Assigning Expression Pedals with IA Buttons

[JES]

Hi There,

I think I'm doing this wrong, or at least I'm getting a weird behaviour. I've got an expression pedal plugged into my PBC6x that controls an Eventide H9 and a Source Audio Ventris via MIDI. I then use two IA foot switches so that in any given preset, the expression pedal can control one or both of the pedals via the MIDI expression pedal CC.

But it seems that even when I have them set to "on", I need to turn them off and back on in order for the expression pedal to work. The behaviour is absolutely consistent (the workaround is obvious but a hassle). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this?

I'm attaching my setting for those two buttons in case it helps. Exp 1 is H9 and Exp 2 is Ventris.

Thank you.

 

[rjmmusic]

Remember that you have two buttons there, and they'll both trigger on preset change. This is pretty much guaranteed to be a conflict.

For example, if you have The Ventris Exp button on and the H9 Exp button off, the first button will load up expression pedal block #2, but the second will load up expression pedal block #0, effectively cancelling the first one. By turning the Ventris button off and on again, you're making it select exp pedal block #0, then exp pedal block #2, which corrects the problem.

Groups are probably the best way to fix this. Set both buttons to group 1 (or your first unused group if you aren't using groups). In the Globals tab, select that group at the bottom of the screen. Turn on "Allow all buttons off" and turn off "Send Off Messages" .This will make it so that only one button (the one that's turned on) will affect the expression pedal.

You could also use a single IA Cycle button. This would have the benefit of only needing one button to get the same job done.

 

[JES]

Thank you. That explains it!

When you say an IA cycle button, you mean I'd set up the following actions in sequence?:

Zero state:
1st press: H9 on
2nd press: Ventris and H9 on
3rd press: Ventris on, H9 off
4th press: both off, back zero state.

Or do you mean something else? I like this, as I could assign colours which would tell me what's what.

If so, does that arrangement resolve the conflicting MIDI messages, since it's still sending messages to both H9 and Ventris?

 

[rjmmusic]

Yes, that's more or less correct.

It would look something like this:

System / Exp Pedal #1 off:None on:0
System / Step
System / Exp Pedal #1 off:None on:1
System / Step
System / Exp Pedal #1 off:None on:2
System / Step
System / Exp Pedal #1 off:None on:3

And then set up block #0 to have no expression pedal assignment, #1 with a CC assigned for the Ventris, #2 for the H9 and #3 for both.

There won't be any conflicts, because it will only be selecting one expression pedal setting per button press / step.

 

[JES]

Thank you.

 

[JES]

Update: it seems to be working. I've created a 3rd expression pedal for the RJM that's "both" the H9 and the Ventris (expression #3).

One other unrelated question. Right now I have foot switches set up to move presets up and down on the H9 and Ventris. But let's say I want preset 1 on the RJM to call up preset 9 on the H9, do I just use the up and down switches to select the preset I want and then save it, or is there a better way?

("Presets" is what I call the page to all up presets on other pedals; "Song" is what I use to call up presets on the RJM).

 

[rjmmusic]

You could use the PC -/+ buttons to select a preset and save it by holding the Function button, or edit the PC number sent to the H9 in the Presets tab - both will give you the same end results.

 

[JES]

Thank you!