couple of questions: Expression pedal and axe tuner

[B. Ste]

Hello, i just bought an axe fx 2 and i'm controlling it with my awesome mastermind.

First: I'm in the process of buying an expression pedal, but i do not like the ones that are told to be compatible with the mastermind in the FAQ section. I read that the boss FV500L is not working correctly, does anyone know if FV500H (used with an insert cable as wrote in the manual) will work as well? If not how can i modify the pedal in order to make it work?

Second: I want to use the tuner in my axe fx with my mastermind. how do i have to wire the unit? with two midi cables?

thanks!!!

 

[MartinCliffe]

I can help with your first answer. The Boss FV series are the wrong polarity for use with the Mastermind, using a TRS cable from the Expression out. If you're using an insert cable, both will work fine one way round, but strangely the other way - can't remember which way is which so you might want to try both.

You can fix the Expression output by just wiring up a phase reversed TRS cable - connect the tip at one end to the ring of the other end and vice versa. This should solve the problem - I've done this with my MasterMind, with an All Access and with a Yamaha TYROS keyboard, and they've all worked.

Basically the issue is that there were originally two ways of wiring expression pedals for keyboards, which is where they were first used. The Yamaha / Korg way and the Roland way. Oddly, more manufacturers of things-you-plug-expression-pedals-into have opted for the Yamaha approach to wiring, but some manufacturers of pedals (particularly Roland) have stuck to the other way. Some pedals have a polarity switch, which does the same job (and I really wish all pedals did) but for some reason Roland have never adopted this idea.

 

[B. Ste]

Thank you very much martin!! first problem solved so...I'mm gonna definitely buy an fv500h and wire the expression cable by reversing the tip with the ring, cause I really like the feel and the build quality of this pedal.