Getting a Pro... MIDI controller question

[mwc2112]

Howdy folks. I have been a GT8 user for about 6 months and am going to upgrade to the Pro. The reasons for that are the amp(s) I use don't play well with the GT8 in 4-cable mode because it does not have abilities that the Pro has to switch the loop levels between -10dB and +4dB.

Anyway, on to the question. I will obviously need a MIDI controller. I see that the GTPro is set up to play nice with the FC-200. I also see that the FC-200 is more then twice as expensive as, say, the Behringer FCB1010. So my question is... are there features of the GT-Pro that are only available using the FC-200 that you *couldn't* achieve on another MIDI pedal? Is the extra cost worth it? Thanks everyone!

Matt

[ASHJN]

I got a Rocktron MIDI Mate. It was about $150 cheaper than the FC-200, and I can name the patches on it. It doesn't have the expression pedal though, but it does have a jack to add one on. Programming is really easy, I can do everything I want it to do, just takes a little while

[mwc2112]

Thanks for the response... I'll look into one of those too. Are you able to set it up using the MIDI Mate as ctl switches or manual mode too?

[ASHJN]

Kind of...The MIDI Mate has 12buttons (10 sound buttons, a 2nd button, and a mode select button) and 3 modes. The 2nd button allows you to scroll up or down through the banks, and the mode select switches between the 3 modes. The first mode makes all 10 buttons Program Change buttons, which allows you to scroll through your presets. The 2nd is called Instant Access, which is good for big jumps in patch #'s. If you want to go from patch 33 to 98, you just press button 9 and then button 8 and you are there. The 3rd mode is the one I use and it is called Controller Mode. Controller Mode makes the bottom 5 buttons change your presets, and the top 5 buttons send control change messages to turn things on and off, such as effects and anything else found in the ASSIGN section of the GT-Pro

[mwc2112]

Hmm... sounds interesting. I like that 3rd mode. Cool stuff!

[mwc2112]

Well, I just pulled the trigger on a Midi Mate based on your recommendation, so if it's no good I'll be coming after you. :wink:

Just kidding, it sounds like it will be perfect for what I need. The dual patch/control functions in that 3rd mode is exactly what I need. I think I'm going to snag one of the HEX Expression Pedals too.

Thanks again for your help! I should have everything sometime next week, so I'll let you know how it goes. Take care!

Matt

[ASHJN]

Let me know when you get it, and I will help you set it up. It was confusing at first, but I talked to Rocktron and got it set up so I will transfer the help onto you...

[mwc2112]

Thanks! I appreciate it!!!

I know it got shipped out today so I expect I'll get it sometime next week. I'll let you know.

Thanks again!

Matt

[ASHJN]

Nice, there is one thing you can start doing now. If you have any idea what effects you want switched on/off for each patch, you can start setting them with the ASSIGN. Set up 5 different Assigns per patch. Put Assign #1 to MIDI CC1, Assign #2 to MIDI CC2, and so on up to Assign 5. Then pick the effects you want for each one. Let me know if that all makes sense

[mwc2112]

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually haven't gotten the GT Pro unit in yet unfortunately. I ordered it from Music123 on Tuesday and they are being a bit slow. They said today after I asked when it would ship that it was being 'processed for shipping' whatever that means. Oh well.

However, having used a GT8 and become quite proficient at using ASSIGNS, it will only take me a couple minutes to set all of that up.

I do have one question, though. Using a MIDI controller in no way limits your usage of the CTL swithes or EXP pedals, right? It's pretty impressive that you can have 4 switches and 1 expression pedal or 2 switches and 2 expression pedals. I don't know how much I'll need to use them with the MIDI Mate, but I do have a pair of FS-5U switches so between those and the MIDI Mate I could have control of 7 parameters.

[ASHJN]

As far as I know, you can set up the Control/Expression pedals and the MIDI pedal as well. I don't know if you would really need to though, the MIDI Mate does a lot...

[mwc2112]

Yeah, I know. I just happen to have 2 of those pedals so I don't want them to go to waster. :wink: