Controlling the Katana 100w head - alternatives to GAFC

Started by ru32day, March 18, 2017, 03:47:12 AM

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ru32day

Hi VGuitarForums gurus. I'm reaching to ask whether one of you knowledgeable forum veterans can set me on the right research path so I can set up a GAFC alternative to control my new Katana head without an intermediary device having to remain attached after setup.

I'm prepared to research, program and troubleshoot, but not to solder :)

Most of the commentary on midi control seems to be about going via USB which requires a Pi or similar and Snhirsch's very clever program.

Since the head has a midi port, are there options open to me without this intermediary step?

The options and questions running through my head (and now my head is spinning) have been:

  • FB1010 - this looked the most likely candidate, although pricey, but how do I assign functions when most of the Katana's midi commands seem to be undocumented ... and since doing it manually would drive me insane I'd also have to find suitable software to program the FB1010 with - which if any of the two or three PC alternatives I saw on the net works - or would it be simpler to do via iOS (does the specific app FCBFF work - or would mididesigner do the trick)?
  • GT100 - only considering this as I already have one and maybe it can be programmed the same way as the FB1010 (though I've never tried to do this).
  • An iPAD midi program like setlist (or again maybe mididesigner could help here esp if there was a template) to pass parameters to Katana and use a bluetooth footswitch like the iRiG Blueboard - again only considering this because I already have a blueboard?

I'd be really grateful if someone can help with advice on which, if any of these options would be most likely to be successful, so I at least know what I should be learning about!

Any hints about where to find information to assist would be a bonus and also gratefully received.

Oh as background, here in oz we seem to get shipped only table scraps from the US. My local store told me yesterday that the GAFC is the most backordered item ever - they said something like only nine came into the country in the last shipment and although they got four of them, it didn't touch the sides of their existing backorders. They couldn't predict when one would come available :(

Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give.

RU

vtgearhead

#1
Quote from: ru32day on March 18, 2017, 03:47:12 AM
Most of the commentary on midi control seems to be about going via USB which requires a Pi or similar and Snhirsch's very clever program.

Since the head has a midi port, are there options open to me without this intermediary step?

The options and questions running through my head (and now my head is spinning) have been:

  • FB1010 - this looked the most likely candidate, although pricey, but how do I assign functions when most of the Katana's midi commands seem to be undocumented ... and since doing it manually would drive me insane I'd also have to find suitable software to program the FB1010 with - which if any of the two or three PC alternatives I saw on the net works - or would it be simpler to do via iOS (does the specific app FCBFF work - or would mididesigner do the trick)?
  • GT100 - only considering this as I already have one and maybe it can be programmed the same way as the FB1010 (though I've never tried to do this).
  • An iPAD midi program like setlist (or again maybe mididesigner could help here esp if there was a template) to pass parameters to Katana and use a bluetooth footswitch like the iRiG Blueboard - again only considering this because I already have a blueboard?

If you want to use only the FCB1010 and the Katana with no other intermediate device, then you are limited to only the very few functions that Roland exposes as PC or CC commands.  Elantric has posted the listing many times in this forum.  All the really interesting stuff requires sysex commands.  AFAIK the stock FCB1010 firmware has no ability to send sysex.  The Uno chip prior to version 1.0.4 did, but I think the length of the command was somewhat limited and I'm not sure you can tie an expression pedal to it.  In any event, sysex support was dropped as of 1.0.4 to make room for other functionality.  Regardless of what firmware you use, run - do not walk - to your computer and purchase FCB Uno Control Center.  Trying to maintain programming of any complexity without it is cruel and unusual punishment.

If a GT100 issues MIDI (I know nothing about the unit) then I suspect this will be limited to PC and CC, putting you back in the same corner.

Any iPad / IOS app that can be programmed to produce sysex commands could theoretically be useful.  But, this is not a particularly user friendly way to go about things. 

If you can avail yourself of an Android device, then Condor's cool little app will work for you right out of the box.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=22595.0


All this being said, Codesmart's MIDX-20 is a great turn-key solution.  No programming required, no soldering required.  Granted it's not a trivial expense, but still quite a bargain when you consider the flexibility. 
http://www.primovasound.com/midx_20.html