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 Forum index » Instruments and Equipment » Strings and things
FC300 - Midi Controller
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BobTheDog



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:09 am    Post subject: FC300 - Midi Controller Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Moved this from the new gear forum, both myself and DJ have new FC300 pedals.



==============================================

Snap, hows it going?

How much force to you have to use to press the top of the pedals down to get the switch function? I am having to use a load of pressure!

I have only been using it with the sysex mode into the vg-99 so far, seems to do the job ok.

Still haven't worked out loads yet, will have to read the manual I think!

One useful thing I have worked out is getting the VG99 to send midi via the USB for the FC-300, neat.

Andy

Last edited by BobTheDog on Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:53 am; edited 1 time in total
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DrJustice



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yes, the expression pedal switches are very heavy to engage. I find that if I sit on a low chair (read couch!) I can't work them. Need to sit on a high chair or even stand...

I've only been using the sysex mode here too. I like how it's totally plug and play with the VG-99, and that the editing is done on the VG. The other modes seem very handy, but I reckon mine will be permanently hooked up to the VG in sysex mode. At least for now... Although if used in CC or Patch mode, I think the patch select switches can be used for anything you wish.

As an aside, I just found out that the USB connection can be used as a send/return, allowing you to stack up VSTs in the loop, in addition to it appearing as a plain sound card in Windows. Neat.

I'm really happy with this VG + FC rig. The VG UI is brill IMO Smile

DJ
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BobTheDog



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

DrJustice wrote:
As an aside, I just found out that the USB connection can be used as a send/return, allowing you to stack up VSTs in the loop, in addition to it appearing as a plain sound card in Windows. Neat.
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Wow, I didn't know that!

I must admit I have only been using the usb for midi, is the latency ok?

Andy
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DrJustice



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:17 am    Post subject: Re: FC300 - Midi Controller Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

BobTheDog wrote:
Moved this from the new gear forum, both myself and DJ have new FC300 pedals.

Good call!

Quote:
I must admit I have only been using the usb for midi, is the latency ok?

Well, I've not tested the send/return functionality yet; I've only read about it. Apparently you have to run the editor/librarian to get it hooked in, which is OK I guess. So I don't know about latency - I suspect you are in a better position to test that... The soundcard function works nicely with recording into Wavelab and playing mp3s etc.. The VG mixes the playback via USB with its own sound, so that's perfect for play-along practise.

DJ
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BobTheDog



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Well I have looked at the usb send/return functionality just now but haven't tried it out yet.

You can send from a variety of places but unfortunately not within the FX block which is a shame as it would be nice to have a send return to an amp sim on the computer placed anywhere in the FX chain.

So you can send from:

After COSM Guitar A or B
After FX A or B
Mixer Dry
Mixer Wet
Main Out
Sub Out

And return to:

Before FX A or B
Normal Pickup
Main Out
Sub Out
Main and Sub out.

Also it seems you are limited to one Stereo channel so you cannot use this on both A and B at the same time.

Might come in useful though, I will give it a go a bit latter and see how it is.

Andy
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BobTheDog



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Just added my new Motu midi interface and was getting some really weird digital noises whenever midi was coming from the FC300 then the machine pannicked
Shocked
Fri Oct 24 20:59:23 2008
panic(cpu 1 caller 0x001A8CEC): Kernel trap at 0x828d9f84, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x8001003b, CR2: 0x00000038, CR3: 0x00d8e000, CR4: 0x00000660
EAX: 0x00000004, EBX: 0x00000004, ECX: 0x0b96c0b0, EDX: 0x00000004
CR2: 0x00000038, EBP: 0x811dbc38, ESI: 0x0b96c0b4, EDI: 0x82b5cd7c
EFL: 0x00010246, EIP: 0x828d9f84, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x0bad0010
Error code: 0x00000000

