External Expression Pedal or CV input for MP 201
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Lux_Seeker
- Posts: 473
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:44 pm
External Expression Pedal or CV input for MP 201
I have been thinking about it and it would be nice to have an imput for either and expression pedal or CV input for the controller. I have sometimes used things like photocells and perhaps in the future vactols to control devices with expression pedal inputs and it would be nice to be able to do this with the MP 201.
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Portamental
- Posts: 888
- Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 8:53 am
This is one critical point you are mentioning, and that I was about to bring up on my own, since using the MP-201 (that was last week). The midi-to-CV made the MP-201 worthy to me as a controller, and all it's output flexibility makes it worthy on its own. However, my set-up needs converting an input CV to midi even more. Luckily, that need is well addressed with the Roland FC-300 midi foot controller, that I have been using heavily for the last two months on a bass-guitar-Voyager rig, and which gives me 3 programmable CV-to-midi inputs (any midi CC and heel-toe range). I am searching for some more products that perform the same thing, maybe get the FC-200 earlier model on e-bay, this one has 6 CV inputs.
The perfect MP-201 to me would be just as it is, with and extra 4 CV input jacks. Not just a firmware upgrade I am afraid. Firmware implementation of CV input though, could allow for mix and match 4 CV inputs or outputs. That in itself would be a terrific boost to the flexibility of the unit. A couple of those and you're pretty much set. The thing is one switchable pedal is not that good a performance set-up, you need more mechanical controllers available presto at once. But even better than that, a CV input can be fed any CV, so that means a lot of other things than expression pedal, it also means DIY controllers, which I use a lot, and even CP-251 and other foogers.
One of the very interesting thing you can do with CV-to-midi is to play a fixed pitch Etherwave Plus on the Voyager OS (converting it's output CV to fixed pitch notes). Really good for practice
Matching pitch is easy, well not too painless, by programming the CC range in the FC-300. Besides tuning for western style music, you can also scale the whole Etherwave range in any other number of steps. Playing the Etherwave tuned for 12 or 16 bass fixed steps (or notes) through the Voyager has been one my most interesting controller/musical set-up so far
The perfect MP-201 to me would be just as it is, with and extra 4 CV input jacks. Not just a firmware upgrade I am afraid. Firmware implementation of CV input though, could allow for mix and match 4 CV inputs or outputs. That in itself would be a terrific boost to the flexibility of the unit. A couple of those and you're pretty much set. The thing is one switchable pedal is not that good a performance set-up, you need more mechanical controllers available presto at once. But even better than that, a CV input can be fed any CV, so that means a lot of other things than expression pedal, it also means DIY controllers, which I use a lot, and even CP-251 and other foogers.
One of the very interesting thing you can do with CV-to-midi is to play a fixed pitch Etherwave Plus on the Voyager OS (converting it's output CV to fixed pitch notes). Really good for practice
Matching pitch is easy, well not too painless, by programming the CC range in the FC-300. Besides tuning for western style music, you can also scale the whole Etherwave range in any other number of steps. Playing the Etherwave tuned for 12 or 16 bass fixed steps (or notes) through the Voyager has been one my most interesting controller/musical set-up so far It was proposed as a factory upgrade to existing units. However, it's still early days for this concept.. we haven't even done a prototype yet. I did put the "hooks" for an external CV in into the v2.0 firmware, though, so it's already set up for this in theory.
At this point the Taurus III is our #1 engineering priority, and once that's out we'll be able to resume work on some other ideas like this one.
Cheers,
Amos
At this point the Taurus III is our #1 engineering priority, and once that's out we'll be able to resume work on some other ideas like this one.
Cheers,
Amos
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Lux_Seeker
- Posts: 473
- Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:44 pm
First, yes, this is a very good idea and I am glad to see Moog's openess to it.
As for having and expression pedal to an expression pedal, it is not that but a CV imput and also a resistance input. Expression pedals are just potentiometers which use a mechanical system usually to turn the pedal. There are also photocell systems that use a photcell as a resitance source but using a mechnical pedal to control the light going to the photocell.
There are lots of ways with DIY projects to get a resistance or CV sounce. The great thing about the MP 201 is that its routing one source to potentially 4 but its also not only sending out a fixed value but an LFO (incl. noise) and an envelope now. Being able to control these with a CV or resistance source would be very valuable.
As for having and expression pedal to an expression pedal, it is not that but a CV imput and also a resistance input. Expression pedals are just potentiometers which use a mechanical system usually to turn the pedal. There are also photocell systems that use a photcell as a resitance source but using a mechnical pedal to control the light going to the photocell.
There are lots of ways with DIY projects to get a resistance or CV sounce. The great thing about the MP 201 is that its routing one source to potentially 4 but its also not only sending out a fixed value but an LFO (incl. noise) and an envelope now. Being able to control these with a CV or resistance source would be very valuable.