable, and power adapter compatible with the Axe-FX
phantom power connector.

3. It will have a 7-pins "FROM FCB" connector, which will allow to phantom power
and communicate with future slave controllers using a single MIDI cable.

4. All models (LG-M, LG & LG-X) will have 4 fully configurable jack inputs. To
each jack you can connect:
- a "Roland type" expression pedal (wiper wired to jack tip)
- a "Yamaha type" expression pedal (wiper wired to jack ring)
- a single external switch, wired to a mono jack
- two external switches, wired to a stereo jack (e.g. Boss FS-6)
Advanced calibration with customizable "dead zone" setup for virtual tip and
heel switch simulation.

5. A new type of OLED display is integrated.

6. The firmware memory storage will be largely increased (roughly x2). The setup
memory storage will be increased even more (roughly x10)
The supported maximum number of different setup "items" will be increased to
remove any practical limitation:
- nr of setlists : 10 -> 1000
- nr of songs : 250 -> 1000
- nr of banks : 250 -> 1000
- nr of presets : 186 -> 1000
- nr of stompboxes : 32 -> 1000
- nr of mom.effects : 32 -> 1000
- nr of exprpedal setups : 16 -> 1000

7. The setup structure will be simplified: remove the distinction between
"patches" and "presets", while trying to keep the same flexibility. Simplify the
different possibilities of creating a dynamic setup (dependency rules, preset
variants, data variables...)

8. Simpler communication protocol between PC and LittleGiant. This can result in
support for firmware upgrades and patchdumps through regular third party MIDI
librarians.

9. On longer term : brand new Mac compatible ControlCenter.

 

[chapelizod]

You absolutely cannot go wrong with the LG. The amount of flexibility/programability available within it is really incredible. Xavier is definitely the Cliff of the midi controller world. I got one off a forum member here for a great deal; I had heard about it before but new ones shipped to the US are prohibitively expensive. It wasn't until the night before I was about to pick it up that I actually started reading through the manual, an my jaw dropped a number of times at all the features available within it. Anyway, you won't be disappointed.

 

[yek]

Just take a look at the messages today in the Gordius user group on Yahoo and the unique kind of support is clear immediately Amazing.