External Expression Pedals

Started by Elantric, January 23, 2008, 06:34:25 PM

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4thought and 8 Guests are viewing this topic.

vanceg

#75
Quote from: Elantric on May 10, 2016, 02:12:30 PM
Another positive vote for the Hot One SP-10 Soul Press

Yeah, these in combination with the Audiofront MIDI Expression pedal to MIDI converters have been AWESOME. 

http://www.midiexpression.com/



Elantric


( . )( . )

#77
I have an old EB volume pedal (from the 90s), not a JR, no tuner out. I used to use this as my expression pedal for my MIDI Mate. I tried "programming" my DD7 delay with it, but it doesn't seem to work (check light won't turn orange). I tried switching the send/return cable inputs to the EB. Am I just doing something wrong, or is it just not compatible?

Edit - I figured out that if I put the pedal all the way off, I got the DD7 to program, but it doesn't work properly. It basically turns the DD7 off if I push the EB 2/3 of the way down...must be the wrong pot in there or something (obviously, I know almost nothing about electronics)...

Elantric

#78


All Boss pedals with Expression pedal inputs rely on Roland EV-5 -and can not calibrate for third party pedals

The old EB Vol pedals use a 500K pot or 25 K Pot (marked 25K)

Neither work as a Boss EV-5 ( which uses  a 10K linear pot) and with specific 1/4" TRS cable wiring  configuration described on 1st post in this thread   
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=33.0 
1.  Use a TRS jack
2.  Use either a linear (B-taper) 10K Linear pot
3.  Wire ground to the jack sleeve like normal
4.  Wire the high side of the pot to the jack ring terminal
5.  Wire the pot wiper to the jack tip terminal
6.  Low side of the pot goes to ground
If you don't know how to solder  or mod a pedal - get a genuine Roland EV-5 , they have been $60 at Amazon for a while

Alternatives


Nose Micro Expression
http://www.nosepedal.com/store/micro-expression

http://www.nosepedal.com/store/micro-expression

plans for building or modding third party pedals are here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=33.0 
 

( . )( . )

As always, thanks Elantric.

I might be able to handle modding the EB, but I still use it with the MIDI Mate from time to time. Looks like I'm getting an EV-5.

mapperboy

#80
Does anybody have a list of expression pedals which are 100% compatible with the VG-99?  I need more like the EV-5 but can't find cheap used ones and the new ones are around $100 now in Canada.
I've tried a few Korg expression pedals and they don't give the full 0-100 range of control.
I know it's something to do with the potentiometer resistance but don't know which other brands such as Moog, M-Audio, Yamaha may have same potentiometer as the EV-5.
-Thanks in advance for your info/experience.
"No such thing as spare time.
No such thing as free time.
No such thing as down time.
All you got is life time. Go!"
- Henry Rollins

gumtown

#81

There is a new Boss EXP out now, a smaller version of the EV-5
https://www.boss.info/us/products/ev-30/
Big Expression in a Small Footprint

For pro expression control in a compact package, there's no better choice than the BOSS EV-30. Its small footprint is perfectly suited for cramped pedalboards, while the die-cast aluminum chassis offers a rock-solid foundation and BOSS's famous rugged reliability.

A key feature of the EV-30 is an innovative internal mechanism that provides ultra-smooth feel and precise parameter control, delivering performance that rivals full-size pedals. And with two expression outputs, you can save further space by controlling two different devices from a single pedal. The outputs are electronically isolated, eliminating the possibility of noise issues from ground loops.

The EV-30 brings powerful real-time parameter control to the many BOSS compact pedals equipped with expression pedal inputs. It's also ideal for use with BOSS multi-effects processors and effects switching systems. A handy polarity switch provides compatibility with a wide range of music gear, allowing you to use the EV-30 with most devices that support expression control.



Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

QuoteDoes anybody have a list of expression pedals which are 100% compatible with the VG-99?

Start here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=33.0

fificap

Hi,

For information, i just receive a Lead Foot LFX-1 from thomann (24 euros or 19 euros from b-stock) which works perfectly as an EV-5 with GA-FC and Katana head 100.

@+
fifi

IanRamos

Quote from: gumtown on February 08, 2017, 08:31:56 PM
There is a new Boss EXP out now, a smaller version of the EV-5
https://www.boss.info/us/products/ev-30/
Big Expression in a Small Footprint

For pro expression control in a compact package, there's no better choice than the BOSS EV-30. Its small footprint is perfectly suited for cramped pedalboards, while the die-cast aluminum chassis offers a rock-solid foundation and BOSS's famous rugged reliability.

