Midi advice for an idiot wanted please.

Beexter

Could someone point me in the direction of an idiot's guide to midi please? 

I have 2 fundamental rigs - an AX8 which I use direct to PA and a more conventional pedalboard (which contains an Empress Echosystem) for using with an amp so both options have midi controllable pedals.

What benefits would a midi controller give me? I know I can use it to select presets but I can already do that on the above pedals so what's the advantage of a separate controller?

Also, it seems that not all midi controllers are created equal and compatibility seems inconsistent - what makes the good ones good? The Morningstar MC6 seems a bit of a forum fave but I also like the look of the Decibel 11 Switch Dr as it also has loops that you can plug non-midi pedals in to use like a programmable looper. From my limited knowledge, it doesn't look like the MC6 can do this?

I know diddly about midi so any help / pointers/ article links gratefully received.

Wazmeister

MC6 - even I could use it. Simple. Avoids that illogical midi rabbit hole

english_bob

^^^ but to answer your question @Beexter, the MC6 is not a loop switcher, although Morningstar do make a loop switcher add-on for the MC6.

Without having used one, the advantages of having a MIDI controller would include- preset selection on multiple pedals at the same time, MIDI clock to synchronize tap tempo on multiple pedals, and Control Change messages that would let you have expression pedal-style control over parameters within presets on multiple pedals.

If you only have one MIDI pedal on an otherwise "dumb" pedalboard then the benefit you'd get from a MIDI controller might be limited, although that would depend on how accessible the features you need are from the pedal's interface.

@GavRichList is balls deep in the Morningstar MC6 on a fairly complex pedalboard- he may be able to expand on what's good about it.

GavRichList

"balls deep". 

MC6 is wonderful. Feel free to ask any questions. 

Teetonetal

In terms of the ax8, it is the midi controller.

Midi can be used to do a few things to enabled pedsls... send midi clock... trigger pedals to change settings, or state. Get hooked up to a laptop (the pigtronix infinity can be synced so that stop, play,overdub etc are triggered by a laptop)

The question really is what midi pedals do you have and what do you want to do with them?

Beexter

Teetonetal said:

In terms of the ax8, it is the midi controller.

Midi can be used to do a few things to enabled pedsls... send midi clock... trigger pedals to change settings, or state. Get hooked up to a laptop (the pigtronix infinity can be synced so that stop, play,overdub etc are triggered by a laptop)

The question really is what midi pedals do you have and what do you want to do with them?

That's a good point @Teetonetal - at the moment, the only midi capable pedal on my traditional board is an Empress Echosystem. If I were to incorporate midi on that board (which contains tuner, volume/ wah, 2 dirt pedals, a tumnus, compressor, delay and tremolo) I'd need an Empress midi box to connect the delay AND a midi loop switcher for the non midi pedals AND a midi controller. All it would add would be the ability to call up different pedal combos and switch presets on the Echosystem with one button press. Seems a bit of a faff to me.

Seemingly, a few people use a midi controller just to switch patches on the AX8 but on the basis it can do that anyway, I can't see the point?

Maybe midi just isn't for me, I just wanted to understand if I was missing anything.

Teetonetal

Midi is great. But there needs to be a point to it otherwise why bother. What Gav does with his board is exactly why midi is such a great thing but for lots of people it's just an extra layer of faff.