How to set up MIDI footswitch to work with Reaper?

[111]

I`ve read several threads but still haven`t got an answer. So, I recently bought a used ancient MIDI footswitch Digitech Control 8. It definitely works by itself. But I can`t understand how to make Reaper communicate with it. I connect this device via MIDI-USB cable, Reaper shows it in Preferences-MIDI devices, I enable it, and that`s all.

My goal was to use it for switching presets for my guitar chain of VST effects, or switching on and off single effects + assign 2 buttons for Recording and Play\Stop. In order to do this I chose those commands in Actions list, but they don`t detect anything from MIDI footswitch when I press it.

So that I don`t know how to make it work with Reaper. I must say it`s my first MIDI device, I`ve read a manual, and there are many questions, like what to choose: Program Change or CC. And if I set up it properly, how should I use it? Say, I have a track with VST effects I want to switch, but there`s a choice whether to set it for audio input or midi input but not both...

So, if there are people with midi footwitches here, I`ll be very glad if you share your experience, settings and general layouts for that... Thanks in advance!

[mschnell]

It depends on what you want to control by the foot switch, and what kind of Midi events the switch sends.

Controlling dtart/stop/record/... this is a function of Reaper itself: here the midi event needs to generate a Reaper event.

Controllinfr stuff like "patch" change of a plugin this is a function hosted in the FX chain: here the midi event needs to be used in the track engine


Seemingly it's the second option. Here SWS LiveConfigs will help, as it's a "Live" situation.

see -> http://www.bschnell.de/LiveConfigs_1.pdf


-Michael

[ivansc]

I wanted to start and stop recording remotely from my e-kit. Bought a £6 mini footswitch on ebay and itc ame with a utility to program the footswitch to respond to a keypress on your keyboard. Works a dream. They do 2 and 3 switch version for not much more than I paid.
Probably quicker and easier than struggling with antiques, or so my wife says....

[ashcat_lt]

You need to make sure that device is enabled for control if you want it to control the transport.

You could control the VSTs as it is now, but you'd need another track armed and monitoring that would take the MIDI input and then you'd create a send to whatever you're trying to control and use Parameter Modulation MIDI Link. I'm not sure you can change presets that way, but you could bypass individual plugs.

If you really wanted to, you could put that MIDI to Control plugin on that MIDI track so you could do the transport stuff, but I think it would just be easier for you to enable for control and just use MIDI Learn like you were trying to do in the first place. That's the step you missed. Go back to the preferences and fix that and you'll be on your way.

It's important to remember, though, that any changes you make to the FX will not be actually recorded. So like if you turn on a distortion in the middle of a song, and then turn it back off, and then listen back, the distortion won't actually kick in. You'd have to arm that envelope for writing before you play, and then switch it back to one of the read modes on playback...or record the output of the track, I suppose, but then you have no chance to tweak anything afterwords.

[111]

Thanks for all your replies! I`m already having a small progress I learnt how to set the expression pedal to control almost any parameter and programmed Play\Stop and Record to footswitch buttons. There are several things, though.

I can assign to switch on or off the VST effect but not both. Say, if I assign "Enable reverb effect" to button 1, and then I want to turn it off, then I assign another button for disabling reverb, but it removes the data from button 1, that makes impossible to switch on\off effects. I guess I`ll try SWS as well and see if it helps.

Also I couldn`t manage to switch on\off multiple effects at once. I do it all on the same track where my audio signal goes and all the guitar effects via Learn function. Because adding another track for midi events is a little bit complicated to me to commutate. But I`m not sure it will change everything, if I do.

And the 3-rd problem is the least one, but still... Is there any method to slow down the expression pedal behavior in Reaper (make it response slowlier than I push it) and how can I limit it? Say, I don`t need the peak values (min and max), only a small area in the middle of the effect...

[ivansc]

Well done, you!

[ashcat_lt]

Originally Posted by 111

I can assign to switch on or off the VST effect but not both.

That seems strange. You should be able to toggle bypass. MIDI Learn has a few different modes and/or your controller might need to be programmed a little differently.

Also I couldn`t manage to switch on\off multiple effects at once.

That also seems strange. I'm not exactly an expert on this, but you should be able to do it.

And the 3-rd problem is the least one, but still... Is there any method to slow down the expression pedal behavior in Reaper (make it response slowlier than I push it) and how can I limit it? Say, I don`t need the peak values (min and max), only a small area in the middle of the effect...

MIDI Link has a way to scale and offset (even invert) the controller, but I don't think Learn does. "Slowing down" control changes is a bit more complicated. It would require a plugin to condition the MIDI data itself before it hits the Learn/Link stage or as a sort of go between using Parameter Linking.

[111]

Ok, understood. I`ll continue to test it more. Thanks!

[woodslanding]

Related Question:

I have a vsti and an effect on the same channel. But no midi gets to the effect... unless I bypass the vsti. Is there some routing move I need to make to get midi to items further down the chain? If I disable the vsti, I can set up learn on the effect, and it works. But when I re-enable the vsti, to hear it, it stops getting the midi.

Thanks in advance!
-eric

[domzy]

go into the routing of the VSTi - MIDI output - and select "merges with MIDI bus"

[solger]

Here's a screenshot of the option domzy mentioned above (accessed via right-click on the [2/8 out] button):

[woodslanding]

Cool. Never even knew that menu existed!

Thanks!!!!!