Re: Expression/volume pedals

[Per Boysen <perboysen@gmail.com>]

I used many sorts of continuous pedals in the past but since few years
ago I only use EV5 units. A good thing with the EV5 is that you can
buy a replace one anywhere and they seem to last for a long time as
well as not force luggage into the expensive overweight range. I even
use them for wha-wha pedal function in the AxeFx2 and they feel just
as playable as any Vox or Cry Baby. Can't say any kind of continuous
pedal has proven "better" than any other to me, specifically not when
plugging them into a LG2 that compensates for minor discrepancies in
range etc. I use between zero up to five continuous pedals with
different setups I keep around. Often I break up my performance
routing to allow for wiggling two pedals at the same time (got to have
broad shoes!) or just one of them instead of assigning one pedal to
all function (leaving you with less instant playability). I also often
program switch buttons to duplicate the expression pedals but for
instant switching between two levels (standard appl is cross-fading a
delay feedback/level/balance control - or should I say "cross-jumping"
with the 0-127 range?")

Greetings from Sweden

Per Boysen
www.perboysen.com
http://www.youtube.com/perboysen


On Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 4:29 PM, Philip Conway
<Philip.Conway@bristol.ac.uk> wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> Over the weekend I finally set up my Moog EP2 expression pedal with my
> Gordius LG2 foot controller. It's not a difficult process at all, I just
> didn't get round to figuring it out until now.
>
> It works beautifully (I especially love the customisable log/anti-log 
> curves
> on the LG2) but the controller itself is a bit flimsy. I'm using it 
> mostly
> for doing volume swells and things that are quite intensive and 
> stressful on
> the mechanism. The plastic cased controller seems like it would be fine 
> for
> just tweaking volume or effect levels while playing (or something mundane
> like that) but when using it to 'swell' every note I'm playing it feels 
> as
> though it'll wear out in no time.
>
> There seem to be two alternatives:
> (1) Other plastic expression pedals like the Yamaha FC7 or Roland EV5.
> (2) Bigger, heavier, metal volume pedals like the Ernie Ball range.
>
> The LG2, in all its wonderfulness, can make midi controllers out of 
> either
> these sorts of pedals.  So, my questions are:
>
> - Does anyone else use a volume pedal as an expression controller, with 
> the
> LG2 or otherwise?  Does it work well?  Is it worth the extra size, weight
> and expense?
> - Will the EP2 wear out with heavy use or is it hardier than it looks?
> - Are the FC7 or EV5 significantly better than the EP2?  (This seems
> unlikely but it's worth asking.)
>
> I'm thinking that a good setup would be to have one nice, heavy, solid
> volume pedal for doing volume swells, filter sweeps and so on and then 
> one
> or two of the EP2-style expression pedals for performing less 
> swivel-heavy
> tasks such as controlling levels, etc.
>
> That said, the EP2 does the job - I'm just not sure how long it'll last.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Philip.
>