small FCB1010 guide for Usine

[Golcondio]

I've just tried plugging my fcb1010 to the Ultralite, and since it's not the most user-friendly device out there I thought I'd share my (limited) experience.

First of all, check out the yahoo group http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/fcb1010/
Once you join, you'll have access to the "files" section, in which you'll find a lot of useful utilities for programming the fcb1010 via software instead of tapdancing on those hard-to-press buttons... The one I use is the Ed Dixon one: it's got a very detailed help file.

In my case, all I want from my foot controller is the ability to switch between presets in the preset manager, and of course to be able to use my expression pedals!
I loaded a "midi in" module in my patch and looked at the numbers displayed when I press a switch (Senso, the possibility to actually SEE what signals are doing is the most amazing thing you could have thought of):
the "code1" signal displays a number which is the switch I pressed -1. Cool, so it can be directly connected to the preset manager's "num" inlet.
When I moved the exp pedals, unluckily they sent a "code1" of 27 and 7 respectively, which played dirty tricks on the preset manager.

Closed Usine, I fired up the fcb1010 programming utility, sent a sysex from the foot controller to the utility to get its settings, then edited the midi channel for the expression pedals: expA went to midi ch2, and expB went to midi ch3 (I don't know if it's necessary to put them on different channels, but I thought it wouldn't hurt). I then sent a sysex from the program to the fcb1010 to store the preset.

Back into Usine, I saw that now the program changes were sent through midi ch1, while the controllers used their own private channel.
I routed the midi in module through a midi filter, manually set the "chan filter" to 1, and connected the "code1" on the filter to the "num" on the preset manager: et voilà!

NOW, try to do the same with Ableton Live: just google for a way of changing presets (namely, on an amp simulator vst, which is a must for a laptop guitarist) on Live using the fcb1010, and see if you can handle it...

I know that, with a very limited knowledge of Usine, midi sysex, and the inner workings of the fcb1010, I managed to reach my goal in less than 30 minutes!

[senso]

cool resources. I'm sure it can help. Especially for me, because I've decided to buy a foot controler.

[Golcondio]

Well, you couldn't have made it easier for yourself (or anyone, for that matter): normally the fcb1010 is quite tough to use as a "simple" control surface because it's meant to control the v-amp or suchlike, and therefore every button/switch/pedal sends multiple signals together, which are interpreted by the slave device; if you try and simply assign a "midi learn" to the switches it's more than likely that you'll get contradictory results or conflicts between switches (because there's normally no easy way to tell the host application how to correctly filter incoming midi messages).
In the case of Usine, since in the patch view everyone can see what happens when you press a switch, it's easy to build filters to suit everyone's needs, without fussing around with reprogramming the foot controller from scratch...

[runagate]

Well, you couldn't have made it easier for yourself (or anyone, for that matter): normally the fcb1010 is quite tough to use as a "simple" control surface because it's meant to control the v-amp or suchlike, and therefore every button/switch/pedal sends multiple signals together, which are interpreted by the slave device; if you try and simply assign a "midi learn" to the switches it's more than likely that you'll get contradictory results or conflicts between switches (because there's normally no easy way to tell the host application how to correctly filter incoming midi messages).
In the case of Usine, since in the patch view everyone can see what happens when you press a switch, it's easy to build filters to suit everyone's needs, without fussing around with reprogramming the foot controller from scratch...

Great info, as that's the only foot controler I've been considering, not the least of which is because it sends midi notes.

Usine is so great - I just can't get enough physical controllers now that filtering and routing is a negligible task.

[thehuman]

A little behind the times, but thanks for the info. I just recently started using Usine with my FCB1010 for chaining/controlling guitar amp sim's, and I love it! Again, nice info.

[héliouk 6]

i'm using the fcb1010,and i would like not to have to push a switch(pedal button? two times to disable my effect,in fact it systematically send a 127 value when i come from another switch ... i 've tried to get it in a pass if change,but i don't see clearly how to do it....pliiiize help !

