Control bends in lap steel with exp pedal?

[chrisby]

Looked around and don't see a clear cut answer... anyone know if it can be done (or more to the point how)? Just basically want to do bends (realizing that they'll only be "one way" up or down) using a pedal vs the keyboard wheel if it's possible... thx

[Gregjazz]

Although that functionality isn't built-in, you could use the "transformer" multiscript in Kontakt to turn the expression pedal MIDI CC into a pitch bend message.

[chrisby]

Cool... thanks for the reply. I'll look into it. Never done any Kontakt scripting but will have a look and see hot it might work. Thanks!

[chrisby]

Although that functionality isn't built-in, you could use the "transformer" multiscript in Kontakt to turn the expression pedal MIDI CC into a pitch bend message.

Thanks again for the tip... just a followup if case anyone else see's this and is interested - the Transformer script is the way to go, but on it's own it will map a little weirdly (or actually not weird at all just not super obvious). Long story short, a pedal value of 64 will be center pitch, 127 is up two semitones 0 is down two. So that's not super usable. Changing pitch range to 2 semitones will actually get you two one the pedal but in heel position you'll be flat one semitone. There is also a transpose script that I didn't try (only had time to mess with it last night) that I'm assuming you could transpose all midi notes up one semitone and that should do it.

I was a little worried about the granularity as the pedal has much less than the pitch wheel but it is still plenty smooth (at least in this context). So, anyway, there you go... that'll do it if anyone else is interested. Again, thanks to Gregg for putting me on the right track!

[Gregjazz]

It would only take me 15 minutes to write a quick multiscript that overcomes that Transformer script problem. Instead of having 64 be a center point, I would just have a toggle switch on the script to switch between "up" or "down". With the pedal all the way lifted (at value 0), it would be at the center pitch. With the pedal all the way pressed (at value 127), it would be at its full bended pitch (either up or down depending on the toggle button's setting).

Would that work for you?

[chrisby]

It would only take me 15 minutes to write a quick multiscript that overcomes that Transformer script problem. Instead of having 64 be a center point, I would just have a toggle switch on the script to switch between "up" or "down". With the pedal all the way lifted (at value 0), it would be at the center pitch. With the pedal all the way pressed (at value 127), it would be at its full bended pitch (either up or down depending on the toggle button's setting).

Would that work for you?

It would be really great actually... though I haven't tried it yet I really hoped to use it with a fishman triple play so no real good way to get to the pitchbend going with that setup. That said while I really appreciate the offer I also really don't want to put you out so either way thanks!

[Gregjazz]

Here's the multiscript:

http://www.gregjazz.com/upload/CCtoPitchWheel.zip

It'll let you use any MIDI CC # as the input, too.