Re: Repeater MIDI controller question

[rich <rich@nuvisionsca.com>]

>I think the current consensus is the behringer box, at around $129. Right
>guys?
>
>I'm waiting for mine to arrive, but from the looks of it's manuals, it's a
>powerful beast.
>
>  > what is the cheapest and best (i realize that those 2
>>  contradict each other) MIDI controller to use with
>  > this unit?

I've just been digging further down into the Repeater lately, 
controlling it with the Behringer FCB 1010.  Pretty nice combination 
for the money, IMO.  Nobody has got a pedal in that price range that 
can do as much.

The combination of the Repeater's midi implementation and the 
Behringer works pretty well, especially if the Repeater is the ONLY 
beast you're controlling.  This is due to the fact that the midi 
channel of the CC's (2), program changes (5) and the expression 
pedals (2) that the 1010 can send need to be setup GLOBALLY.  this 
kindof sucks, since you might want the expression pedals to control 
one unit on one patch, but another unit on another patch.  No can do 
on the 1010.  If expression pedal 1 is setup to transmit on midi 
channel 2, then it's ALWAYS going out on channel 2, no matter what 
preset.

that being said, if the Repeater is the only thing you're 
controlling, assign EVERYTHING to the appropriate midi channel and 
start programming!  (your feet may be sore from the tap dancing you 
will have to do to program this thing, but at least your back won't 
be.  once the GLOBAL setup is done, you can program it totally from 
foot presses.  no bending over...

Controlling the Repeater with the 1010 is super cool.  If you get a 
newer unit, or can download the web update onto EPROM, you can also 
(supposedly) copy patches, which would cut down the tap dancing 
considerably.

My setup is currently only using Patch Bank 00 and 01, for the 
moment, and the other patch banks are coming along as i get more 
comfortable with the unit.  It looks like this

bank 00
pedal 1:  record/overdub
pedal 2:  play
pedal 3:  stop
pedal 4:  undo
pedal 5:  reverse
pedal 6:  record track select - scrolls through 1-4
pedal 7:  loop select (down)
pedal 8:  loop select (up)
pedal 9:  multiply x2
pedal 10:  loop erase
exp pedal 1:  overdub feedback
exp pedal 2:  pitch/time (down)  pedal all the way forward = normal 
pitch, anything back from that takes pitch and time down, down, down, 
like a digitech rds/pds thing...it's nice that when you just slam the 
thing forward, everything comes back into pitch.  you don't have to 
guess.  also, my play button also has a CC command to bring it back 
to pitch, too.  so if you are doing something whacked pitch wise, you 
can hit one button and you're back to normal.

note:  playing with this pitch/time bend function via the exp pedal, 
whilst playing with track pitch via the front panel leads to some 
VERY disorientating effects!

bank 01
pedal 1:  record/overdub
pedal 2:  play
pedal 3:  stop
pedal 4:  undo
pedal 5:  reverse
pedal 6:  jamman fade medium
pedal 7:  jamman fade long
pedal 8:  jamman cue loop 1
pedal 9:  jamman cue loop 2
pedal 10:  loop erase
exp pedals:  not implemented.....yet!

so, a hearty recommendation for the behringer/repeater combo.  i am 
really trying to get into the meat of this setup.  it holds some very 
cool potential.  one of my recent favorites is to setup a backing 
drone on one track, switch to a new track and start playing.  stay in 
record/overdub and turn the feedback down to 0 with the exp pedal. 
Now the drone continues, but you only get ONE repeat of the phrase 
you just played last, and next time around, you will hear what you 
what you are playing....well....NOW.   and so on and so on.

ps.  i originally thought that the overdub feedback thing was global, 
that all tracks would fade... not so!  how freaking cool is that to 
have controllable feedback across 4 seperate tracks!

pss.  this is a deliberate crib of what i gleaned from watching 
Matthias play at loopstock.  it's a great way to duet with yourself, 
but not get caught into a 'static' loop.  each time through, it 
changes!  reminds me a bit of the back and forth 'trading solos' of 
Tabla players.  The Repeater does have a Multiply x2 function.  If 
there was a easy way to 'trim x2', or something like that, you could 
really get into that Tabla solo trade thing, since they trade solos 
of  16 bars, then 8 bars, then 4, then 2, then 1, then 1/2, and so 
on...

I haven't figured out an easy way to do that in a button push, but 
i'll keep trying!

sorry for the long read,
best,

rich