KMI SoftStep Foot Controller

Started by vanceg, October 28, 2010, 01:36:58 PM

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vanceg

Quote from: Lil_Cthulhu on October 27, 2010, 09:10:21 PM
Which pedal did you opt for and what are your overall impressions? 

I've been on the FC-300 fence for a couple of weeks now, so I'm curious to hear from those on both sides; especially from one that's leapt over.

I've gone with the Keith McMillen SoftStep: http://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/softstep/
It weighs about a pound, it's REALLY small to carry around, it's ENTIRELY programmable using a computer (I don't have to slave over a small LCD display) and it has this "little" feature whereby all of the buttons/pads on it can be used as X/Y or pressure control pads to provide continuous control messages.  So I'm setting mine up now where I have 5 buttons which change patches on the VG-99, and 5 more buttons that turn effects and amps on/off, then I can switch modes and control things like Reverb Time, or Filter Frequency using the X/Y pads. 

I haven't put SoftStep into MIDI only mode (where it works without a computer attached) but I plan to do that this weekend and connect it directly to the VG-99 (I typically use a laptop when I play...so it's connected through the laptop...but it doesn't have to be).

I am also very interested in the Fractal Audio MFC-101. http://www.fractalaudio.com/products-mfc-101-midi-foot-controller.html  It appears to have taken some of the best features from several other devices, and put them all into a slightly smaller and very feature-packed case.  If weight wasn't as much of an issue for me, I'd consider carrying one of these around too.

Macciza

Quote from:  vanceg on October 28, 2010, 01:36:58 PM
I've gone with the Keith McMillen SoftStep: http://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/softstep/
.../ snip / ...

So have I - have you got yours ? I am still waiting for the first 100 shipment? Must be on its way . . .
Will still be using FC300 and a custom controller for the amps etc . . .
And of course- extra switches & controllers on the guitar, don't forget that . . .
MM
'70s Strat, Brian Moore iM, VG-8, VG-99, FC-300, VL-70m, StringPort, SoftStep, Sentient6, iMac QC i7 27".

vanceg

Quote from:  Macciza on October 28, 2010, 11:34:41 PM
So have I - have you got yours ? I am still waiting for the first 100 shipment? Must be on its way . . .
Will still be using FC300 and a custom controller for the amps etc . . .
And of course- extra switches & controllers on the guitar, don't forget that . . .
MM

Yes, i did receive mine.  Had it for a little over a week.  Even nicer than the prototypes from last year's NAMM!

Vance

Macciza

OK - I have the shipping notification so I guess it will rock up this week, cool. Do either of you have or plan to get the StringPort as well, I have the MIDI only vers at the moment but will be upgrading to the full suite soon.
I think the SoftStep will augment VG nicely and complement the FC functionally. Look forward to swapping VG/SS patches soon . .
Cheers
MM
'70s Strat, Brian Moore iM, VG-8, VG-99, FC-300, VL-70m, StringPort, SoftStep, Sentient6, iMac QC i7 27".

vanceg

Quote from:  Macciza on November 02, 2010, 01:20:59 AM
OK - I have the shipping notification so I guess it will rock up this week, cool. Do either of you have or plan to get the StringPort as well, I have the MIDI only vers at the moment but will be upgrading to the full suite soon.
I think the SoftStep will augment VG nicely and complement the FC functionally. Look forward to swapping VG/SS patches soon . .
Cheers
MM

I also am running StringPort. Full version.

vanceg

Oh yes. It sends standard MIDI CC, PGM (etc) messages.  No problem!


LPHovercraft

I just bought one of these, and considering ways to integrate it. Has anyone put together a template for it to emulate an FC-300?
Houston Haynes - LPHovercraft

vanceg

Quote from: LPHovercraft on March 26, 2011, 07:25:00 AM
I just bought one of these, and considering ways to integrate it. Has anyone put together a template for it to emulate an FC-300?

I've been using one with the VG-99 for quite some time now. 
I didn't really try to emulate the FC-300 because the SoftStep can't send the SysEx messages that the FC-300 does (well, in theory it could, but one would have to do an awful lot of non-standard programming with the Softstep and would have to know all the SysEx messages that the FC-300 sent and received).

So what I've done is created one 'scene' (a scene is a definition of what each of the 10 keys on the Softstep do)  that just lets me change patches on the VG-99, then several scenes which send MIDI CC messages. I map the CC messages to turn on and off effects, change tunings, change guitar models, switch pickups, turn Freeze on and off...whatever.  Then I have one scene that I use for real-time control which uses each one of the Softstep Keys as pressure sensitive buttons.  This I map to control things like the Bend, Whammy, Filter, changing reverb times etc.

Softstep is really, really flexible.  And about 1/13th the weight of an FC-300 (so, I could carry 13 of them for about the same weight as an FC-300.... That means I'd have 130 buttons, each one of which could be used as a standard switch, or as a pressure sensitive "x-y" pad.)  But it does require some programming. 

