Expression foot pedal for Mainstage

[Maynerd]

Please educate me on something’s. I’m using Mainstage... (it’s cheap. It’s easy for me to use.) and I’m looking for an expression pedal. I play on a classical guitar. That... I can plug in. And, I find this whole random Parameter thing interesting. It’s calling my name... “Buy me Maynerd.” Random tone... random reverb. Random Valhalla delay. . I’ve been instructed that I need a midi device to run one. I’ve already got a focusrite 18i8 and a Mac book pro. Im looking for one expression foot pedal. I’m finding it difficult to navigate which one I need. There’s TRS 10k/100k or 250k...Some are analog. Some only work with certain programs. Eventide is one of those programs... Idk what I need... Or if I gots the right midi device or if I need a midi controller. Mainstage has a MIDI number of 127, I don’t know how that compares to TRS of say 10k. Would someone please point me in the right direction?

So, Expression foot pedal and
Parameter program... Eventide Quadravox? Unfiltered audio Byome? IDK. Thank you.

[BertKoor]

So you have a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 interface, which features traditional MIDI on 5-pole DIN plugs. That's good. All the programs you'll use do talk MIDI to take in controller info data.

Most common foot pedals on the market are designed for keyboards. These are just a pot meter with a gear, so it's controllable by your foot, and wired up with 3 conductors to a 1/4" TRS (TipRingSleeve) plug. Yes, there are some design differences in the pinout (Roland vs Yamaha style) and there can be pot meter resistance (logarithmic vs linear) differences.

I don't know of any foot pedal that outputs midi directly. There are elaborate foot controllers with a lot of buttons as well. Behringer has (or at least had?) the FCB-1010. You get two pedals and ten foot switches to send program change commands, so all your effects will switch to another preset. This is a cheap unit, but not a bad one, and costs about €120. Maybe even cheaper on eBay. Can't go wrong with one, I'd say.

You can buy one single foot pedal, e.g. the Boss/Roland EV-5. Yes, it's plastic. But regardless of that, it's built like a tank. Mine has lasted 30 years now, only have the pot meter replaced once. It currently costs about €65 .

But you need a converter/adapter that translates it to MIDI. Just one such device exists that I know of: Midi Solutions Pedal to Midi Converter. That costs about €130 and accepts most (if not all) different expression pedal signals. So that has me scratching my head. It's exactly what you asked for: one pedal -> midi. But 2 pedals + 10 switches is cheaper.

Another option: get a keyboard with expression pedal input and midi output. It will do the conversion to midi, and second-hand on eBay might be cheaper than the dedicated converter box.

[Maynerd]

Thank you, Bertkoor. Your fantastic! I’ve devoured, your response.

Previously, I looked into that Roland EV-5. I almost bought one. The price is right. Many reviews said “I’ve owned one for twenty years... needed a new one... these new ones are not the same.” So I thought I’d research more...

I already own a Yamaha keyboard... If I do live applications (If that ever happens again) I don’t wanna tote a keyboard about.

So, 2 pedals and 10 switches is cheaper? Would you please elaborate? Suggestions?

I was planning on buying a Lehle mono volume pedal in addition. I’ve narrowed that down at least... Thank you. Thank you.

[Maynerd]

Reread your post. Berhinger FCB 1010. Thank you