Please recommend good Midi Control Pedals

Hello Community,

can you all please recommend any cool inexpensive foot pedals. I want to be able to play bass notes, patches, loops, whatever with my feet. I am not thrilled about having to pay 399 and up for “Organ” style pedals when I just want to be able to control Midi events with my feet. I think the Keith McMillan 12-Step might be what I am looking for but again I’d like to be able to stay under 200 (Euro, Dollars, whatever) and still have something programmable and flexible.

Any recommendations?

Best Regards,
Christopher.

Hi.

If you wish to control MIDI events with your feet, then this is what I do with a Roland FC300. However it is not cheap, but built like a tank and mine has never let me down in 8 years, The fact that you rarely see them on eBay and Roland are still making and selling them, says something about it… :slight_smile:

For your budget, I would look at something like a Behringer FCB1010 which is €159 in Thoman. I don’t have experience of it myself, but it should do the same job as my FC300. The link above gives the details and you can download the manual from there (click on See all documentation if a manual in your preferred language is not showing.

HTH
Derek

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I use a Behringer FCB1010 at every gig, but the pedals (switches) are more like what you would find on a guitar effects pedal than a piano sustain pedal. Might not be ideal for playing notes in a musical context, but it works great for MIDI commands like program changes, notes for triggering, etc. Hard to program, but if you follow the manual it’s not too bad. Built like a tank.

I got some Roland PK-5 for not much over that budget. They are built really well, and have a lot of clever functions, but I only have basic need of them, so most of that is wasted on me. The external PSU is an absolute pain.

I also picked up some secondhand basic MIDI pedals that go under the name of Technote MPB-1 (but are often badged differently). I bought them for 70 UK pounds. They do a good enough job if you’re not fussy, but they are light-weight and very plastick-y, and they also come with an annoying external PSU. They have proved very reliable, though, despite their less than pro build quality.

Sometimes I wish I’d kept my Taurus 3, but they were overkill for me (especially as I have some Taurus 1!).

Thank you for the recommendations. I think my needs are fairly simple. I would be triggering samples and playing chords more than bass notes or tones. i must admit though that some beefy Taurus sounds would be pretty cool as well.

Thanks again,
Christopher

Our bass player has the 12-step for triggering bass pedal sounds. They are tiny, light and easy to transport and have held up well over the years. However, they’re weird feeling. There’s no real feedback to know when you’ve really stomped those membrane switches down apart from the thing you want to happen either does or does not happen. And they ain’t cheap.

Hi FredProg,

The cost is what is keeping me away from the 12-Step at this time, but I think this will be the device I eventually decide to purchase. I will actually be playing less bass notes and more triggering Pads, or Samples. Either the Behringer or the 12-Step.

Thanks for your opinions and thoughts.

I’d look at the Logidy UMI3: http://a.co/1CV4XZD
It’s a USB Midi 3 footswitch controller, with an expression pedal input. It’s by far the cheapest option for adding an expression pedal to your setup.

I just purchased the FCB1010 - it is the BOMB-DOT-COM! Coupled with the FCB UNO Control Center, it is nothing short of a miracle. (Get the UNO Upgrade on Amazon, about $10.00 U.S. +shipping; about $15.00, NOT 25, 30, or more!!!) The UNO allows one of the rows of 5 pedals to be in ‘stomp box mode.’ This kills! Even though one CAN set ‘momentary’ vs. ‘latch’ within C3, this board, correctly configured is amazing! I use it to control my guitar rig, (various components), and the hideously-difficult-to-learn "Mobius’ looper software. KILLER BEANS! And yes, the pedals can be used as ‘sustain’ pedals; they’re a lot better than those little clams you can get. Never mind the two ‘gas pedal’ CC pedals you get with it. Gosh, TEN banks of TEN (plus 2) MIDI controllers! The software is about $30.00 US, and WELL WORTH IT!
FCB 1010 - $149.00 U.S. just about anywhere!
UNO Chip @ Amazon: HERE

FCB UNO Controller Software:

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Good news. Once you have used a set of MIDI pedals, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them! :slight_smile:

I bought a used FCB1010 from Guitar Center for $75 and ordered that UnO chip from amazon. Hope it’s as awesome as it looks. I really want to use it with Mobius.

Hello Everyone,
just a quick reply/update. I used a happy windfall to go ahead and pick up the Keith McMillian 12-Step. I made a good decision. This pedal is doing exactly what I need it to do and Cantabile works with it perfectly. The only “con” I would say and maybe i just need to get used to it a little better) is that the “white” keys, that is the buttons that are positioned like white keys on a piano are a little difficult to consistently trigger. I will try angeling the pedal a bit on my board and see if that’s easier. maybe it’s just my feet. But I now totally agree with Derek that a Midi Pedal system completely changes everything about how much noise I can make on stage… now i just have to get on stage!! Thanks for everyone’s input and advice.

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i’ve always trumpeted the Roland FC300 but the pots on mine have worn out quickly and now produce jumpy data.
having taken apart the FCB1010, Behringer use a different technique: they use red leds and a graduated filter. as you press the pedal more light becomes obscured by the filter. this looks a much more longlasting mechanism.