My approach has been to try to standardize all of the MIDI commands I assign in each of my VG-99 patches. That is, I try to use the same MIDI messages to serve the same purpose on each patch. I might have one message that turns on distortions, one that turns on chorus, one that controls reverb time, etc.   It's a pity (and PITA) that the VG-99 doesn't allow uses to copy-paste their MIDI controller assignments. That would make this process much faster!

I've used the Softstep with the optional MIDI output expander, and connected it directly to the VG-99, and I've also used it in Hosted mode where I send MIDI from the softstep via USB to the softsteps host software, then the Softstep host software sends MIDI via USB to the VG-99.  Both work great.

It does take a little time to program what you want in Softstep, but at least they have very powerful programming software that really is quite useful. 

Let me know what you plan to do with the SoftStep!


LPHovercraft

Thanks - I was thinking of connecting the Softstep directly to my Open Labs DBeat, mainly because I have the MIDI out of the DBeat connected to the VG-99 and VB-99. The "trick" is that I have an FC-300 so I'm already "committed" to that footprint for the VG - so I *might* just get another one for the VB and use the Softstep for controlling Ableton Live or other software on the DBeat while playing the Megatar. I'm looking at triggering Steinberg's Loopmash in real time as well as some form of control of the Arranger track in Cubase (and may forego Live altogether, since Cubase is my main sequencing platform). That said, I'm tempted to Host it through the DBeat to one of the V units... I'm still feeling my way through it. Your implementation sounds pretty wicked, and definitely a tack I would take if I go that route. For now it's about seeing what's plausible and what's possible - then honing it down to what will "just work". :)
Houston Haynes - LPHovercraft

fokof

I got the SS mainly to control Live for looping /Start-Stop  /Taurus mode etc... and I thought it would replace my FC300 but no. The integration of the FC with the VB is so strong. I would loose all those assignation and would only have the 16 for CC'ing with the softstep.

One big thing I missed the FC300 on the lone gig I brought the SS :
- The tuner visual on the FC !!!
(That is worth a million bucks when you don't have it)
-the "see" what patch your in (more than 4 letters)

So I'll keep the FC300 , and use it with my VB99 and the SS will be used for all the CPU duties.

(trying to setup to control MOTU's CuemixFX right now)

LPHovercraft

Thanks for chiming in. It's interesting that it does feel kind of "odd" to be using two totally different interfaces to control very similar devices. That said, as a keyboard player I haven't been much of a shoe-gazer, so I'm a bit out of my comfort zone from the get-go. I have toyed with the idea of getting another FC-300 for the VB, but I'm forcing myself to go through the motions of identifying the need before I add the clutter/expanded footprint to the rig.
Houston Haynes - LPHovercraft

cell7

Sorry for opening an old thread, but it seems that there are 2 or 3 separate threads already on the softstep so it didn't seem like we needed to make a new one.
Anyways, I just picked up both a softstep and an fc300 (both pretty cheap on the Dutch version of eBay). One idea was to use the softstep when I need a smaller rig, but I'm not sure I want to spend the setup time to get the softstep to work as a solitary controller.
Just wondering if anyone else here is using them together, perhaps using the softstep for a stombox plus xy controller kinda thing and keeping the fc300 for regular duties? I would be very keen on taking full advantage of the continuous controller options of the softstep.
Well here we go, I'll let you know how I go but hope to hear how other people are using the combination.

fokof

The great thing about the FC is that in CC mode , it is a stomp box controller.


I did use the SS to replace my FC ( long story short: had to bike to the gig so the weight was a story)

All my patches have the controllers in "stomp box mode"  so I just had to make the same CC patch on the SS. Piece of cake.
I just had to "sacrifice" some of the 16 controllers for specific stuff.
( just copy your patch as "SS controlled" )

LPHovercraft

Yeah - I eventually sold my FC-300 (and the Roland stand) mainly because I didn't have space for it in my travel rig (I keep the VG-99 and VB-99 on a keyboard stand side-by-side). I'm doing a few things with the SoftStep, including re-mapping the Line 6 template to work with the VG/VB units (top row are stomp buttons and bottom row are different types of continuous controls). I'm starting with the basics and going from there.

Since each VG/VB 'factory' patch is empty on the Assignable controllers, I have pretty much come up with a 'template' on the processor side that knows the 'first' button are controllers 2 & 3 (CC2 is a 1 to 127 'switch' on the top button and CC3 is a continuous control that's continuously controlled from the lower 'button' on the SoftStep) and so forth. That allows me to do the mental gymnastics of figuring out 'which' parameter(s) to control.