A key feature of the EV-30 is an innovative internal mechanism that provides ultra-smooth feel and precise parameter control, delivering performance that rivals full-size pedals. And with two expression outputs, you can save further space by controlling two different devices from a single pedal. The outputs are electronically isolated, eliminating the possibility of noise issues from ground loops.

The EV-30 brings powerful real-time parameter control to the many BOSS compact pedals equipped with expression pedal inputs. It's also ideal for use with BOSS multi-effects processors and effects switching systems. A handy polarity switch provides compatibility with a wide range of music gear, allowing you to use the EV-30 with most devices that support expression control.



im interested in that pedal , i wanna buy a Katana amp , and the only info i can find say that the compatible expression pedal is the Roland EV5 , however , it looks really cheap ...
that EV-30 looks fantastic , but im not sure it would be compatible with Katana

billv055

If you look for sales online you can pick up an EV-5 for a lot less these days.   With discounts I  bought one recently fro MF for $43.

gobi

Wow, what a cool option!!
Because all this pedals are so ugly, I bought myself a cheep, but good looking Wah. After changing the potentiometer to 10K, I recognized, the pedal didn't moved enough, I also changed this - the other possibility would to replace the potentiometer.

Completely happy with this solution, now I will work over my presets. As far as i understand, it's a "have to" to use a pedal then? Unclear how the presets will stay, if no pedal is used - in the middle position?
...sorry  for my bad english, i'm from germany

Redvers

If you want to convert a 25k pot so it works as a 10k, just put about  a16k resistor in parallel with it. 1/10k = 1/25k +1/16.66k.

The only drawback is the curve won't be as linear but you might not even notice it, it might feel better? Could even put the resistor in a patch cable, completely non destructive.

vanceg

Quote from: gobi on September 14, 2017, 05:03:23 AM
Because all this pedals are so ugly,

Wow, I never thought about the aesthetics of a foot pedal being a consideration.

gobi

...sorry  for my bad english, i'm from germany

admin

#90
Quote from:  jlagrassa
Hi guys I want to put the EV-5 10K pot ckt into a small enclosure with a foot switch to bypass the pot when I want full volume and off for a preset rhythm volume, can I just bypass the pot by putting the contacts across the Ring and sleeve? I'm just not sure how the GAFC will like that.





The Expression pedal bypass switch needs to be a double throw type ,

For expression pedal bypass - ( and go full volume ) switch must disconnect the TRS Tip connection from the Pot wiper and short it to the TRS Ring connection

------
jlagrassa wrote>

Thanks for the advice today, I whipped this up today and it works great and a lot less bulky than the EV-5. I  recessed the Pot and used a tension nut that it came with to help lock in the wiper  plus not having a knob you can accidentally change the pot setting. Added a light as well so you know your in the full volume mode (Lead Boost)!!

Here is a shot of it.


vtgearhead

I have been using an On-Stage pedal with my Katana and it doesn't really work very well.  The limit control acts at the high-end of the pedal - just the opposite of what you'd want.  Pedal pot is 100k, which makes the taper wrong.  The M-Audio (with wiper resistor bridged) looks like a better bet.

vtgearhead

Quote from:  Elantric on December 09, 2017, 01:56:19 PM

I suspect that M-Audio EXP1 scheamtic is drawn wrong

Schematic is correct.  I just received an EX-P and the switch must be in "M-Audio" position to function properly with GA-FC and Katana.  Mechanically, the pedal is almost identical to the OnStage unit. 

Elantric

#93
DIY EV-5 Expression pedal

1.  Use a TRS jack
2.  Use  a linear (B-taper) 10K Linear pot
3.  Wire ground to the jack sleeve like normal
4.  Wire the high side of the pot to the jack ring terminal
5.  Wire the pot wiper to the jack tip terminal
6.  Low side of the pot goes to ground


https://www.strymon.net/strymon-tech-corner-1-anatomy-of-an-expression-pedal/


Welcome to the first post of our new Strymon Tech Corner series! I will be posting technical articles on music electronics as part of our blog at least once a month. Pete, Dave and Gregg from our team may also write an article here and there when they can get time away from their PCB layout programs and DSP emulators. Hopefully you'll find these posts helpful and informative.

In this first edition I'll be going through the inner workings of the common expression pedal. Once we know how one works, then comes the fun stuff ... tearing them apart, modding, etc, etc. But that will be left to next month's article 🙂

expression pedal from moog

We knew from day 1 that we wanted some of our pedals to feature expression pedal inputs. So, the question was "what's the standard?" That is, do all manufacturers make their expression pedals the same way? Luckily the answer is yes ... mostly.

