Cheap midi controller (pedal and wah) for Amplitube 5 & Reaper/Windows?

Creed_Clicks · March 2023

Hi all. Just looking at options here. I have read Behringer having some issues, but would any pedal work, such as a the Line6 ? Just looking for something basic with pedal on/off and a wah option.
Line 6 FBV Express?

Fez · March 2023

I have a Line 6 FBV express mk2 which I use with Amplitube and reaper. I bought it after getting the Hendrix pack as loads of the patches have wah on them. Once set up with a template it works ok.

Creed_Clicks · March 2023

Thanks @Fez !

stratman3142 · March 2023

Do you have a midi keyboard connected to your computer? Because I just use a basic expression pedal plugged into that to drive the wah in Amplitube (or other ampsims) via midi cc messages.

Creed_Clicks · March 2023

@stratman3142 yep I do but might be handy to have the pedal setup for guitar only. Less to have to hook up but I will explore that option. How would I hook it up? Midi to midi obviously?

stratman3142 · March 2023

This is how I do it in Reaper, with an expression plugged into my Novation Impulse keyboard.

I think it will be a similar process if you use any MIDI controller.

You end up with two tracks using my method. One track records the MIDI control messages and the other track records the audio. There may be other more elegant ways of doing it, but this works for me.

My description is a very long winded because I've included steps that are just checks. Once you know it's going to work, you don't have to do the 'CHECKS'. Or you could just skip the steps I've labelled CHECK, and see if it works straight away.

1. Create a track in Reaper. I'll called it 'Track 1'

Select 'Input: MIDI' > Select your MIDI device (In my case my 'Impulse' keyboard)

Select 'All Channels' (which is probably the default anyway)
Set Track 1 to Record

2. CHECK. Add a Reaper FX plug-in called ReaControlMIDI(Cockos) to Track 1

Click on the button called 'Show Log', which is at the top right of the plugin window

Vary the expression pedal and you should see messages appearing in the MIDI activity log

I see messages that include the text '[CC11 Expression MSB]'

If you see messages skip to step 4.

3. CHECK. This is only necessary if you don't see any messages at step 2.

Select Options > Preferences > MIDI Devices

You should see your MIDI device in the list

It should say 'Enabled+Control' next to your device in the list

If not, right click over your MIDI device and make sure you have ticks against 'Enable input' and 'Enable input for control messages'

4. Create another track in Reaper. I'll call it 'Track 2'

The input for this needs to be the Audio input channel for your instrument

5. On Track 1, click on the Route button

Click on 'Add new send' in the routing window for Track 1 and select Track 2

This is to route the MIDI control messages from Track 1 to Track 2

6. CHECK. Add Reaper FX plug-in ReaControlMIDI(Cockos) to Track 2 and click on the button called 'Show Log' (i.e. the same as you did previously for Track 1).

With Track 1 set to record, vary the expression pedal and you should see messages appearing in the MIDI activity log.

This is to check that Track 2 is receiving MIDI control messages from Track 1.

7. Add the Amplitube 5 plug-in to Track 2.

Add a Wah pedal in Amplitube 5 (or anything you want to control with the expression pedal)

Right click over the picture of the Wah pedal in the upper window.

In the window that appears: Select 'Assign MIDI' > 'Wah' > 'Learn Wah'

It will say 'Waiting For MIDI input'

Operate your expression pedal

You should see the pedal moving in Amplitube 5, as you vary the expression pedal

BTW: You can select any parameter that appears in the picture in the Amplitube window. For example, you could right click over the volume control of an amplifier, if you want to adjust its volume with your expression pedal.

If you want to remove control, right click over it again and select 'Delete'

8. Set both Track 1 and Track 2 to record

Track 1 will record the MIDI control messages and Track 2 will record the audio.

The same method works with Neural DSP stuff and Helix Native.

For Helix Native, right click over the slider you want to adjust and select MIDI learn

drwiddly · March 2023

I've owned a Behringer FCB1010 since 2005 and have done hundreds of gigs with it. It's never gone wrong or had a problem and I bought it used off e-Bay! The only change I made was to install an Uno chip after I'd had it for a year or two to make it a bit more flexible in use. Just my experience.

MARVlN · March 2023

stratman3142 said:

Snip

Brilliant guide - I couldn't get MIDI (I have a Roland FC-300) to work with Amplitube in Reaper before I followed this and had to use the standalone, but it's a lot more convenient to use Reaper. +Wisdom

Creed_Clicks · March 2023

Thanks @stratman3142 very detailed and informative guide there for reference!
If I just wanted a basic pedal on/off switch, I would assume any midi on/off would do? Like a Boss for example?

stratman3142 · March 2023

Creed_Clicks said:

Thanks @stratman3142 very detailed and informative guide there for reference!
If I just wanted a basic pedal on/off switch, I would assume any midi on/off would do? Like a Boss for example?

It would be the same principle but, at step 7 in my description, instead of operating an expression pedal, you would operate the switch pedal.

If you've got a midi unit with multiple switches or expression pedals, you should be able to control multiple things by following the midi learn process for each of them.

I also use a similar process to use my Novation Impulse keyboard as a control surface for controls on VSTi synths. But you don't need to use two tracks because a single track is receiving midi anyway.

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Cheap midi controller (pedal and wah) for Amplitube 5 & Reaper/Windows?

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