[nay-seven]

in fact , depend how you disable your effect ( in usine like in religion many way to climb the mountain..ha ha )
seriously , try the little R in your patch to open the remote window panel , you'll see different way to assign your switch , toggle,absolute...
if don't work try maybe a math /logical module like A=B ( with B = 127...? )
or give us more details...

[héliouk 6]

i'm in absolute mode, i'm gonna look if i can resolve it in fcb,but i imagine it's possible in usine...i opened a midi in and midi get message to be able to get the info but i don't know how to say: when : message =176 channel =2 data1=16 data2=127 and only if that condition is ok...hope i'm clear

[nay-seven]

here an example working for me :
b= 1

[héliouk 6]

this is not working with the fcb1010,i'm trying to configure it,and to understand midi by the way,it's still new for me now...if some fcb1010 expert...

[héliouk 6]

to be more precise, usine get the message,i can see it,but it's not passing throw the midi learning,as if there was no message...that 's why i think it comes from the fcb ....

[nay-seven]

sorry , but i've test this with my fcb1010...
and it works...

maybe you can use this software to configure your's :

http://www.mtnsys.com/faq-fcb/PCEditorBeta.htm




assign any midi control number , must work...

[héliouk 6]

thanks a lot nay seven,you're good with me,i'll try it tomorrow,but i've to understand better how the midi's working...i'm gonna search a little ...and let you know....

[maxdis]

i'm using the fcb1010,and i would like not to have to push a switch(pedal button? two times to disable my effect,in fact it systematically send a 127 value when i come from another switch ... i 've tried to get it in a pass if change,but i don't see clearly how to do it....pliiiize help !

did you solved this problem? I'm having the same issue....I enable a switch with a pedal, then I enable a second switch with another pedal; then, if I want to DISABLE the first switch, I have to press two times the first pedal...very annoying! It seems the FCB1010 will forget the status of a pedal, when you are pressing another pedal...or I'm missing some option?
Should I try to upgrade the FCB1010 to the UNO firmware?
thank you

[bsork]

I don't have a FCB1010 myself (just recently bought a Roland FC300 when my trusty old Ground Control passed out...), but you should check what CC values the pedals send, and whether they send the data in "momentary" mode (typically 127 when pressed, 0 when released), or in "latched" mode (toggles between 127 and 0 for each press). As noted above, the right reception mode on the MIDI learn (switch, toggle, absolute) should also be set depending on the data sent and how you want the control in Usine to act.

If you have trouble because the FCB sends too much data for each press but you don't want to or can't program it, it should be possible to use the MIDI trace in Usine to single out separate CCs for each pedal, and edit the learned MIDI assignments (the little "R") to use the correct CCs.

[nay-seven]

maybe better to configure the fcb as button..?
not like a switch..?

[bsork]

I guess "switch" equals "latch" and "button" equals "momentary"? Or maybe "button" would act more like a button in Usine, where the 0 is sent immediately after the 127, not when the pedal is released?

BTW - I see that my memory didn't serve me right when I listed switch, toggle and absolute as reception modes. It should have been absolute, relative and toggle, of which relative isn't of much interest for the on/off or trigger types of messages we're dealing with here.

Here's a tip not directly related to the FCB (especially if it's not capable of the press=127/release=0 behaviour) for getting the most out of CC switches: Use the momentary mode. That way you can get several different types of behaviour from the control in Usine by choosing between switch and button and reception modes:
Switch/absolute: press = 1, release=0
Switch/toggle: 1st press = 1, next press = 0
Button/absolute: press = 1+0, release = 1+0
Button/toggle: press=1+0, release = nothing

The one thing missing when using a lot of foot controllers this way for typical stomp box style switching duties, is the visual feedback from a LED that shows the status of the pedal/CC.

[héliouk 6]

to answer to maxdis,i didn't solve this problem,because i don't use fcb now (it was for a particular gig),but if you solve it,let us know...

[maxdis]

thank you for your answers! I think I solved the problem this way: I set all the switches in Usine to "TOGGLE" mode, then I programmed the pedals on the FCB1010 this way: first press :127 , second press: DISABLED (just uncheck the "2" square on the "Control change" section, using the software utility...
it seems to work this way....

[nay-seven]

cool !
Bsork ! your tips are a good idea !