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x811dba38 : 0x12b0fa (0x459234 0x811dba6c 0x133243 0x0)
0x811dba88 : 0x1a8cec (0x4627a0 0x828d9f84 0xe 0x461f50)
0x811dbb68 : 0x19eed5 (0x811dbb80 0xb6d0380 0x811dbc38 0x828d9f84)
0x811dbb78 : 0x828d9f84 (0xe 0x48 0x10 0x10)
0x811dbc38 : 0x828d9fcc (0xb96c0b0 0x0 0x202 0x0)
0x811dbc58 : 0x828d4a62 (0xb96c0b0 0xb6d0380 0x811dbc88 0x3ed537)
0x811dbc98 : 0x828d4ca7 (0xbbb6300 0xb659e00 0x20c6f00 0x82ab4000)
0x811dbcb8 : 0x40d9f2 (0x82ab4000 0xbbb6300 0x7 0x3eb700)
0x811dbcf8 : 0x41f97f (0xbbb6300 0x7 0xc00ce00 0x0)
0x811dbd28 : 0x40d898 (0xbacfe80 0x40d94c 0xbbb6300 0x7)
0x811dbd78 : 0x411aed (0xc00ce00 0x0 0x0 0xc00ce00)
0x811dbdc8 : 0x412020 (0x7 0xbbb6300 0x1 0x0)
0x811dbe28 : 0x412fa3 (0xbbb6300 0x7 0x0 0xffffffff)
0x811dbe78 : 0x412fdf (0xbbb6300 0x7 0x1 0x0)
0x811dbe98 : 0x812ec7b2 (0xbbb6300 0x3 0x1 0xbc22d00)
0x811dbeb8 : 0x8194cd79 (0xbbb6300 0x3 0x1388 0x0)
Backtrace continues...
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
jp.co.roland.RDUSB00B2Dev(1.0.0)@0x828ca000->0x828e2fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily(1.6.4b7)@0x8124d000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(3.1.5)@0x812df000
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub(3.1.5)@0x81947000->0x81951fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(3.1.5)@0x812df000
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(3.1.5)@0x812df000->0x81306fff

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:
9F33

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.5.0: Wed Sep 3 11:29:43 PDT 2008; root:xnu-1228.7.58~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacPro1,1 (Mac-F4208DC8)
Shocked
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Stream Operator


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Remember what Douglas Adams said: "Don't Panic!".
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Oskar



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PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

So, apart from strings of code and whatnot, how are you getting on with theFC300 - in a purely musical sense?
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BobTheDog



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PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Well it is nicely made, very solid, switches and pedals are pretty good.

The actual use though is a little crap.

All I want from a foot controller is the ability to change patch/song and have the unit send out a variety of messages on different midi channels to set other devices up and also then to be able to define what the pedals/switches do for that patch/song (what cc messages they send).

The FC300 can not do this easily, you have this crap idea of modes that when combined can nearly give you this functionality, so you can change mode to select a patch and send out the midi, then you have to press mode again to be able to send out CC messages to control things. Also you can only store five (I think) sets of controller setups and it is not easy to switch between these using your feet.

So for basic midi control I think it is a little limited.

For use with the VG99 it is much better.

It is also possible to take control of the pedal using sysex and actually have it do whatever you want but this would require quite a bit of code to be written.

So for use at home it is ok I think but for live use it may be a little limited.

Andy
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DrJustice



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PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Andy, did you get the USB/MIDI crash sorted?

On the FC-300, I definitely agree that the mode-thing could be better implemented. They should have unified the mode-stuff, so that you could use any pedal/switch for anything and provided a lot of user programs slots. However, it's still the most powerful pedal set out there AFAIK.

An alternative is the Behringer FCB1010, but that was not it for me (or the VG-99) - may well be the right choice for others though.

DJ
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BobTheDog



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PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Well it never crashed again so fingers crossed.

I have a FCB1010 and they can be quite good if you replace the firmware chip. In the standard trim not too hot!

I have been trying to work out the roland sysex stuff for the pedal in order to control it in the same way that the VG99 does. It looks pretty powerful you can even define your own fonts for display! As always though it will be time that will get in the way of this project.

Andy
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