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Tutorial: How to make a footswitch with led for Axe fx 2 for soloing boosting without batteries. Photos inside.

Maegirom

Member
Hi there! First, sorry for my english :sweatsmile: .
Usually I'm using a FCB1010 midi controller, but recently I've joined a metal band where I only need a main sound, and a booster for soloing.
First, about axe set up:
I can activate/deactivate several blocks with just one press. In I/O->ctrl menu, assign a external controler to "pedal" (i.e. "extr ctrl 4: pedal")
Now, you have to assign "extr 4" (or whichever you choose) to the BYPASS function of the effect/block
For example, I have a chain with GEQ-DLY-REV-FIL-CPR. All this chain goes on just with one press.
I'm GEQ to add a little mid/highs, delay, reverb (no need to explain), the filter to rise about 3dbs (level parameter), and a final compressor as limiter.
the filter block has the bypass option at the bottom of the list ;-P

I have to highlight that I already have a footswitch without led and it works as spected (latching). Curiosly, when you assign extr controller (pedal) to a bypass block, this block can only be activated or deactivated with that pedal. FxByp button doesn't work, AND if you don't have a pedal attached on the jack in, the blocks are activated by default with no option to deactivate it. This will be important later...

Ok, now the pedal:
I bought a cheap footswitch with led on amazon (chinese brand...), and of course this didn't work, but then I start to research.
First, the power (current) for the led. I wasn't sure about this so I attached a cable in the pedal in and measured with a voltmeter. From tip to sleeve it gave 5V. Great!
Then I tried with a led. One pin on tip, another pin on sleeve and... no light :-(
I had the idea to use a stereo (bad called) cable (TRS cable), and measure again. Tip to sleeve: 5V, ring to sleeve: 5V, BUT the led only turned on with a pin in the RING and the other in sleeve. Maybe someone can explain this???
I realized that:
  • With tip to sleeve circuit closed the blocks turned off, if no circuit the blocks get on (remember that by default blocks get on if no pedal attached).
  • When I attached the led pins to ring and sleeve (in order to have glow), the blocks qet ON, actually af I where cutting the tip tp sleeve circuit down. Anyway, this is what I want: activate blocks at the same time that led glows.
  • I'd have to use a TRS jack and cable

So, I don't dawdle anymore... Here are the pics and circuit that I made, and a video showing the final work.
Thanks for reading me, and I hope this could help some of you

PD: My doubt is: I don't think so, but is there anyway that this crazy thing could damage, something in the AXE? At the moment, I'm using it and everything seems ok :sweatsmile:

circuito.JPG

IMG_20200214_094822.jpg

 
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