Need some help with MIDI

T

tburns517

Member
I'm new to the forum, wasn't sure where to post this. Sorry if it's in the wrong spot.

Anyway, I have an Eventide Space and I want to also purchase a OD808 in the near future. I'm running a 6505+. What I want to do is place all of my pedals in my rack, and control those pedals and the channels on my amp with a MIDI footswitch out front. For example, I would like to be able to switch my amp channel to clean and turn on a certain preset on the Eventide with one switch. I mainly want to do this to make set-up and tear-down on stage quicker and easier, as well as to make my setup neat. I know I am going to need a special cable to connect my amp since it does not suppot MIDI, however I do not know exactly what device(s) I need exactly to make this possible. I am sort of on a budget, but I just want to see what options I have. I've asked this question on multiple forums and no one can give me a straight answer as to what will work for sure. I know RJM is a very reliable company with MIDI devices so I figured I would ask here. I would appreciate any help you guys can give me. Thank You.
 
1 you need a midi foot controller
2) you need a unit to control the amp in this case either mini amp gizmo or amp gizmo with the approproate cable for your amp

and for any gear with no midi capability you place that in the loops of the amp gizmo which will give you simple on off control

mdi capable gear can be controlled directly from the foot controller
 
So all I need is the (Mini) Amp Gizmo and a MIDI Foot Controller? I guess I was a little confused because RJM also makes an Effect Gizmo, and I was thinking that I was going to need to buy that along with a/an (Mini) Amp Gizmo. So if I understand correctly, the Amp Gizmo can control pedals as well as channels on an amp at the same time? Basically I want to be able to have my own presets, so say switch 1 is delay with channel 1, switch 2 is delay with channel 2, etc.
 
the amp gizmo will control the amp and it has 8 loops which you can put pedals and other fx into and control the whole lot via midi. The Effect gizmo is basically 12 midi controlled loops no direct amp control functions although it is possible to control some amps with the effect gizmo.

From what your requirements are you ought to look at the amp gizmo or the mini amp gizmo
 
The amp gizmo has 8 switches - not loops - to control amp functions with, so I don't think you'll need just an amp gizmo - are you getting the amp gizmo confused with the rack gizmo? The rack gizmo would be what you're after if you're planning on changing amp channels and also complete control over separate effects loops.

If you only need one effects loop to switch in and out then just use an amp gizmo to switch the 6505+'s own effects loop, which at the moment with just the space pedal that's all you need. But to future proof down the road if you end up getting a pitch factor, mod factor and the other one I can't remember, then with the rack gizmo you'll end up with eight more fx loops to play with and switch on/off in any combination you like. Think of the rack gizmo as a framework to build your own custom multi fx pedal using regular stomps! :)
 
Well I am looking to control the 6505+'s effects loop and its channels, but at the same time I want to be able to set up my own presets so I can have one switch that just turns on preset 1 on the Eventide, another switch that turns on preset 1 but also switches to channel 2 on the amp, and another that turns on preset 2 on the Eventide, and so on. I felt like I needed more than the Amp Gizmo but I want to be 100% sure on that before I go to purchase everything. I would like to purchase the Rack Gizmo but it's really out of my price range. Are there any alternatives to the Rack Gizmo? I kind of want to only buy one unit that can switch the channels on my amp as well as control the pedals in my effects loop.

Edit:
Could any of this stuff do the trick?: http://www.peak2005.com/j/

Also have looked into the Voodoo Labs GCX and Rocktron Patchmate rack systems. Could I use any MIDI foot controller with those, or do I have to use the ones made from those companies?
 
As long as the effects pedals in your loop are all controllable by midi like the eventide pedals, then yes all you'll need is an amp gizmo. It's really easy to set up too. I used to have a 6505+ head and an amp gizmo (actually I still have the amp gizmo, just sold the head) and used it with a boss GT-8 running in 4CM mode. Any midi controller will do as long as it sends program change (PC) messages. For each preset you have you just need to tell the amp gizmo what channel you want, crunch on/off, and effects loop on/off. It literally takes 5 seconds per preset to set up.

check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztIS-GubTD4

The midi controllers on that page look fairly basic but yes they should do the job. But you should have a look at the RJM Mastermind. Can't say I've ever heard of the peak2005 controllers...
 
I currently have an Eventide Space, Boss NS-2, Korg Rack Tuner, BBE Sonic Max, and eventually will have an OD808 in my effects loop. Now with the OD808 I probably won't want to have that on when I switch to clean channel. Is that going to be an issue? I'm trying to picture how it will work and it is still a little fuzzy to me. I watched the video but I kind of would like to see someone running it with some more pedals. I considered the RJM Mastermind but I'm looking for a more simple controller with 4 foot switches and some bank switches.
 
Well then yes, you will need an effects gizmo as well if you want to be able to take the od808 in and out of the signal chain, I'm guessing that will go before the input to the amp anyways.
 
Ohh okay, so I'm better off going with the rack gizmo or something similar to it. I don't want to run into problems later down the road if I want to get another pedal. Are the Voodoo Labs GCX and Rocktron Patchmate similar to the Rack Gizmo?
 
they are similar to the effect gismo they provide loops although personally I think the loop onfiguration and the midi message control is better on the RFM units than both units and the floor version of the rocktron currently has some firmware issues.

Neither is like the rackk gizmo in providing dedicated switching for amps as well as loops for effects
 
Neither the GCX or Patchmate will be able to control your particular amp as the 6505+ has a 7 pin DIN connector at the back. Those units can only control amps with regular 1/4" switching jacks from what I can tell. Best to save up for the rack gizmo! OR if you can't wait you could get the mini amp and mini effect gizmos for $578 according to the main site.
 
I appreciate your guys' help. I was thinking and remembered my Eventide Space is MIDI capable, as well as the new Digitech Whammy pedal that I am looking to get. So with that being said, I would be able to get a Amp Gizmo or Mini Amp Gizmo to control the channels on my amp, and use the two pedals' MIDI capabilities with a MIDI Foot Controller out front to control everything. The only thing that might be an issue is the OD808 with the cleans, however, after looking through some YouTube videos it may not be too bad to leave that on all the time. Does this sound possible? I don't want to buy the Effect Gizmo for just one pedal.
 
Definitely. And you can always add the effects gizmo at a later stage if you're not liking the tap dancing with the OD808 or the cleans are too dirty.

OR... another option you could possibly look at if you're open to some small modifications would be to somehow wire in a relay and footswitch jack in place of the stomp button on your OD808 and you can use one of the spare function jacks on the full size amp gizmo to act as a remote controlled footswitch to your pedal... not sure if that's possible or not though!
 
Another thing I wanted to ask, since the OD808 will be on at all times, you think it would sound weird with the clean on and using some of Eventide's Delay/Reverb effects?
 
That would really depend on the context of the music you're playing, but even with the tone and drive controls at 0, the 808 will still colour your sound a fair bit and it I'd be surprised if you were happy with it. Best to have I off I think.
 
You are probably right, I am just trying to get my way out of paying for an amp gizmo and effect gizmo, haha. I just realized the Digitech Whammy only has a MIDI In so I don't think I would be able to plug the foot controller into the Eventide and the Whammy and then into the amp gizmo and have it work together. I was also thinking that buying the amp gizmo and effect gizmo separate might be a hassle because you have to plug them into each other to get them to work together, right?
 
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