Placeholder MIDI Controller w/Scenes

OmegaZero

OmegaZero

Inspired
I could have sworn I saw this exact thread already, but I haven't been able to find it again...

Like many, I'm going to be selling my Axe II + MFC rig long before I can get an FC. Got my Axe 3 invite today, so I need to find something to use in the interim - preferably something cost-effective and small. Thinking through my specific needs, I believe I can get by with nothing more than scene control. Ideally I'd have 3-5 buttons which are able to take me to the corresponding scene. The problem is that none of the currently available smaller/cheaper controllers I'm looking at can do CC# + Value#. It seems like they all just do patch change and maybe a few static CC on/off. The Tech21 Midi Mongoose would be perfect - battery powered, pedal inputs, great form factor - but it won't do scenes. Does anyone know of a small $200ish controller that can specifically do CC# + Value# (scene change)?
 
Thanks for that Bakerman. I was hoping to get around using the mapping functions if possible. I actually ended up finding an RJM Mastermind LT for a good price - looks like exactly what I need.
 
One thing you might consider is just using presets instead of scenes. The change is pretty smooth on the 3 and will open up more cheap controller options
 
Just wanted to take a moment here to call out the folks over at RJM. My new Mastermind LT is the first product of theirs that I've owned, and so far I'm very happy with it. It's powerful, flexible, and the editor is great. Getting the Mastermind set up has been a much better experience than other non-Fractal controllers I've owned. I've worked with a few people there via email this week, and everyone has been friendly and super helpful. A fantastic company with good products and exceptional customer service.
 
I’m on the way to decide what to do: rjm LT and wait for Fc-12 or buy directly GT16.....

:confused:
 
Bakerman said:
How many presets do you expect to use? PCs can be mapped to specific preset + scene combinations on the Axe-FX.

Or check out the MC6, which could remain useful for additional control along with an FC eventually.

https://www.morningstarfx.com/product-page/mc6-mkii-midi-controller
Click to expand...

This MC6 looks pretty interesting Bakerman. I have two questions.

- It looks like the MC6 takes two expression pedals or switches. If I also use the ones on the back of the III (assuming I can) do the additional ones become 3&4 or 1&2. (Trying to program in advance)

- Today I use the midi jacks to change presets remotely (via Bandhelper which is fantastic) I guess i need to use Midi in/out to connect to the MC6. Does it need both or just midi out from III to MC6. (Wondering if I can use THRU to accomplish this)

Thanks if you know (you know a helluva lot more than me :))

MM
 
WITELITE said:
- It looks like the MC6 takes two expression pedals or switches. If I also use the ones on the back of the III (assuming I can) do the additional ones become 3&4 or 1&2. (Trying to program in advance)

- Today I use the midi jacks to change presets remotely (via Bandhelper which is fantastic) I guess i need to use Midi in/out to connect to the MC6. Does it need both or just midi out from III to MC6. (Wondering if I can use THRU to accomplish this)
Click to expand...

Pedal 1-4 always means Axe-FX pedal ports. Extra MIDI CCs can be set up as any of the (16) Ext Ctrls. At least I think that's how the Axe III works. The difference from the II is the onboard pedal ports no longer need to use an Ext Ctrl to be available as a modifier source.

I'm not sure I understand the second question. You'll need an MC6 MIDI Out > Axe-FX MIDI In connection for the MC6 to do anything. You'd also need a connection in the other direction if you want to trigger changes (from USB through Axe MIDI Out) on the MC6 like bank changes.
 
Thanks man. First part makes sense. And the second does too though today I send program changes from band helper to the midi in port of the axe fx. I use wireless midi devices which work very well for this. But if I use the MC6 I won't be able to do so as it will use the midi connection. (I think anyway). The FC6 can't come soon enough!
 
Has anyone attempted to use the Roland FC-300 with the III yet? I ran a search here and came up empty. Thanks.
 
Looking at the FC-300 now. No reason I can think of why it can't work. Especially in CC Mode.

Two questions (that I'm sure Bakerman knows the answer to)

- Can the Axe III send the state of CC's (on/off) to the device (FC300) when I change presets on the Axe? I'm assuming no as this is the bidirectional thing.

- I notice the midi light is on green all the time when I try the FC300. Does this mean that the device is sending stuff constantly? I'm used to the midi light only flashing when I do something on the MFC or expression pedals.

I'm also reading the FC300 manual :)

MM
 
I know this is not the default behavior, but is the III's scene control internally mappable in MIDI system menu to correspond to one CC 'toggling'?

I.e.
CC<a> changes value and that selects scene 1
CC<a+1> changes value and that selects scene 2
etc.

This would make it very easy for MANY MIDI controllers to work with just a little bit of config since it is much more common to have a CC mode where each footswitch is a control that just toggles one controller between 0<->127 rather than sets it to some discrete value like 1,2,3,etc as per the default mapping.

I was surprised when I found out the default mapping for AxeFxen was like that given how most MIDI controllers are not going to work like that without significant programming, where for many, the setup above would be a slam dunk.
 
It looks like you can assign a cc for scene select and one for increment and decrement.

There also looks like the potential to assign cc's for specific scenes.

From page 176 of the manual....

CC VALUE TO SCENE

When selecting Scenes using the global options found on the Other page of the MIDI/Remote menu under SETUP, the value of the designated CC# determines the Scene:

However, I do not see this option in the Axe. Perhaps a feature to be added?

MM
 
This is the way I'm interpreting it.

Lets say we assign CC 64 to "Scene Selection"
We would use 5 Switches to CC 64
The values of CC 64 would be different (0 for scene 1, 1 for scene 2, 2 for scene 3, 3 for scene 4, and 4 for scene 5) based on the spec on page 176.
My question was if not using the MFC where you can link the switches, you'd probably want the value of those switches to be the same for on and off.

Make sense? (I'm not sure that's how it works but that's what I'm thinking)

UPDATE - I did this and it works though I have the off value set to "off"

MM
 
WITELITE said:
My question was if not using the MFC where you can link the switches, you'd probably want the value of those switches to be the same for on and off.

UPDATE - I did this and it works though I have the off value set to "off"
Click to expand...
Does it work for multiple presses of the same switch?
 
zenaxe said:
Yup. And it would be so much easier to setup other controllers if it didn’t. :mad:
Click to expand...
I agree that scene selection would be improved for “dumb” controllers if there were a way to assign an individual CC number to a single scene.
 
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