Conference napalm::guitar

Richard,
on a synth' an "expression pedal" is the synthetic equivalent of the
pedal on a piano which moves the dampers off the strings (i.e. pressing
the pedal allows the note to ring on longer, or indefinitely depending
on the sound patch). They are normally an on-off type switch (not variable
like a volume/swell pedal).
I don't know what an expression pedal would be in the context of your effects
unit.
*Dave 

    Expression Pedal is a nick-name for a MIDI Continous controller.
    You can also use synth mod wheels and all that to do the same thing.
    
    Basically, you can assign continuous controllers to most of the
    parameters in your MIDI unit (although I'm not fluent in BOSS stuff,
    I'd assume it's quite similar).  If you know your unit well enough, you
    can probably scroll thru all the menu's and finger it out, but a manual
    would prove worthwhile.  :)
    
    Anyway, I have two expression pedals.  I've assigned them (for example)
    to my Quadraverb to control Delay "mix" (wet/dry) and to "feedback".
    So, when I tickle the pedals, I can crank feedback up to infinity, or
    down to "one" regeneration.  You could also do delay rate, or chorus
    level, flange, assign them to your EQ's midrange band and pump up the
    mid-range for a solo...  I could also assign one to my Mp1's master
    volume and use it as a volume pedal...Although you experience a MIDI
    "zipper" effect when I do this.
    
    Most MIDI items these days allow you to control up to 128 different
    parameters via MIDI CC data - it's real heavy, and LOTS of fun.
    The trick is to be able to store the CC data in each patch - my old
    DSP128+ had global CC data, so I could only set up a few (no bigge
    really, but a pain sometimes).
    
    Anyway, get out your manual and have a blast !
    
    jc

    RE: .1 
    
    Notes collision !!!
    
    :)

    
    Hmmmmm, confused. I'm not aware that the BOSS ME-6 that I have has any
    MIDI support whatsoever in it. If I did a 'search' on the word MIDI
    through the manual I'm sure nothing would turn up. The expression
    socket is single 1/4" jack.
    
    On the other hand, maybe it uses midi purely for this function and
    therefore there is no point in confusing the user by talking about
    midi. On the other hand I'd expect (if only as sales hype) the device's
    blurb to say something like "Support for midi controlled expression pedal
    (optional)".
    
    Richard

re: Coop

>   you can probably scroll thru all the menu's and finger it out, but a manual
>   would prove worthwhile.  :)
    
>   Anyway, get out your manual and have a blast !
    

    <cough...>  :-)


>    jc

    -- Sam

    Richard,
    
    Roland/Boss "expression pedals" do indeed control MIDI parameters, as
    so eloquently expressed (cough :^) earlier. That 1/4" jack is in fact a
    stereo jack, which connects into a single stereo jack on the exp pedal.
    Without a MIDI implementation on the machine, though, you probably
    can't control all of the MIDI parameters - just the ones the machine is
    set up to let you control.
    
    For example, I've got a Roland FC100 that I can connect to my GS-6
    (preamp) or GR-50 (gtr synth). You can plug an exp pedal into the
    FC100... connected to the GC-6 it can only control volume. Directly
    connected to the GR-50, it can control a few parameters (such as
    volume, sostenuto). If you want to control any MIDI parameter, you have
    to connect the FC100 to the GR-50 using MIDI instead. Confused yet? :^)
    
    Nick

    I am not familiar with a Boss ME6, in fact, I've never even heard of
    it. I have heard of the Boss ME5. Is the ME6 an upgrade of the ME5 ?
    
    On the ME5, there is an expression pedal input jack. By connecting
    an expression pedal, you can control the chorus/flange intensity.
    Not very versatile, unless you need this specific function.
    
    On the Roland GP8 and GP16, you can program the expression pedal
    jack to control almost any parameter. You can also use an expression
    pedal to convert the dynamic filter into a wah-wah. 
    
    My understanding of expression pedals is that they have nothing to
    do with Midi. My understanding is that expression pedals produce
    a voltage, which varies as you move the pedal up or down. This
    voltage is sensed by the unit interfacing with the pedal.I think
    some units must convert that voltage into a digital pattern which
    can be transmitted over midi cables.
    
    Just my 2c.
    Mark Jacques
    
    
    

    I thought I'd try my hand at an explanation of what an expression pedal
    is, the one's given are kinda confusing to the non-MIDIfied.
    
    First, it looks like a wa-wa pedal.
    
    Y'know how stomp boxes often have little knobs you can turn to adjust
    things chorus depth, flange width, etc?
    
    Well, all that an expression pedal really does is sorta put those
    controls on a pedal you can manipulate with your feet WHILE you're
    playing.
    
    You program WHICH "knob" it acts like.  If you program it to be a
    filter, the pedal becomes a wa-wa pedal.  If you program it to be
    the overall volume, it becomes a volume pedal, etc. etc.
    
    Except on your unit, it's not limited to "wa" or "volume".
    
    There's also more interesting applications like if you program it to
    be the mix of delay and original signal you can vary the amount
    of delay you get.
    
    Hope this helped.
    
    	db

I have a korg volume pedal I use on my rig for an expression pedal.

It's controlled or rather converted to midi by my midi-controller (rocktron
midi-mate). what it does is convert a 0-5v signal to a controller signal
of whatever range MIDI uses for continious controllers. I use it primarily
to bring up the reverb level and extend the reverb decay for "On the Mountain"
in that there "volume swell with godlike reverb" part.

dbii

    I hope to god people in the music instr. biz haven't begun misusing a
    term originally coined by Hammond to discribe the "volume" pedals on
    Hammond organs. THAT is an expression pedal. How's it different from a
    volume pedal? I can't say precisely, but I can tell you from years of
    playing a B-3 that it is much different from any other volume pedal
    that I've come across. For one thing, it has a lot of travel and it's
    angled just right for someone sitting at the keys. I don't think it has
    a linear taper, either. I do know that when you get the hang of it you
    can make that beast cough, spit and SCREAM!

    Unless someone's come up with an equivalent of that, I'd vote to leave
    the term alone.

    eh-hem, express yourself.

    Ever use a delay with the feedback turned all the way up ??
    
    Cough, spit and SCREAM indeed.  :)
    
    jc