Looper Control Trick

C

Cody22

Member
Hey all,
I've seen a few threads on this and wanted to share a trick I devised that is working well for me. The issue I was trying to solve was that I wanted looper control on the main screen with access to other scenes, effects etc. and I've got it doing what I want now. Here's what I did, hopefully somebody can make use of it

1) Bought a cheap footswitch from Amazon (Fender) and connected it to footswitch #1 input.
2) Changed the internal setting to latching instead of momentary, to match the pedals operation.
3) Set the footswitch to operate looper record in the I/O menu
4) Made a preset with the looper in parallel to the main signal chain and added an eq block in each line (after the looper)
5) Set the eq blocks to simulate a lead guitar and rhythm guitar tone shape, with a boost on the main signal chain for the "lead guitar"
6) Set Control switch #1 to operate the looper play, and both eq blocks.
7) Set a footswitch to be control switch #1
8) Turn off immediate playback on the looper block

At this point I had it so I could hit the external button to record /stop, then use Control Switch #1 footswitch to enter "solo mode" effectively starting playback and adjusting the eq on both tracks. When the solo was over, hit the control switch and return all the eq back to original and carry on with the song.

This worked great except one thing.... I never knew for sure that the looper was actually recording as I had no visual indicator that I'd hit the button correctly. Then I discovered another trick.

1) Add a block you don't use, in my case the gate /expander, and don't connect any lines to it, then assign a footswitch to it.
2) Set the bypass command in the I/O menu to external pedal #1 (same as looper play)
3) When you press the external button, the unused block will change color on the footswitch display and start the record on the looper, giving you visual indication that the looper is recording. When you hit the button a second time, it will stop the recording and change the block back to the original off state.

Hope this helps somebody out there!
 
Thanks for the detailed instructions!
I want to just set the Record/stop on ext. 2 switch and the Play functions on ext. 4 switch, without the EQ and the other stuff you mentioned.
1. I use a dual Boss Fs-7 (latch mod).
2. On the I/O section I set the Looper Rec to Pedal 2 and the Looper Play to Pedal 4
3. On the Ax8-Edit I opened the Looper block window and set also the Play button to ext. 4
4. There is no possibility to use ext. control on the Record button on the Looper block window.

So now the only the Play/Stop (ext. 4) works. I suppose setting the I/O to record with Pedal 2 is not enough... what did I miss...?
 
Ilan Virtzberg said:
Thanks for the detailed instructions!
I want to just set the Record/stop on ext. 2 switch and the Play functions on ext. 4 switch, without the EQ and the other stuff you mentioned.
1. I use a dual Boss Fs-7 (latch mod).
2. On the I/O section I set the Looper Rec to Pedal 2 and the Looper Play to Pedal 4
3. On the Ax8-Edit I opened the Looper block window and set also the Play button to ext. 4
4. There is no possibility to use ext. control on the Record button on the Looper block window.

So now the only the Play/Stop (ext. 4) works. I suppose setting the I/O to record with Pedal 2 is not enough... what did I miss...?
Click to expand...

I do not think you need to do step 3. The play and record buttons are mapped already by the IO settings.
 
Hi Ilan, you didn't miss a step.... I did. Because the looper doesn't have a modifier for record you have to use the midi command. When you're in the I/O menu find pedal #1 near the top of the list and set it to 28 which is the looper record command. That should solve it.
 
Hmm... It's it set to momentary or latching? The FS-7 has a switch as well for that. Are they both on latching?
 
Why the Midi tab? you wrote:
"No midi controller needed, just page over to Ctrl tab and set pedal one to 28 in the I/O menu"
There is something to do in the Midi tab?
 
I didn't have to do anything in mine but since it's a midi command I'm kinda grasping at straws here. I'm not sure why it's not working, it sounds like you've done everything right. Mine works perfectly so it can definitely be done, I'm thinking maybe something is different in our settings.
 
Cody22 said:
Hi Ilan, you didn't miss a step.... I did. Because the looper doesn't have a modifier for record you have to use the midi command. When you're in the I/O menu find pedal #1 near the top of the list and set it to 28 which is the looper record command. That should solve it.
Click to expand...

There's no "Pedal #1" parameter in the left column. I think you're confused about what Externals 1-12 are. Those are modifier sources and there's no need to set one to CC#28. That means an incoming MIDI CC#28 would control parameters with External 1 as modifier source.

Ilan, try this:

1. Verify that your pedals are connected to the pedal port numbers mentioned (Pedal 2, Pedal 4)

2. At I/O: PEDAL verify correct pedal type for both (Latching or Momentary)

3. At I/O: CTRL make sure Looper Play & Looper Rec are the only items set to "Pedal 2" or "Pedal 4" (Set any other instances to "none" or the default CC# found in manual)

4. Remove "play" modifier in looper block if present (Deleting & adding looper block works)

Now see if the switches control the looper as expected.
 
sorry, still nothing... and after the removing of the "play" modifier the "play" also doesn't work.
I did all exactly as written above and in the beginning.
Again, thanks...
 
I've got it! I set on the Control page ext. 2 &4 (in the beginning of the page) to None and the pedal to momentary and that's it...
Now the Rec and Play works... Thanks
 
Ilan Virtzberg said:
I've got it! I set on the Control page ext. 2 &4 (in the beginning of the page) to None and the pedal to momentary and that's it...
Now the Rec and Play works... Thanks
Click to expand...
yes but, if you autoplay you need to press play button twice to stop. that's why I didn't buy any external switch
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom