MIDI Help

[cholera]

I've been umming and ahhing for a long time now about getting a rack effects unit. However I still want a small pedal board for a few trusted favourite pedals like an OC-3 etc....because of this I want a small footprint midi controller, and so far have a had a couple offers from NZgers but I think they may be way more than I need. I have been trying to figure this out for a while but still have one question that I can't find an answer too. Will try make it as simple as possible-I have a Midi preamp (triaxis) and the Midi mouse controller was great for selecting presets, but what I want to know, is if I had a midi effects unit (G major 2 is what I'm looking at) can selecting one preset on the controller control both the preamp AND the effects unit?
I'd like to change from main dirty sound which is for example, preset 10 on the triaxis, to a different preset on the Triaxis but ALSO bringing in Chorus on the TC at the same time. The only midi controller Ive had any experience with was the tech 21 stuff which simply goes from 1- 128, and I'm pretty lost when it comes to the difference between presets/channels/program changes. My thinking is I may need a more advanced controller? if anyone can help with this I'd be stoked. I really just want to be able to turn on 1 or 2 effects with one stomp (which is kinda the point of MIDI controllable effects to an extent I thought?) as well as control the preamp at the same time.

[Kloppsta]

in short - yes.

The G Major (and probably the Triaxis too) will have Midi Thru. This means you can run a midi cable from the foot controller (midi moose or similar) to the MIDI IN on the G Major, then another short midi cable from the MIDI THRU on the G Major to the MINI IN on the Triaxis. If the Triaxis and G Major both have MIDI THRU then you could connect either one first, it won’t make a difference.
You should then be able to programme presets on the triaxis and G Major and store them to the same button press (midi CC message) on your foot controller. That way when you press one button the preset will be activated/changed etc. on both units at the same time. Depending on how quickly the Triaxis and G Major are at responding to CC or PC messages you may or may not experience a small delay before one or both units change and engage the new preset. Hope that makes sense?

[cholera]

Thanks!! I know they both have Midi thru, and that is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Little concerned about the potential for delay though. I guess I just have to bite the bullet and try it out. Is there any reasoning or logic as to what causes delay? Ie, am I less likely to have delay if I'm only using 2 midi devices as oppsed to a giant rack? or does it really just depend on the device in question?

[Kloppsta]

its not really the midi transmission that causes the delay, more the processing power of the units in question. with something like the G Major 2, it will be a DSP processing power issue if there are delays between switching presets. If the delay doesn't happen when running the unit stand alone, it is unlikely to be there when run in the midi config you are planning on. the "Thru" function shouldn't add any perceivable delay at all.

When you change patches on the triaxis currently do you notice any delay at all? If not, then thats the first box ticked.
I would then do some researching on the G Major 2 and see if people notice any delay when switching presets/patches on that. If they do, then you may run into problems. The delays are normally very short (just the time it takes to load the new preset) and a lot of people dont even notice it. if you are changing between a dry dirty patch to a clean patch with delay & reverb for example and you need the cut over to be "instant" then it might bug you.....that is if the switching delay exists at all!

[Kloppsta]

http://support.tcelectronic.com/entries ... ng-presets

http://forum.tcelectronic.com/topic/130 ... g-presets/

[cholera]

Thanks again, all very helpful. There is no delay when changing presets on the Triaxis, so this is sounding better. I'll have a bit more of a look into the Gmaj2. They seem to be pretty pretty cheap, and it seems crazy considering I was using 4 of the TC tonepront pedals, which cost me more than the Gm2 I'm looking at, which also has a lot more options obviously.

[Kloppsta]

all gravy. only thing with something like the g major 2 is that it can be a bit tiresome to program. not the friendliest UI in the world.
what sort of effects are you keen on using? another option that would be cheaper again and MUCH easier to program, and some would say even better sounding would be to pick up a line 6 M5 and stick that in your rack somewhere! wont look as pretty and will only do 1 effect at a time (g major does 2 i think?) something like the line 6 m9 would also be trick! you could run 3 effects simultaneously with that unit, and its a CRAP ton easier to program compared to the g major. has the added bonus that you could pull it out of the rack at any point and put it on the floor in front of you if you wanted to go "stomp box" style at any point.

[Conway]

Let me just say one thing... Kemper.

[Eruera]

The gmaj2 has midi mapping is well which I find quite crucial. That means when you send eg program 10 to it for the triaxis you can choose any patch number on the gmaj to correspond with that

[cholera]

Im really using very basic effects, chorus and flanger is all I really use now but I like the idea of HAVING delays and verbs when I want them. The pitch shifting is also a bonus, as well as simple stuff like having a tuner built in, which is just another pedal I can ditch.
A Kemper is a little out of my reach at the moment anyway Conway, though I did enjoy recording with one a while back. Also I only have one rack space, not sure if a stomp box modeller would squeeze in there? Whatever I get, it needs to fit into one rack case.
Eruera-do you mean when I select program 10 on the pedal, I can assign any preset on the G major to go with 10? This is where I'm confused, and I tought Kloppsta had already answrered this, but you said program, not preset. Is preset what you meant?

[cholera]

I don't think that will squeeze into one unit. One last question....if the effects capabilities in the GM2 are probably more than I need then perhaps some of the simpler ones (of which there is quite a few now on trademe) would do. Is the midi mapping something that I really need if I want to control the TRI and the GM2 from the one controller Eruera? I've had a brief look at the TC M-1, M-350, a lexicon.....theres a ctually so many out there and I have no idea what I'm looking for except I don't like the idea of only being able to use one or two effects at a time!! is that a fairly common occurence in rack mount effects units? I assume the Gmajor has those limitations, then all the older basic ones will be as limiting, if not more so.

[Eruera]

Im really using very basic effects, chorus and flanger is all I really use now but I like the idea of HAVING delays and verbs when I want them. The pitch shifting is also a bonus, as well as simple stuff like having a tuner built in, which is just another pedal I can ditch.
A Kemper is a little out of my reach at the moment anyway Conway, though I did enjoy recording with one a while back. Also I only have one rack space, not sure if a stomp box modeller would squeeze in there? Whatever I get, it needs to fit into one rack case.
Eruera-do you mean when I select program 10 on the pedal, I can assign any preset on the G major to go with 10? This is where I'm confused, and I tought Kloppsta had already answrered this, but you said program, not preset. Is preset what you meant?

Yeah same thing, sorry didn't catch that Klop had already said

[Conway]

When you talk midi, the terminology is PC (program change) or CC (control change). PC = change preset = change profile in Kemper talk. CC = change one setting to a certain value, eg. change volume to 7, or amount of gain to max, or delay time to 500ms, or reverb mix to 40%.

[cholera]

Thank you Conway....that's the first time I've understood the difference in the two!

[Conway]

When I first got my Kemper and had to set up a midi foot controller, I had no f'ing idea about midi at all. It was one hell of a learning curve.

Now, of course, the dedicated Kemper foot controller you can program without any midi knowledge at all!