To a certain degree, if you're mapping the FC-300 controls over to the assignables that the SoftStep accesses it makes it *somewhat* easier logistically because you know what's "right" for the way you control the tone. That said, there are LOTS of things you can do with the SoftStep that you can't do with the FC, but that might be more of the interest of synth geeks like me. It depends if you want to stomp-and-go or if you're looking to do more fancy/orchestrated stuff. I'm starting with the basics and definitely have a more ambitious long-term agenda. :-)
Houston Haynes - LPHovercraft

celestmark

I just got a SS and would really like to know if you could share a template! Feeling kind of lost on this thing, but I know it'll work eventually!  ???

Quote from: fokof on January 24, 2012, 02:15:04 PM
The great thing about the FC is that in CC mode , it is a stomp box controller.


I did use the SS to replace my FC ( long story short: had to bike to the gig so the weight was a story)

All my patches have the controllers in "stomp box mode"  so I just had to make the same CC patch on the SS. Piece of cake.
I just had to "sacrifice" some of the 16 controllers for specific stuff.
( just copy your patch as "SS controlled" )

LPHovercraft

Start with the templates for Line6 and route those controllers in to do the same thing within the VG/VB. Honestly - there's more work on the Roland side than on the KMI side if you're going to use the device as a simple stomp board.
Houston Haynes - LPHovercraft

shawnb

#17
I've been considering getting a Softstep as a more lightweight & hopefully more easily programmable solution.  But I found this troublesome post:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=5990.msg41383#msg41383

There are several similar posts on other forums out there...   

It seems the solution is to turn off the backlight.  Is the Softstep really that noisy with the backlight on?
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

Elantric

#18
QuoteIt seems the solution is to turn off the backlight.  Is the Softstep really that noisy with the backlight on?
Yes it is.
Keith MacMillian Instruments tech support suggested turning off the background illumination on the SoftStep and that solved the problem. They say its "quite common." Here is part of the email they sent:

QuoteThe noise you're hearing is actually a common thing. The SoftStep does emit a sound while the backlighting is on. It is caused by the electroluminescent wire used in the SoftStep (which was the only way to light up such a large surface while remaining so thin).

Your body acts like an antennae — when you step on/near the SoftStep the energy travels through you and gets picked up by guitar pickups/microphones/etc.

Wear lead boots, or
Or wear Conductive socks to shield your feet, and kill the EMF Noise (which is in the Audio frequency spectrum) generated by the DC-DC 48 Volt switching power supply that powers the Softstep Backlight.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=5990.msg41384#msg41384



http://www.lessemf.com/personal.html

CONDUCTIVE SOCKS


shawnb

That website is qutie funny, offering lined boxer shorts & tank tops, etc.   

You know, the socks might work, but it feels a little...  too... I dunno...

Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

Elantric

#20
Hey - thats a pic of my family with our Solar Flare EMF protection hats we wear everywhere.
Let them laugh, Does not hurt to be prepared ;)



vanceg

Yes it is. However, if I do not use the magnetic pickup from my guitar, but ONLY use the GK-3, I do NOT get any humm from the Softstep. 

I simply turn the backlight off. Note that this does NOT turn off the LED based lights on the softstep which work just fine and do not create humm.

Macciza

I have never had any particular problem with excessive noise from it even with backlighting on . . .
'70s Strat, Brian Moore iM, VG-8, VG-99, FC-300, VL-70m, StringPort, SoftStep, Sentient6, iMac QC i7 27".

vurnt99

I have a KMI Softstep & 12 Step as part of my rig & I don't have any noise issues. I also have a small battalion of Ebtech Hum Eliminators http://bit.ly/YaioTA  that I utilize to KILL USB hub, harddrive, & 13 Pin noise. They are MiRACLE boxes. The little silver Behringer Hum Destroyer http://bit.ly/12EGQzC is also quite good though not as well engineered as the Ebtech. If you connect your VG to other VG/GR devices or to a laptop THEY WILL HELP. Also USB cables with ferrous core collars may help noise-wise. I also use clip on Ferrous collars from Radio Shack on all my 13 pin cables

(The above links are NOT Radio Shack, Musician's Friend, or Planet DJ Endorsements, get them where you want)

Elantric

QuoteI have a KMI Softstep & 12 Step as part of my rig & I don't have any noise issues. I also have a small battalion of Ebtech Hum Eliminators http://bit.ly/YaioTA  that I utilize to KILL USB hub, harddrive, & 13 Pin noise. They are MiRACLE boxes. The little silver Behringer Hum Destroyer http://bit.ly/12EGQzC is also quite good though not as well engineered as the Ebtech. If you connect your VG to other VG/GR devices or to a laptop THEY WILL HELP. Also USB cables with ferrous core collars may help noise-wise. I also use clip on Ferrous collars from Radio Shack on all my 13 pin cables

(The above links are NOT Radio Shack, Musician's Friend, or Planet DJ Endorsements, get them where you want)

Excellent recommendations, thanks for posting what works to solve your noise issues.