Re: softstep report #1

["Erdem Helvacioglu" <erdemhel@tnn.net>]

dear zoe and keith,

could you  comment on the use of continuous controllers of the softstep? i 
really wonder how the pressure, x-y axis works and how it "feels" like 
compared to other hardware expression pedals?

5 degrees of continuous control for each pad:
X- and Y- axis, Clockwise Rotation, Counter-Clockwise Rotation and 
Pressure. 
These control sources are mappable to any MIDI or OSC destination

thanks and best.

www.erdemhelvacioglu.com

New duo album with Per Boysen out now.
http://erdemhelvaciogluandperboysen.bandcamp.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Zoe Keating" <info@zoekeating.com>
To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2010 4:31 AM
Subject: softstep report #1


> think I'll report as I go, since otherwise I'll never get around to it!
>
>
> I downloaded the software, plugged in the pedal (comes with a nice  long 
> USB cable in case you need to be far away from your computer),  launched 
> the software and the pedal lit up with its friendly blue  leds. (reminds 
> me of the dashboard of a mini cooper)It goes without  saying that the 
> pedal is small, lightweight and cute. Its not TOO  small though. The 
> numbered buttons are the same size as the one on the  FCB1010. The 
> navigation arrows are small and I have to look at my  toes, but I think 
> I'll get the hang of it.
>
> I'm a bit impatient with manuals, so I decided to poke around the 
> software interface first. I didn't get very far, and had to go and  read 
> the manual ;-)
> I was stumped at first by all the modes, figuring out what was  
>clickable, 
> trying to read the tiny fonts, and understanding the naming  
>terminology. 
> However, after almost 2 hours of blundering around I  managed to grasp 
>the 
> rudiments of the interface and modify some of the  presets. Now I'm 
> mapping these to run to the basics of my set. (I'm  told documentation 
>of 
> the presets is coming, so this will be a quicker  process).
>
> As I started to realize the depth of what the SoftStep does, all the 
> interface modes begin to make sense. Every single thing is  
>customizable, 
> from what kind of footwork the buttons respond to, to  how the lights 
> behave (do you want a green light when you press?), to  how you want to 
> page through your banks. I'm not even scratching the  surface of this 
> pedal yet. So I'd rather have a complex, nested  interface where I can 
> control any and everything, to an out-of-the-box  pedal that is not 
> customizable at all.
>
> So far I've got one "scene" (or what I would call a bank) that sends 
> Program Changes on Channel3 to MIDIPipe and one that sends notes to 
> Ableton on Channel1. Each scene is accessed by going left or right  with 
> the navigation arrows. When I'm in my program change scene, the 
> navigation up and down arrows increase or decrease in increments of  10, 
> just like you'd expect.  Now I have to make another scene of notes  for 
> Ableton, and two scenes for SooperLooper and do some more  experiments 
> with how I want the pedals to respond to my edwardian  boots and how the 
> red and green lights should behave.
>
> That's it for now.
>
> Happy times!!
>
> Zoe
>
>
>