MIDI for guitarists seems like an oxymoron that only a moron would actually consider. However, I have been hard at work getting the latest addition to my home rig configured – a MIDI pedalboard. Back in my post entitled, Do You Have G.A.S?, I mention my virtual studio. It is one of many paths to consider. It used to be that MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) was the sole domain of keyboardists and synthesizer aficionados, but that is Sooo 80’s. With limited space and infinite combinations, this is something you might consider for yourself. Let’s get into the Why, What and How of this subject.
Why MIDI for Guitarists?
If you have ever been in the situation as the poor guy in the photo, trying to find a cable problem in a sea of pedals, you might know the answer to this question. This is one major way of simplifying your setup. Face it. The popular systems are basically a configurable pedal board going through a computer to an amp, right? Think of Line 6, Kemper, and Helix to name just a few. (Here are a few more rated by Guitar World Magazine) Just about all of the major manufacturers are stepping into or have stepped into the world of virtual amps and equipment. They are all variations on a theme – simplified control over a greater variety of sounds. With that you also get some reliability.
Right Tools, Right Job
If you have a pedalboard that you switch around for the occasion OR you maintain more than one pedalboard for various occasions, this is for you. Not everyone can be or wants to be like Josh of JHS pedals and own a copy of every pedal ever made (“He has the box!”). I don’t think my wife would go for it, first of all 😉 You can, however, get the virtual equivalents and control the world through MIDI.
There are basically two major things you can do:
- Control individual pedals
- Change entire setups amp and pedals
Changing entire setups really opens up the possibilities. No more wishing you had brought along pedal X for song Y. It can be right there at your feet in a second. I like to program for genre but if you have a stable set list, you could program for each song and be ready in a flash. Sounds attractive, right? Playing for church has me jumping from genre to genre and style to style. More variety is necessary for this application.
What MIDI Gear?
You may be asking at this point, what MIDI gear? I settled on IK Multimedia but there are many others. The bigger question then becomes the controller at your feet. Being that I was looking to just dip my toe into this technology, I did not want to spend a bucket of cash on something that was going to gather dust in a closet a year from then. I chose the Behringer FCB1010. Decent product for the price and there are others such as the Roland foot controllers. There are many other options to build with single switches and expression pedals. I have one each of those for another rig I use with my iPad.
One great thing I found about the Behringer product is the UnOfficial (UnO) upgrade. I was amazed at the enormous community support. Brings a tear to my eye as I got started in computers and technology through local community support and online Special Interest Groups (SIGs, for short). Long story for another time, perhaps. This is somewhat like the open source movement in computers. There is a basic hardware platform that others have started contributing ideas and creating DIY projects since the dawn of the technology.
How to get started with MIDI for guitar
You can get started with very little cash. Amp modeling software can be downloaded for free. My choice, Amplitube from the aforementioned IK Multimedia, is a good way to start. There are many others. You may also start with a DAW and plugins for various pedals. My bit of advice before you jump in and get frustrated by the technology: learn a little about MIDI itself. The format of the signals and variety of commands can quickly get overwhelming and it is not plug-n-play. Manufacturers go to a lot of trouble to make it easy but you may still need to know a few basics.
What to Know First
The first thing you need to know about MIDI for guitarists is that there are two types of messages when it comes to controlling devices:
- Program Change (PC)
- Control Change (CC)
PC is typically used for the initial equipment setup mentioned earlier i.e. the amp, effects, speaker cabinet, post-processing, mikes, etc. On my board, I use the upper set of pedals to select the various configurations this way.
The second, CC, is typically used to control individual functions such as a single stomp box effect or an expression pedal for volume or wah. Until the CC is properly configured for a given pedal, the software will not recognize the command for a specific purpose. In the case of the FCB1010 and Amplitube, the CC has to be set for the software to ‘learn’ the pedal press or movement. The bottom row of pedals are reserved for my stomp box controls.
I say this to save you some heartache. Been there already and had it for you 😉
Now it Gets Fun!
I was ready to chuck it until I stumbled on the resources for the UnO mentioned above. Now, I am just having fun with the myriad of possibilities. I am a constant knob twiddler and this just feeds that obsession like nothing else. Experimenting with your signal chain just got a lot easier!
What comes first? Second? Now you don’t need to spend time cabling everything up to find out. Just drag and drop the effect where you want it.
Playing with some of the lesser understood effects such as compression is a snap!
Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!