Behringer MIDI pedal review

[SoundFNR@aol.com]

Finally got hold of the FCB1010 from Behringer.

Solid looking machine, mainly metal construction.
68x22cm footprint.

10 midiswitches, 2 Expression pedals. 

Checked for latency with EDP , its OK!!!
The switches are easy to press, by footswitch standards,
obviously not as easy as the dedicated EDP switches,
but quite a small amount of movement to activate .

Pedals use a light sensitive system, so should be reliable.
..and can be recalibrated if you know the secret sequence.
pedals feel fine, easy to move and stay in place.

Each MIDI switch can send 5 prog Change, 2 CC, 1 note On-Off,
and also defines which CC is sent (if any) by the pedals (and pedal range 
also).
that make 10 "functions".
...and also 2 relays ( 1/4 in jack sockets) are either open or closed.

and there's 10 banks, so that's 100 programs
dedicated up/down switches for bank select. 

No wall wart


so that's the good news.

bad news follows.

MIDI channel is assignable GLOBALLY for each function.
so, for instance:-
prog change 1 is always on the same channel
(but you have 5 prog changes, so 5 possible channels)
Each CC limited to one channel (so only 2 channels)
Each expression pedal has a channel assigned.
Note On-0ff on one channel only. 

The channels can be changed at will for each function.
..but you have to hold down a switch while powering up.
So Behringers claims about programming everything with your feet 
are misleading.

Programming is generally time consuming and not intuitive.
Downside of the 10 functions thing is that if you want to
use a pedal all the time, you have to program it into 
every switch that you use.  

there is no provision to send a second CC when the footswitch is released 

programming requires a "long press" of 2.5 seconds.
which is a "very long time" . 

a bit of physical hum comes from the transformer,
probably not enough to matter. 

SUMMARY
the design concept behind this is to have one press 
to get you the sound you want, setting up all your
gear in a flash, and including a couple of pedals each 
conected to its dedicated device.

It's not really set up for interaction and control of
a single device.
Particularly you can't really program a different bank
for each device and use all the features for that device.
...because you can't program channel change without
getting down on the floor.

But as a controller for a looper, it's by far the best option
currently available (that I know).
To get better functionality, you'd need a desktop unit, 
(and then you'd want this pedal to control it).
The price is £110 GBP , so probably $199 or so in the states.

As a controller for the EDP, its OK for basic stuff, 
and the 2 pedals are excellent .
(although remember you always need an analog pedal for input vol)
You can't program 2 Note-Ons at once for "clever functions".
You can't use the CCs to control, unless you use up both CCs and
specifically program a LongPress or ShortPress.

Using 2 EDPs, you'd have to edit the MIDI channel on the EDPs to
control them separately.

But once the new Loop4 software for EDP comes out this
pedal will really expand the EDP possibilities.
(watch this space)

andy butler