Expression pedals work by feeding a control voltage to a device, such as a guitar pedal or synthesizer. The voltage is read by the device and then used to change some type of parameter. The voltage range depends on the design of the pedal or synth. Our Strymon pedals, for example, read control voltages from 0 to 5 volts DC. Turns out that this is a fairly common voltage range, especially in music electronics where MIDI (a 5V system) is still popular and widely used after over 25 years. The expression pedal itself, however has nothing to do with the voltage range. It's only function is to manipulate that range and control the control voltage. The way almost every expression pedal out there works is that it takes a reference voltage from the device it's connected to, divides that voltage down by a certain amount and then feeds it back to the device. In electronic terms, this is most commonly accomplished with a TRS (tip / ring / sleeve) 1/4″ cable where the reference voltage is on the "ring," the control voltage is fed back to the device on the "tip" and the "sleeve" is ground.

Here  is what a standard 1/4″ TRS plug looks like:

As you can see from this 1907 diagram, TRS has been around for a long long time 😉



Here is the schematic for a typical expression pedal:



As you can see, the simplest and most common method is to use a passive potentiometer. A reference voltage from the device would enter the expression pedal jack on the ring. Then that voltage gets connected across a 10k load which is the resistive element of the potentiometer. When you move the expression treadle up and down there is a mechanical mechanism that physically turns the treadle potentiometer or "pot" as it's commonly known. You can visualize the arrow at pin 1 of the treadle pot moving from pin 3 to pin 2 as one moves his/her foot back and forth on the pedal. This is what varies the voltage at pin 1. This is the control voltage which then travels out of the pedal on the tip of the jack. R2 is only present as a current limiter and not applicable to this discussion.

The Moog EP-2, Roland EV-5, and M-Audio EX-P all work in this manner, and therefore, work with our pedals. The nice thing about this standard design is that the control voltage is very stable and the value of the potentiometer in the expression pedal doesn't matter so much. The Line6 EX1 is the only one we've see that works differently, with only a simple resistor divider and a mono cable. The nice thing about their solution is that it uses a mono cable. Two disadvantages are: 1. The expression pedal input circuit is highly dependent on the value of the potentiometer in the expression pedal.  2. Their products won't work with other manufacturer's expression pedals and vice versa.



admin


SS-01 SIDE STEP

The Side Step is a variable-state, tap-tempo LFO that can be used to control any pedal with an EXP input. Just plug it in and tap to create unique new sounds and effects. EXP thru jack allows connection of your fave expression pedal at the same time.  SS-01 can also be hard bypassed to use the slave pedal in standard operating mode.

http://www.godlyke.com/namm-winter-2018


Elantric


Elantric

https://www.amazon.com/Sonicake-Vexpress-Passive-Expression-Effects/dp/B077PVVC38/ref=lp_17579327011_1_6


True analog circuit design combines 2 functions in 1 unit, a passive volume and an expression pedal
Automatically detect and grab the output (EXP or VOL) objective. Smooth taper responds to various parameters with maximum precision.
An extremely compact miniature size saves quite some space on your crowded pedal board.
Working without battery or pedal power supply, it can be used in extensive range with guitar, bass and other musical instruments.
Made of hard plastic, lightweight casing, but yet very robust and well-built; Input Impedance(Volume Mode): 100k Ohms; Pot Resistance(Expression Mode): 10k Ohms; Dimensions: 148.5(D)*65.5(W)*61(H)mm; Net Weight: 250g.

admin


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/286562-REG/QuikLok_VP_26_U_VP_26U_Universal_Keyboard_Volume.html

Product Highlights

Ridged Rubber Surface
Shielded Metal Base Plate
Non-Slip Feet
Polarity Switch
Stereo 1/4" Plug
Works with Multiple Keyboard Brands

admin

https://www.westminstereffects.com/product/micro-expression-ts-trs/



Micro Expression (TS/TRS)
$29.99 – $39.99

The Micro Expression is a basic expression pedal in a compact package. It doesn't take up much space on your board and doesn't require any power. Grab a mono or stereo 1/4″ cable, depending on your connection, and you're ready to go. This pedal is available in three options – TS connection, TRS connections, and TS/TRS Connection with a toggle switch.

Compatibility
TS (Mono) Connections – Line 6, Eventide, Digitech products like the TimeBender.
TRS (Stereo) Connections – Boss, Electro Harmonix, TC Electronic, Zoom, Digitech, Strymon, JHS, and more. Contact support if you need to ask about compatibility with your pedal.