Which MIDI controllers for the Andromeda?

[CorbyLaCroix]

I’m brand new to the MIDI world so this question is gonna be very elementary but does anyone know what to look for in a midi controller for the Andromeda? My basic need is to be able to quickly bank up and down (without using the Andromeda’s hold function) and then to be able to access two separate delay sounds on the fly, mid-song. Can someone point me to any specific brands or at least tell me what to look for as far as functionality goes? Thanks!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which MIDI controllers for the Andromeda?

Welcome to the forum!

I believe that the Andromeda just uses standard program change messages as well as continuous control messages, so any midi pedal that can send these will work (see the Midi Implementation Guide for what numbers control what). There are a lot of options out there for midi pedals, but first you might have to decide how big of a midi pedal you want. If all you want is program changes, small pedals, such as those by Tech21 would work.

 

[CorbyLaCroix]

Re: Which MIDI controllers for the Andromeda?

Welcome to the forum!

I believe that the Andromeda just uses standard program change messages as well as continuous control messages, so any midi pedal that can send these will work (see the Midi Implementation Guide for what numbers control what). There are a lot of options out there for midi pedals, but first you might have to decide how big of a midi pedal you want. If all you want is program changes, small pedals, such as those by Tech21 would work.

I looked at the MIDI implementation guide and honestly I have no idea what I'm Looking at
Zero clue as to what all that means. FWIW I talked to tech support at Tech 21, ironically, and they told me their pedals wouldn't allow me to access banks and presets - only presets. Which honestly further muddied the waters for me. I guess I need someone to just say "get the XYZ pedal - it'll do what you need it to" ha

 

[Gtrjunior]

Which MIDI controllers for the Andromeda?

I’m fairly new to midi as well. But I recently built a board using a Musicomlab MKiii+ controller.
I don’t use the CC messages. I make presets in the Andromeda for my specific song needs, then save them to whichever bank I want (01/A or 02/C for example) then use the Musicomlab’s midi capability to just go to the preset I want.
So with the Musicomlab I can set 4 different sounds in a bank.
So I might have a clean, OD, full dirty and solo settings.
Within each of those 4 sounds I can have 4 different delay settings or none at all.
One of my patches is for the song Breath by Breaking Benjamin.
I have a light Reverb only clean for the intro.
A heavy reverb/delay/chorus for the verses
A full Distortion with reverb for the heavy parts
And a full Distortion with delay for the solo in the beginning.
The two delay sounds for the solo and the clean verse are completely different from one another. It all get switched by the Musicomlab.

Hope that helps.
Fwiw, most any midi controller nowadays can do what I just described.

 

[CorbyLaCroix]

Re: Which MIDI controllers for the Andromeda?

I’m fairly new to midi as well. But I recently built a board using a Musicomlab MKiii+ controller.
I don’t use the CC messages. I make presets in the Andromeda for my specific song needs, then save them to whichever bank I want (01/A or 02/C for example) then use the Musicomlab’s midi capability to just go to the preset I want.
So with the Musicomlab I can set 4 different sounds in a bank.
So I might have a clean, OD, full dirty and solo settings.
Within each of those 4 sounds I can have 4 different delay settings or none at all.
One of my patches is for the song Breath by Breaking Benjamin.
I have a light Reverb only clean for the intro.
A heavy reverb/delay/chorus for the verses
A full Distortion with reverb for the heavy parts
And a full Distortion with delay for the solo in the beginning.
The two delay sounds for the solo and the clean verse are completely different from one another. It all get switched by the Musicomlab.

Hope that helps.
Fwiw, most any midi controller nowadays can do what I just described.

Thanks I’ll look into that. Appreciate the help!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Which MIDI controllers for the Andromeda?

Generally speaking, MIDI devices don’t need Bank and Patch information, just patch (PC). The Tech 21 MIDI Mouse, One Control Gecko or the Disaster Area DMC.micro should all work. I haven’t read the Andromeda guide recently, but GtrJunior got his working with his MIDI Controller with simple PC messages.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Which MIDI controllers for the Andromeda?

Generally speaking, MIDI devices don’t need Bank and Patch information, just patch (PC). The Tech 21 MIDI Mouse, One Control Gecko or the Disaster Area DMC.micro should all work. I haven’t read the Andromeda guide recently, but GtrJunior got his working with his MIDI Controller with simple PC messages.

And with a crap ton of help from you!!
You da man!!
Ha!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which MIDI controllers for the Andromeda?

While you are searching for the right controller, understand that you have to program it to do what you want- none really come out of the box and are ready to go without understanding a little about midi terms. Program Change messages (PC) change different presets. Continuous Control (CC) messages control parameters within the preset (delay time, mix, tap tempo, etc).
So, you tell the controller to send a program change message (say, preset # 10) and then you use another switch or expression pedal to sweep parameters within that preset. Read up on some midi basic commands so you know what you are getting into and buy what you need. It will be hard to make a decision (and it will cause frustration later) if the midi pedal you buy doesn't quite do what you want.