Pirate Midi

[Ejhart]

So I’m aware that midi cannot change “Views” or “Layouts” but what all can a midi unit do? I was hoping to use the Pirate Bridge 6 to sorta act like an FC6.

 

[Ugly Bunny]

MIDI can change banks, presets, scenes, block bypass, parameter values (by attaching the parameters to the modifier "External Controller" & I believe scene controllers,), tempo using SySex messages, the looper. If you dive into the MIDI/Remote menu, you'll see all the options. The best part is that all CC#s are freely assignable. I use MIDI extensively in my set.

 

[Ugly Bunny]

Yeah, the Pirate stuff would work fine, though it may not have all the functionality (not sure if it has a "hold" feature). Before the FC6 came out, I was using MIDI; a Behringer FCB1010 - as my foot controller. Now I use MIDI coming from OnSong on my iPad via Bluetooth to control my FM3 and Korg Kronos. I rarely even need the 3 foot switches on the unit. I'm all about having a simple, quick setup. And, while the MIDI took a little while to set up, it has saved an enormous amount of time at the actual gig.

 

[laxu]

I'd add that via MIDI you cannot sync the status of the FM3 to the MIDI controller itself as it doesn't understand what the FM3 is sending. That will pose some limitations on state management that you won't encounter with the FC6/12.

I use the XSonic Airstep combo with my FM3 and it works well since I don't need anything fancier than scene changes, tap tempo and tuner.

 

[Ugly Bunny]

I'd add that via MIDI you cannot sync the status of the FM3 to the MIDI controller itself as it doesn't understand what the FM3 is sending. That will pose some limitations on state management that you won't encounter with the FC6/12.

I use the XSonic Airstep combo with my FM3 and it works well since I don't need anything fancier than scene changes, tap tempo and tuner.

Good point. In other words, the MIDI controller will not know what state your FM3 is in, so if you count on the pretty lights to know whether an effect is on or not or what scene you're on, etc., you won't be able to count on that. That was one of the frustrations with the FCB1010 - when you push a foot switch, it lights up, but if you press another one, THAT one lights up and the original one, say, it was for a Drive pedal or something, goes dark. So now, when you hit the drive pedal's switch to turn it OFF, it will light up because, again, the MIDI controller isn't getting ANY information from the FM3. MIDI foot controllers can still be quite useful tools if you can't swing the extra clams for the FC6, but not the most ideal solution.

 

[laxu]

Good point. In other words, the MIDI controller will not know what state your FM3 is in, so if you count on the pretty lights to know whether an effect is on or not or what scene you're on, etc., you won't be able to count on that. That was one of the frustrations with the FCB1010 - when you push a foot switch, it lights up, but if you press another one, THAT one lights up and the original one, say, it was for a Drive pedal or something, goes dark. So now, when you hit the drive pedal's switch to turn it OFF, it will light up because, again, the MIDI controller isn't getting ANY information from the FM3. MIDI foot controllers can still be quite useful tools if you can't swing the extra clams for the FC6, but not the most ideal solution.

Exactly. I value the added buttons, lower cost, wirelessness and modularity of my Airstep setup but what you describe is definitely an issue since it has no screens. Units like the PirateMIDI would at least track their own internal status on their screen but that doesn't carry over between e.g. FM3 preset changes.

But if you mainly use presets and scenes rather than activate individual effects on the FM3 it's not going to be a huge problem.

I find on my pedalboard it's a bigger issue as I have different Airstep presets for controlling different pedals and it can't track which preset each pedal has on (except on the ones that have separate lights for that). So it requires a bit of remembering where you are since there's no screen to refer to.

 

[Casimir]

I suggested letting cc messages function as stand in switches in this thread. If that was the case midi could perform any function the footswitches can.

Midi capabilities could be greatly expanded by allowing midi cc messages to be mapped to stand in switches. As an FM3 user, this could really help make midi control smoother. Mapping could look something like:

MIDI SIS 1: cc-0, value-0, layout-1, switch-11 press.
MIDI SIS 2: cc-0, value-1, layout-1, switch-11 hold.
...
MIDI SIS 99: ... etc.

Currently, midi is pretty limited, possibly on purpose to promote FC controllers. Even with stand in switches, the FCs would still have value in my opinion as they would still have the easiest integration with the editor, and would still be the only true way to have two-way communication between the unit and the controller.

 

[stdout]

I'd add that via MIDI you cannot sync the status of the FM3 to the MIDI controller itself as it doesn't understand what the FM3 is sending. That will pose some limitations on state management that you won't encounter with the FC6/12.

I use the XSonic Airstep combo with my FM3 and it works well since I don't need anything fancier than scene changes, tap tempo and tuner.

re: MIDI & state

Fractal wiki entry - RJM Mastermind MIDI foot controller.

Morningstar recently reverse engineered some of the FAS protocol which allows for basic integration with the Axe-Fx III and FM3. Though having tried it I’m not sure the limitations are worth the effort. However I have a FC6 and might be of a different opinion if constrained to using a MIDI controller. I believe there is some provision in a new firmware load to have the Morningstar be aware of preset changes initiated from the Axe-Fx III and FM3 which could be useful.

 

[Casimir]

re: MIDI & state

Fractal wiki entry - RJM Mastermind MIDI foot controller.

Morningstar recently reverse engineered some of the FAS protocol which allows for basic integration with the Axe-Fx III and FM3. Though having tried it I’m not sure the limitations are worth the effort. But I have a FC6 and might be of a different opinion if constrained to using a MIDI controller. I believe there is some provision in a new firmware load to have the Morningstar be aware of preset changes initiated from the Axe-Fx III and FM3 which could be useful.

Thats incredible, ill have to give that a go! If that was combined with stand in switch capabilities, the MC controllers could do anything the FC controllers can.

 

[Ejhart]

Thanks for all the responses guys! I’m leaning on just going for the fc6. I was just really hoping to incorporate my drives in a looper to use similarly to the built in drives and to save on DSP.

 

[Casimir]

If I had my choice of any controller, I would go with the FC, I just already had a MC6 and I don't want to go through the trouble of selling it at the moment.