Ground Control to major...

[mesanomad100]

Well I recently discovered the Ground Control system and it looks great


I dont use rack effects but I do use alot of pedal based effects

I want to get rid of my Big Foot controller and the large amount of effects I have on the floor.

Can I use this system to change channels and turn(bring in)my effects


Perhaps Later I may change to a rack system and this will work for that as well!!

But for the now I want to get my pedals and footswitch off the floor and use a controller

 

[Rayder]

if you use a controller, you will have to use a rack effects unit for it to plug into. were you thinking of buying a unit along with a controller? also, did you want to use the controller to turn on and off effects?

 

[domct203]

A MIDI controller does just what the name implies, controls devices that respond to MIDI messages.

You can control many things, but they must be MIDI controllable. If you want to get rid of your footswitch, you will need some sort of "breakout box" that receives MIDI messages, and that "box" will have switching relays that will trigger the amps external switching jacks. I use the Axess CFX4 http://www.axess-electronics.com to do just that, and there are other brands as well. Some controllers have built in switching relays (like my Behringer FCB1010), but thats even more cables from front of stage to backline, and a more time consuming and complicated setup/breakdown.

As far as the pedals go, you will also need a loop box that is MIDI controllable, like the Axess GRX4 that has 4 effects loops that can be switched in and out with MIDI messages. There are different brands of these as well.

A rack FX unit like the G-Major is MIDI controllable, and has 2 switching relays to control your amp. With my G-Major and CFX4 I have MIDI control of channels 1-4 (with the Axess) and the Loop and Solo (with the G-major) functions of my Roadster. Pedals are not a problem for me as I only use a boost, ISP Decimator (both always on) and a wah out front.

Oh, and did I mention that this can get very expensive rather quick? The CFX4 is about $200 with shipping, the GRX4 almost $300 with shipping, and the G-Major runs about $400. Not to mention the price of the controller.

Hope this helps,

Dom

 

[chedgeco]

You can also get a GCX Audio Switcher from Voodoo Lab as well (the makers of the Ground Control Pro). This should do all that you are asking, loops and switching.

http://www.voodoolab.com/gcx.htm

Chris

 

[mesanomad100]

great replies

this was the unit I was meaning
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Digital-Music-Ground-Control-Pro-Foot-Controller?sku=153511


what I have is a whole host of pedal based effects(see sig.) and the Rectifier BigFoot amp switcher.
I would like to be able to get rid of the switcher and control the amps vai the external switching sockets at the rear of the amp,but...

I would also like to put all my effects away in a rack drawer(alongside the ground control rack unit and possibly have my rectifier in the same case)and control the effects from the pedal board.

The system I had in mind was like this
I have each of my pedals connected to the loops so I can call them up(I dont know if they would need to be midi for this)
Then have the channels connected from the external switching jacks to the guitar audio switchers on the ground control rack!!

I think I realise now that the effects would have to be in MIDI and I couldnt use the pedal based effects,
I may look into the TC Electronics G System which has great effects,channel switching(via relays) and also offers several loops to bring in and out your fav. pedals. seems like its more what I want.Although what I really want is this sorta system minus the effects cause I have my pedals

cheers guys
E

 

[oneamongthefence]

You can also get a GCX Audio Switcher from Voodoo Lab as well (the makers of the Ground Control Pro). This should do all that you are asking, loops and switching.

http://www.voodoolab.com/gcx.htm

+1

This will do exactly what your saying. get the gcp and the gcx and you're set. The gcx basically is a bunch of loops that you can put your individual stompbox effects in and you can program the ground control to turn on or off those loops, which will in response, turn the effect within the loop on or off. I think this is what you're looking for from what i could tell.

 

[mesanomad100]

thanks

Is that the same rack unit as you get with the footcontroller from the above link??

 

[t0aj15]

These are the two units in question:
http://www.voodoolab.com/gcontrolpro.htm
http://www.voodoolab.com/gcx.htm
They are sold seperately and cost $400 each. This the setup I use.

 

[richey]

After purchasing by G-Force, I had an extensive conversation with Jon Aycock from Voodoo labs. I wanted to chage presets and my amp channel simultaneously by clicking a single button. He said that it was the Ground Control Pro and the GCX that I needed. The GCX has 8 loops that you can control everything with. Also, each Ground Control Pro can control up to 4 GCX units. So, per Voodoo Labs, I would say that this is exactly what you need.

 

[mesanomad100]

hi thanks very much for the help

this is basically the setup I want


thanks guys


Euan

 

[Rayder]

After purchasing by G-Force, I had an extensive conversation with Jon Aycock from Voodoo labs. I wanted to chage presets and my amp channel simultaneously by clicking a single button. He said that it was the Ground Control Pro and the GCX that I needed.

actually, you dont need the gcx to do what you are asking. the gforce can respond to the instant access buttons without the gcx. i have mine set up the same way. the bottom 4 buttons for channel switching, and the top 8 for the "loops", which i have the gforce set to turn on or off particular effects

i would say that the gcx would be used if you have multiple pedal based fx that are all individual

EDIT: with this setup though, you have to turn on the GCX mode on the controller, even though you dont have one. you can also save particular effects on the channel, so they come on automatically when you switch to that channel.

 

[mesanomad100]

After purchasing by G-Force, I had an extensive conversation with Jon Aycock from Voodoo labs. I wanted to chage presets and my amp channel simultaneously by clicking a single button. He said that it was the Ground Control Pro and the GCX that I needed.

actually, you dont need the gcx to do what you are asking. the gforce can respond to the instant access buttons without the gcx. i have mine set up the same way. the bottom 4 buttons for channel switching, and the top 8 for the "loops", which i have the gforce set to turn on or off particular effects

i would say that the gcx would be used if you have multiple pedal based fx that are all individual

yeah I dont want a rack effects unit,I love all my pedals so I dont want to set up a gmajor/force unit I just want a fancy looper and channel switcher

thanks








EDIT: with this setup though, you have to turn on the GCX mode on the controller, even though you dont have one. you can also save particular effects on the channel, so they come on automatically when you switch to that channel.

yeah I really just want a fancy channel switcher and effects loop and use my pedal based effects as opposed to using a rack system
thanks

 

[ned]

Check out the Axess-Electronics.com FX-1, twice as much as the GP but it does 4 times the amount of stuff. Add a CFX-4 to change amp channels and put a GRX-4 on your pedalboard to switch your pedals in and out.

No more tap dance.

 

[mesanomad100]

cheers ned
will do

 

[ned]

On your side of the pond it might be easier to get Skyrdstrup products which are very similar to Axess but blue.